otl201 – Post 2

My first post of this course was brief and simple. After a quick introduction about myself, I read a haiku and used a picture of nature to set the stage for the short poem. I think that introductory post should effectively work in favor of social presence and supporting open communication. What can be more open than a haiku which doesn’t include any metaphors? I personally like this method as the teacher tries to set the stage for open yet respectful communication.

Two improvements that I might make in light of what I know about social presence since completing your first post is adding more information about myself and using humour in my speech. I learned in this post that two indicators of effective interpersonal communication are self-disclosure and use of humour.

I think adding a short story or bio representing details of personal life outside of class will be a good strategy to start an online course. Furthermore, as noted in the course, having a sense of humour can be useful and provides a more welcoming atmosphere among the members of learning community.

I believe the incorporation of various aspects of social presence in online and distance education can effectively increase both student-student and teacher-student interactions and will have a positive effect on the learning process. Additionally, open communication not only sets the stage for a good start but also helps in facilitating attention, motivation, and engagement.

We all know the rapport established between the teacher and the student is a key to effective teaching. I often see in my students’ evaluation that students describe successful teachers as enthusiastic. I think a strong sense of humor can play a major role in developing this enthusiasm. Besides, use appropriate humor will enhance a sense of community and learning effectiveness. When used appropriately, humor has the ability to trigger students’ engagement and improve the ability to learn.