Kim Spiegel 

Discuss the importance of the first day of a course and what instructors should model for their students.

They always say first impressions are what matter the most because they set the tone for the rest of the school year.  The first day of class can be exciting for new students because they meet their new teacher, see who is going to be in their class, and also look at what the course requirements are.  Students want to see a teacher that is excited about learning and teaching them new ideas and concepts.  They do not want to see a teacher who is late to class, unprepared, or unenthusiastic.  If a teacher comes the first day unprepared then students will come to class unprepared.  The first day sets the expectations for future classes.

What should instructors do to prepare for the first day, and what should actually occur on the first day? 

Teachers should have a prepared syllabus on the first day of class that outlines class requirements, due dates, and assignments.  They should also have a plan on what they want to do for the first day whether it be introductions or a game to get to know their students.  They need to be organized, and probably should have an introduction prepared that talks about themselves and what they are hoping to get out of the class.  I don’t think the first day should have too much.  I never liked teachers that gave an assignment on the first day, so I probably won’t either.

How should instructors prepare differently for teaching on campus versus teaching online? 

I think that on-line teachers might want to be prepared with a video so students have an idea of who they are talking to.  Classroom teachers get to face their students one on one, but on-line teachers do not have that option.  I also think that having a syllabus posted on-line for students to have that outlines the course is very important, although classroom teachers should have one ready to pass out. I also think on-line teachers need to stress the importance of participation because that is really all they have to go on.  Classroom teachers are able to do all kinds of assessments, but on-line teachers really have video chat or written postings.