Best Practices for Online Communication

Best Practices for Online Communication

Reflect: The communication we offer students during a time of need can be the single most important influence in their success or defeat. Keep in mind the best practices for communication presented in this lesson and imagine how you could utilize them to respond to and positively influence one of the options below:

Option 1

You have a special needs student in your advanced programming course who is being supported through an individualized education program (IEP) with specific accommodations. His eligibility for special education services is Emotional/Behavioral Disorder, citing severe depression and anxiety, self-harming behaviors, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is evident from his grades up until this point, he is absolutely capable of understanding the material and doing the work. However, a couple of months into your course, you notice he has gotten behind and is struggling to get back on track. His main accommodation is related to assistance breaking larger assignments and projects down into manageable parts with check in points with the teacher. You know from your experience, this could be a make it or break it point, and you wonder if the student is beginning to shut down. At this point, the course has moved from the basic information to the point of application, with several project-based assessments.

1. Indicate which option you decided to write about. In at least one paragraph, discuss the challenges you believe may be happening for this student in the class based on the information provide in the scenario. This could be related to communication, communication tools, or other issues that may be going on.
   
   As a psychology teacher, my main concern is the student's mental health.  As I am starting to notice to change in the students grades, I know that the depression can lead into learned helplessness.  Communication with the teacher may be intimidating and psychologically overwhelming. Once this student hits a certain psychological and emotional low, it will be very difficult to progress forward.  
2. Think about the various aspects of communication presented in this lesson. Choose at least three best practices of communication that you feel would be appropriate to implement or address to properly support the student. Write at least one paragraph for each best practice you chose and discuss the following for each:
1. why the best practice is applicable to the student situation, 
2. how you could implement it, 
3. what outcome you would expect.
   
   In this case, a definite approach would be a synchronous option of calling the student.  Picking up the phone and making the initial contact would need to be initiated by my as the teacher.  Based on this student's specific circumstances, I highly doubt he will have the will to call me first.  I also want to verbally stress to the student the value of them as a person and not a grade.  I feel this can be best communicated verbally and not via email.  I would expect the conversation to be one sided, mainly from me to him but that's okay; reaching out and making the first move is hopeful. 
   
   The second thing I would attempt is honestly an email follow up to the conversation.  This student may be in a place where verbal communication is too much so writing their feelings in words could work.  I think it is also important to follow up as it sends a message that the phone conversation was important and not dismissed.  The student has three options: not respond, respond with little communication, or respond with overwhelming details that may need to be passed on to a mandatory reporter.
   
   The third thing I would do is provide personalized feedback on his assignment via audio files.  I think it would be important for him to hear my compliment sandwich verbally as a way to build his confidence back up in approaching projects but also for perseverance as the semester is transitioning to project-based assessments.  If he has shown based mastery of content, then I know the projects may be a little challenging as it moves to application of knowledge.  Providing specific personalized feedback will help him know exactly what he needs to focus on for improvement.