Continuing to AdaptOnce your course is in place and the term has started, your primary tasks will be communicating, grading, and updating. It is impossible to stress sufficiently the need to stay in contact with your students. When they send you email, respond within 24 hours, at least to say, "I got your message and I will get back with you as soon as I can." When you read their comments on your discussion board, reply just as you would to a comment made in the classroom. Taking the effort to tell a student "That's a good response" or "Could you give an example to illustrate what you mean?" or "I think you are starting to catch on" is appreciated by students. It makes them aware that you have concern for their progress.One advantage of using Blackboard's gradebook feature is that the students can each see their own grades without having to pester you. But that assumes that you grade their materials in a timely fashion. I recommend that you export your Blackboard gradebook as an Excel file (Control Panel > Gradebook > Download ). Open it in Excel and adjust the column widths, then print it out (use landscape page layout). When you are grading assignments, especially those turned in electronically (discussion board responses, file attachments, etc.), you can mark the scores on your printed gradesheet. When you have graded everything, transfer the grades to Blackboard. It is wise to make a backup copy of the gradesheet on a regular basis, even every time you add new grades. One valuable aspect of teaching online is that you have a lot of flexibility regarding course materials. If a student sends you a photo of a Gothic cathedral (as one of mine did while stationed in Germany), you can post that for the class to see. If several students email you with the same questions, you can post an announcement to the whole class clarifying the situation. Around the middle of the term you might consider asking your students these questions:
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