Students learn and so do I!

I like when students call me on the phone for help. Not only do they get the opportunity to receive additional assistance with assignments and requirements but sometimes I also learn some enlightening information.
I mentioned in my last Blog that I provided some Setting Tips for the Email and Discussion areas of the course. I posted this information along with links to a webpage with the same tips on course Links, News and I also sent them in an Email.

I knew that redundancy was important for these Tips because, if Emails were hidden behind "panes", then people might not be seeing all of their important messages.
However, after speaking with a student just a few days ago I was made aware of a "habit" that could significantly alter how many of my students are reading News and maybe even accessing any Links.

When students log on, D2L kindly alerts them if they have new unread Discussion Posts or Dropbox Feedback. During our phone conversation, the lady mentioned that she clicks on those "link alerts" to go specifically and directly to that area of the course. That sure makes sense! But in doing so, the Home Page is bypassed along with the "News items" on the Home Page.
This one phone conversation really gave me something to consider. It made me wonder how many students are bypassing the Home Page in favor of going directly to specific course locations.

Other Instructors have shared how they sometimes put important alerts/news in the Discussion area, which makes perfect sense since students have to go there to complete assignments.
I have held off doing this simply because I wanted to reserve the Discussion area for science research posts only and not "clutter" it up with course information, alerts or tips.
However, since students absolutely have to go there to complete assignments, the Discussion area may very well be an important, significant and effective way of reaching those students who do not read Emails, who bypass the Home Page and who never click on Links from the Course Top Navigation Bar.

And so this Blog is not about "what I have done" but rather it is about "what I am thinking of doing".
I am still mulling over in my head exactly how touching base with students in the Discussion area can be accomplished in a way so as not to detract from the neat, well-organized research topics contained therein.
A "Tip" at the very top will grab their attention but it will also move the current, Main Unit Discussion down to second place.
What about at the bottom? "Discussion Posting Directions" appear towards the bottom and I am certain that only a few people have looked way down there to read the instructions. Instead of being a case of "Out of sight; out of mind", it is more like "At the bottom; not as important".
I am leaning towards at the top, as a brief message in a Forum Header, no student posts allowed, so as not to expand the short, to-the-point tip into a long, half-screen topic. The wheels are still turning in my head! Ah yes, flexibility!

In our Community Discussions, I'll query the community by posting a question about using the Discussion area effectively and succinctly for non-discussion related information.
In another Blog, I will follow-up with what I tried. If you post any alerts, tips or news in the Discussion area, please feel free to comment and share how you do this without taking away from the appearance of that area of your course.

Lorrie