Whether via SMS, chat, whiteboard collaboration, audio and/or video conferencing, or a combination of the above, these synchronous tools bring a vital sense of mutual presence (instructor and learner) and help create a sense of community in the eLearning classroom.
When coaching professors and subject matter experts in the delivery of their narrations or voiceovers, I always encourage them to work with a script. Most of the time, they come back with eloquent, passionate, error-free prose.
Trying to engage students in your online courses can be a hassle sometimes, with problems arising from the way the course is designed and up to the way you connect with them on a daily basis. Discussion boards, however challenging they might be, offer a good opportunity to extend the learning space beyond the general class contact hours.
“And remember, honey: if you’ve got it, flaunt it!” my aunt would chirp enthusiastically at me during just about every family event throughout my teens and early twenties. Although this mantra worked on occasion, it pretty much flopped years later when I did my first audio narrations for an online course.
