Home > Design > Interaction > Encouraging Interaction

Compliment students when they ask questions. It's sometimes difficult for students to open up and ask questions online or in a videoconference. When they do, tell them they did a good job.

Allow others to respond to questions and make comments. Keep the discussion moving; don't shut it off.

Look for connections among comments. Try to connect several students' comments or questions, citing similarities or differences among them. This encourages conversation.

Build confidence in insecure learners. Don't be condescending. Instead, keep alive the insecure student's desire to learn.

Offer rewards. It could be a positive comment or an information "gift,"such as a link to a new Web site. Rewards should be positive reinforcements.

Encourage shy students. In an online environment, these shy students sometimes are called "lurkers." Some like to be quiet and learn that way, but there are times when teachers must draw out shy students, possibly through group assignments. One thing to avoid here is embarrassing reserved, shy students.

"Roll call." Open each videoconference session with an informal "roll call" to give participants a chance to become accustomed to using the equipment.
Call on sites. When there are many off-campus sites watching or listening to a live videoconference, you must call on specific sites for questions or comments.
"10-Second Rule." When you ask for a question from a videoconference site, give the site a chance to respond. Wait at least 10 seconds before saying anything else or going to another site.
Timing. Interaction should be short (15-20 minutes) and well-planned to maximize involvement and generate results.
Question and answer. Distance education interaction takes more time. Budget about one-third more time than you think it will take for question and answers.

Dr. Marshall Breeze discusses overcoming "frustrations" with the technology to increase interaction. Watch Video (50 sec.)

Delivery systems. Integrate a variety of delivery systems for feedback and interaction, such as fax, electronic mail, individual or conference calls, chat sessions, and, when possible, personal visits.

Detailed syllabus and personal message. Develop a detailed course syllabus and provide it, along with printed course materials, well before the class starts. Also include a "personal message" about who you are and what you expect from the class. You also might want to include a picture of yourself in the personal message.

Students' personal Web pages. Allow students to develop Web pages that tell a little bit about who they are. Have them include a picture about themselves, so that other students can see what they look like. However, discourage them from revealing too much personal information on the Web and definitely discourage them from providing personal data (Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, etc.) on Web pages.

Online Interaction. Allow students to develop a peer-to-peer community, but you'll also need to encourage students to stay focused on the topic. Learn more about tips for chat rooms in the online discussion section.

Dr. John Zenger explains how short student biographies encouraged learner-learner interaction and reduced isolation.  Watch Video (28 sec.)

Complete the "Design" module with the sections on Assessment and Evaluation.