Communication with Distance Students
Class Rosters
Obtain your class roster through CULearn. You will need your CU login and Identikey. When you request your roster, you must make separate requests for each on-campus, distance, and nondegree section. When requesting space on CULearn be sure that you include the course numbers for all the courses that need access to the online lectures (double-listed, cross-listed, meets with, and distance sections).
- Semester course sections: 701, 702, 703, 740, (contact CAETE registration for independent study and thesis section numbers)
- Library course sections: 705, 706, 707, 708
- Nondegree sections: 750 (embedded systems courses), 770 (space available)
We encourage you to pull up new rosters occasionally through the first few weeks of classes when many drops and adds occur.
Communication Modalities
We encourage you to use the entire spectrum of communication modalities to promote interaction with your students. Phone calls, fax messages, e-mail, list serves, and course tools such as CULearn and eCollege are all effective methods of keeping communication open between students and the instructor.
One way to promote good communication is to require each distance learning student to contact you within the first two weeks of the class. During the semester, you might share communication from distance students during your class sessions. This helps to include all distance learning students in the classroom experience. These steps can break the ice and encourage interaction throughout the semester. Remind yourself periodically during the semester to visualize distance students and include their comments in your class discussions. Many distance students are experienced engineers and managers with rich experiences to share.
Ensure that students know how to reach you and/or your TA/grader. Advise students of your phone, fax, and e-mail. Provide students with your office hours, academic expectations, important due dates, deadline policies, where to send homework and exams, etc.
Best Practices from Students
Below are some suggestions gleaned from past student evaluations:
- Clarify your goals, expectations, assignments, and grading policies early in the semester. Provide specific guidance on the level of academic performance you expect and adhere to this guidance. Provide and follow your course outline.
- Provide more illustrations and examples in the more difficult areas of your curriculum.
- Ensure that your prepared visual aids and your handwriting are sufficiently large and legible.
- Ensure students have sufficient time to copy notes and absorb visuals before removing them from camera. If in doubt, ask! It is helpful to send distance learning students copies of your visuals. (Prepared visuals can be sent prior to your lecture. Notes formulated during class can be sent out immediately after your session.)
- Repeat questions asked by in-class students so that everyone hears the query.
- Ensure timely return of graded assignments and exams so that students can benefit from the results.
- Distance learning students are occasionally adversely impacted by business trips, peak workloads, etc. Try to be flexible in terms of deadlines but do not allow abuse of your flexibility.
- Provide written solutions to homework. Specify if the solutions should be mailed to the entire class or individuals. Remember to obtain homework from all students before distributing the solutions.
- Be responsive to questions and correspondence from distance learning students. Prompt return of phone or e-mail messages is truly appreciated. If you have a TA or grader, ensure they understand that a prompt response to students' queries is a requirement of the job.
