Running head: FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
Facilitator Communication & Feedback in Online Instruction
Thomas E. Day
AET-541
September 29, 2014
H. Garth Beerman
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FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
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Facilitator Communication & Feedback in Online Instruction
As facilitators, coaches, mentors, guides, and teachers we all want to help learners
achieve their desired goals, but what are the best ways to that? We know through our personal
experiences in online courses that the quality of education is as high as it is in the traditional
classrooms, so to ensure that we are teaching to those same high standards we need to think
about, and reflect on the things that have worked for us.
This paper will deal with two topics to help ensure that we are teaching courses that have
the essential elements to create an ideal online learning environment; (1) communication that is
relevant, and effective for online learners (Betts, 2009), and (2) feedback that provides learners
with useful information in a timely manner (Higgins, Hartley, & Skelton, 2002).
Methods for Editing Online Work to Teach Correct Communication Techniques
Students know better than to copy the work of others and attempt to pass it off as their
own, and they also know not to let others do their work for them, but citing sources correctly is
often a problem (Hansen, Stith, & Tesdell, 2011). To ensure that the learners are gaining in
their understanding of correctly formatting their papers, and their discussion posts, it is relevant
to have activities in each course that stress the value of some of the specifics of APA formatting.
The correct formatting using APA standards can be more easily appreciated if it is delivered in
discrete units that are more easily absorbed. Subsequent discussion topics that direct learners to
critically think about the consequences of plagiarism should ensure that the students in a course
will think twice before submitting papers without having spent the time considering that skipping
a procedure that should be routine is not a good practice.
Examples of methods for teaching the correct communication techniques are;

Papers containing errors that the learners can try to find.
FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
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Discussions about how to create a proper running head.

Individual projects where the learners must provide annotations to references.

Team projects where each student must ensure that sources are cited correctly.
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If students are continually developing their skills in correct editing and formatting using
APA standards, they should eventually use those learned techniques in most of their online
communications.
Socratic Questioning Techniques for Online Adult Learners Stimulates Communication
If we want to know that the learners in the courses we are teaching are honestly
discovering solutions to problems on their own then we must question. To ensure that the
questions we ask are enhancing the learning process, we must also ask questions that are both
open-ended, and that use the higher order thinking skills as defined in Bloom’s Taxonomy
(Thompson & Deis, 2004).
The ‘5 Why’ method developed by the Japanese, and used in ‘Six Sigma’ training
courses is an excellent way to encourage students to use higher order thinking skills to find the
root causes of problems (i-Six Sigma, 2014). When we ask learners to develop answers to openended questions we facilitate deep learning, and help create lasting memories that will aid them
in their studies (Critical Thinking Organization, 2013).
Reflection & Review Strategies to Create Individual, and Group Feedback
If we don’t allow time for review and reflection in the online courses we are teaching we
can create problems for the learners, which is exactly the opposite of what we are attempting to
accomplish. Review takes time, but the payoff is enormous for the learner. How often do we
think about the things we have done over the course of a day, a week, or a month? Can we
quickly recall the things we have done, and are those things we have done so unimportant that
FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
they shouldn’t be repeated? Review and reflection can easily be incorporated into course
learning projects and activities (O'Hanlon & Diaz, 2010).
A great example of a review is incorporated into this paper. At the conclusion a generic
rubric will be added that another learner in the course will use to determine if the objectives for
this project have been met. The learner will need to think about the things in the rubric itself to
determine if it is correctly designed, and then they will rank the paper using the rubric. By
giving each learner in the course one full week to analyze another student’s offering for content
and relevance, and by creating one themselves, a great reflection and review is created.
Other simple methods of reflection and review that are very effective would be
explanations of the top three Web 2.0 applications that have reflection and review built into
them, or a simple utilization of a Web 2.0 application that has been used during the course to
complete a project.
(Quizlet, 2014)
Using Quizlet is an easy way for learners to create flashcards that review the vocabulary
studied during the course.
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FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
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(Prezi, 2014)
Or have the students make a presentation on what they covered during the course using
Prezi.
Positive Reinforcement Methods for Online Learners is Excellent Feedback
Telling others what they are doing correctly in the online courses we are teaching may be
the most powerful tool a facilitator has, and the beauty of it is you can do it online just as easily
as you can in a face to face traditional classroom. We want to be sincere, but we don’t want to
use reinforcement for trivial things in the online world, however, because if we do then the
learner may get off track. So to motivate learners through positive reinforcement we need to
ensure that we are focused on those online activities that will strengthen their good online
behaviors. Those activities are very similar from online course to online course, and the learner
will find that they also apply to their other online activities. For example; performing the
suggested readings is not a requirement, and so learners may get the idea that doing the simple
minimums is all they need. In truth, however, those who accomplish a great deal in life, also
FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
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read a great deal, and the material they read is focused. If we provide activities that allow
learners to move into territory related to, but outside the online course we are teaching, and we
reward that behavior by doing simple activities, such as providing additional discussion
questions, then those students who are good readers will advance at a more rapid rate (Brewer,
Stout, & DeJonge, 2001).
Generic Rubric for Scoring Online Papers
The rubric is a good tool for both facilitators and learners because it lays out the
objectives that the facilitator would like to see the learner achieve (Rogers-Carpenter, 2014).
Generic RUBRIC for Evaluation of Written Assignments
(100 points Maximum)
CRITERIA
CONTENT &
CLARITY
(70%)
ORGANIZATION
(15%)
FORMATTING
(10%)
SPELLING,
GRAMMAR, &
PUNCTUATION
Low Quality
Medium Quality
High Quality
The writer addresses issues
outside the subject being
presented. The writer does
not demonstrate basic
knowledge of the content
being presented.
The writer has an idea of what
needs to be accomplished, but
has difficulty conveying that
information succinctly.
The writer clearly explains the
purpose of the paper in the
introductory paragraph, and
subsequently follows with content
that is easy to understand and
relevant.
FEWER THAN 20 POINTS
20 to 60 POINTS
61 to 70 POINTS 70 max
Paragraphs and / or
sentences are out of
sequence.
The writer understands how to
present the material, but has
too many emotional deviations.
The writer introduces the concepts
that will be discussed in the paper,
and follows up with well
developed, explanatory
paragraphs and sentences to
support those concepts in a logical
manner.
FEWER THAN 6 POINTS
7 to 10 POINTS
11 to 15 POINTS 15 max
The APA method of formatting
is not followed.
Improper use of citations.
APA formatting is adhered to, and
there are no overt or notable
errors present.
FEWER THAN 4 POINTS
4 to 8 POINTS
Numerous spelling, grammar,
and punctuation errors.
Four to six spelling, grammar,
and punctuation errors. This
includes improperly used
words.
No more than two errors in
spelling, grammar, or punctuation
combined.
2 to 3 POINTS
4 to 5 POINTS 10
(5%)
FEWER THAN 2 POINTS
(University of Phoenix, 2010)
9 to 10 POINTS 10
FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
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Discussion
Creating projects, and activities that utilize the knowledge, content, and skills we have
been introduced to during a course enhances the learning. If a teacher, coach, or mentor wants to
become a facilitator, that is a person who helps the students maximize their learning potential,
then that instructor must employ correct communication skills and timely, meaningful feedback
to the learner in ways that reinforce the content being taught in the course.
FACILITATOR COMMUNICATION & FEEDBACK IN ONLINE
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References
Betts, K. (2009). Lost in Translation: Importance of Effective Communication in Online
Education. Online journal of distance learning administration, 12(2), 1-15.
Brewer, E. W., Stout, V. J., & DeJonge, J. O. (2001). Moving to Online. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press, Inc..
Critical Thinking Organization. (2013). The Role of Socratic Questioning in Thinking, Teaching,
and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-role-of-socraticquestioning-in-thinking-teaching-learning/522
Hansen, B., Stith, D., & Tesdell, L. (2011, April). Plagiarism: What's the Big Deal? Buisness
Communication Quarterly, 74(2), 188-191. Retrieved from http://bcq.sagepub.com
Higgins, R., Hartley, P., & Skelton, A. (2002, February). The Conscientious Consumer:
reconsidering the role of assessment feedback in student learning. Studies in Higher
Education, 27(1), 53-65.
O'Hanlon, N., & Diaz, K. R. (2010, March). Techniques for Enhancing Reflection and Learning
in an Online Course. Journal of Online Teaching, 6(1). Retrieved from
http://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no1/ohanlon_0310.htm
Prezi. (2014). Be a Great Presenter with Prezi. Retrieved from http://prezi.com/
Quizlet. (2014). Simple Free Learning Tools for Students and Teachers. Retrieved from
http://quizlet.com/
Rogers-Carpenter, K. (2014). Making the Grade: Create Your Own Writing Rubric. Retrieved
from http://www.sophia.org/tutorials/making-the-grade-create-your-own-writing-rubric
Thompson, M. A., & Deis, M. (2004). ANDRAGOGY FOR ADULT LEARNERS IN. Academy
of Accounting and Financial Studies, 9(1), 107-111.
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University of Phoenix. (2010). Faculty Handbook. Retrieved from
https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/FAResources/facultyacknowledge/sources/2009Fac
ultyHandbook.pdf
i-Six Sigma. (2014). Determine the Rooot Cause. Retrieved from
http://www.isixsigma.com/tools-templates/cause-effect/determine-root-cause-5-whys/