Online Teaching - Dr. Bruce A. Johnson

Teach Students to Never Give Up and Watch Them Succeed

Appreciative Teaching, Adult Education, Online Learning, Online Teaching

Every student is likely to feel some apprehension as they attempt to complete what’s required in a course. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first or last course, there may be something holding them back and it’s typically related to their state of mind. This is why the persistence rate of students in a degree program becomes so important. When students no longer believe in themselves, or their capacity to continue, especially in an online degree program, they will likely drop the class and eventually disenroll from the program.

I teach courses, and serve as a Dissertation Chair for doctoral students, in traditional online schools. What I mean by this is students are assigned to a class and an instructor. This provides me with an opportunity to get to know my students and interact with them as much as I am willing to do. Every instructor who teaches in this type of traditional online classroom environment also has this same capability when teaching a course or serving as a committee member. The choice has to do with the amount of time they are willing to invest.

The time invested is important as students also have one of two choices to make when they feel frustrated or don’t believe it is possible to continue with the course. The first choice is to accept they are powerless and beyond hope of addressing the challenges before them. In other words, their self-doubt and negative self-talk has overcome them. The second choice is to ask their instructor for help and hope they are willing to assist them.

When I work with a student, and they want to give up because some aspect of the course seems too challenging, I remind them: This is not the day to give up. What I want them to understand is there is nothing to be gained from an attitude of defeat. How well they perform depends upon what they believe. When they learn to trust their inner strength, they are drawing upon as an accessible internal power. Once they do, they will find themselves stronger of mind and ready to face whatever concerns them now and ahead in their academic journey.

Reason to Quit: The Unexpected

The unexpected can and will occur in life. It usually happens without warning and catches a person by surprise. If ever there is a time when a student would want to quit, this would likely be on top of the list. There’s no planning for every possible scenario and situation which could be encountered. When the unexpected does happen, and it will, there’s a choice: Attempt to retreat from it, or face it head-on. As you likely know, a student’s ability to address any situation outside of the classroom, which directly influences their performance within the classroom, depends upon the support they receive. This support includes help from their instructor.

Reason to Quit: Lingering Doubts

Whenever someone experiences a challenging situation, their ability to handle it effectively may depend upon how strong of mind they are at that time. For example, if there was a minor setback, such as a goal which could not be completed when planned, this does not need to present a significant challenge, as long as they have a positive state of mind. If instead this is seen as a failure, trying to regain momentum may become much more challenging. Even more self-defeating are doubts which are allowed to continue, especially by a student, whether it’s about their ability, capability, or anything similar. The more these doubts are cultivated, the easier it will be for them to quit or give up.

A Source of Internal Strength and Power

The inner strength a person has is often referred to as resilience, willpower, grit, determination, and other similar words. I simply call it internal power, to represent a combination of all these qualities. It takes all these elements to give a student the strength needed to continue, whenever they want to quit or give up. There are three particular powers which are developed from their internal power, and include the Power of Potential, Power of Beliefs, and Power of Affirmations. Each of these powers can be cultivated with intention, and utilized for self-development. At any time, they can draw upon one, or all of these powers. As an instructor, you can teach students to never give up through use of any of these powers.

The Power of Potential

Whenever there is a situation which is perceived to be too challenging, beyond a student’s capability or capacity, or any other justification which could be a combination of these reasons, there is something they have forgotten to consider: They hold tremendous potential. It is important to remind them of this statement, especially during moments when they question their ability to complete some requirement of the course.

All it takes is a moment of clarity, when a student recognizes they can do more when they believe, to look ahead at possibilities, and then realize they hold the power to make changes, all because of the potential they possess. Even if they received less than perfect feedback or a grade, or the unexpected has occurred, their potential is an ability to create a mindset of strength and not give into doubts and fears.

The Power of Beliefs

When you are able to have a conversation with a student about their potential, ask them these questions: Can you name a positive belief about yourself now? Or is it easier to think of something negative?

A belief is a mental statement you develop and continue to reaffirm, often without changing, unless you consciously make a decision to do so. It’s something you state to yourself long enough you begin to accept it as the truth, especially if you find enough evidence or outcomes to support it. For example, if a student believes they have failed, and they continue to receive low grades, this “evidence” will only seem to support and reinforce what they believe. Negative beliefs are the easiest to develop and replay, especially when a class feels challenging. Yet it is the power of positive beliefs which can have the greatest impact on what they accomplish.

When I am addressing a student who wants to quit, and I detect a negative belief, this is when I try help them change their focus. One possible way to begin is to ask the student to think of the last accomplishment which was important to them. In doing so, remembering the details and what it felt like to be able to achieve that particular goal can reinforce a positive belief. What I want them to understand as well is they won’t know what they are fully capable of achieving until they make a first attempt and try. Regardless of the requirements of the course or degree program, they have the power of their beliefs. They can be mentally prepared and unafraid to try.

The Power of Affirmations

The last power a person has, which comes from within, is developed through affirmations. These are statements which are designed to be specific to you, and meant to guide you through those moments when you need strength. For example, some of the worst feelings experienced are those created out of fear and doubt. You can change your thinking by making strong positive statements that begin with “I am”, and conclude with optimistic words, such as strong, powerful, hopeful, unafraid, fearless, centered, calm, etc.

When you think of affirmations, you may visualize statements which are made and read each day. However, as an instructor, affirmations are a powerful form of support for reminding your students of their potential. For example, when I provide feedback I may begin with a statement of appreciation, such as “I appreciate how much progress you’ve made in this course and your positive attitude about learning”. When I conclude my feedback, I will also use affirmative words to help instill a sense of positive self-belief and support within them. I want to help them learn to associate positive words with their performance and create positive affirmations, which can lead to supportive beliefs.

Becoming Limitless

Any time a student wants to quit or give up, it’s time for them to conduct a mental self-assessment. Some of the questions you can have them use include: What more can you accomplish if you keep on trying? What is possible to achieve, with a little more effort? What do you believe about your ability to address this situation?

What I know from experience is this: What you think about, work towards, and commit to matters most. There are no limits to what a person can believe. For every reason there is to quit, there’s an even greater reason to continue trying. The bigger the challenge to overcome, the greater your resolve must be. It’s not just a matter of circumstances, it’s about your determination to stay strong, even in the face of fear or doubt. Every person has within them an unending source of internal power to draw upon, and it only requires a change in focus. When you teach students to make “I can” and “I will” their personal mantras, giving up will not be an option today, or any day.

About Dr. Johnson

Dr. Bruce A. Johnson has 35 years of experience teaching and training adults. The first half of his career was spent in the field of Corporate Training and Development, with his last role as Manager of Training and Development.

Then in 2005, he made a transition into the field of distance learning. Over the past 18 years, he has been an online instructor, Faculty Development Specialist, Faculty Director, Faculty Development Manager, and Dissertation Chair.

Dr. Johnson is an inspirational author, writer, and educator. His life mission to teach, mentor, write, and inspire others. He has earned a PhD in Postsecondary and Adult Education, a Certificate in Training and Performance Improvement (TPI), a Master’s in Adult Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

As a scholar practitioner, Dr. J was published in a scholarly journal, and he has been a featured presenter at an international distance learning conference, along with presenting at three faculty conferences. He has also published over 230 online articles about adult learning, higher education, distance learning, online teaching, and mindset development. Dr. J published three books related to higher education, including two about online teaching.

Getting Down to Business: A Handbook for Faculty Who Teach Business.

Transform Adult Education: Expert Teaching Strategies for Educators.

Transform Online Teaching: Expert Strategies and Essential Resources Every Educator Needs.

Come join Dr. J’s new group, Motivation for Transformation:

Any time of the day, visit this group to find your source of motivation, to be inspired and more importantly, have your mindset transformed: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9108352/

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May 11, 2022/by Dr. Bruce A. Johnson

5 Strategies to Help Students Discover the Power of Possibilities

Adult Education, Appreciative Teaching, Higher Education, Online Learning, Online Teaching

The rise in distance learning courses and programs continues, yet the persistence rate of students remains an issue. Regardless of how many options students now have for taking online courses, even those of high-quality design, current research finds a significant problem with the number of students completing their courses and making it to graduation. Many online schools, including those which are experiencing the greatest growth in enrollment numbers, believe the answer is to diminish the role of the instructor. This means students are allowed to work on their own, until or unless they would like to seek the assistance of someone who knows the subject matter.

Yet I do not believe this trend will succeed in the long run, as my nearly two decades of work within the field of distance learning finds the instructor’s role is critical for student success. Without an ongoing relationship, in which a bond is formed through positive interactions, students are likely to struggle and even fail.

When an instructor takes time to be involved with their students, developing an interest in how they are progressing and what their developmental needs are, students begin to awaken to their potential. Yet this increased self-awareness doesn’t come while working alone, rather students discover the power of possibilities through interactions with their instructors.

The Start of Class as a Litmus Test

Any time a class begins, I view it as a litmus test of my ability to develop productive relationships with students. Often students feel a sense of apprehension and uncertainty during the first week of a new or entry-point class, and it is not confined to undergraduate students. Even my doctoral students experience a range of uncomfortable emotions as they begin.

I am keenly aware of what it took for them to enroll in their program and start this first class. It was the culmination of decisions made and answering questions about making the right choice. If I am able to ease their fears, and help them believe in a future with limitless potential, they will have a better chance of continuing on each week.

A Bond Between Instructor and Student

I understand the argument for reducing the role of an instructor to that of an on-call expert or grader. It is based upon a new trend for courses which are aligned with competencies, tested via exams and written assignments, and assigned individually to students without an instructor.

Yet this diminishes the intellectual stimulation and discourse which is offered through traditional online classes with weekly discussions and highly engaged instructors. My students want to feel a sense of connection with me and I work to ensure interactions with them are meaningful.

I know it only takes one challenging assignment, poor grade, and/or unclear set of assignment instructions to stop a student from progressing. This is when my availability to speak with students and assist them becomes invaluable. I speak with them not just as an educator, but often as a coach and mentor. This also includes the times when a student tells me about their negative self-talk, which can become quite loud during challenging course weeks. When I have established a working relationship with students, they are likely to confide these struggles with me and seek advice.

Trust as an Important Relational Aspect

A student’s trust in their instructor is never automatic. First there is the distance factor, which is going to automatically work against students, and prevent them from feeling a sense of connection to their instructors. Then they must decide, as the class progresses, if the instructor can be trusted to help them when needed. They will be observing what the instructor posts to determine if they have the skills necessary to facilitate the course. Trust is either built or lost then, one interaction at a time.

The very nature of instructor-to-student relationships are complex. Take for example the mindset of students and their view of feedback they anticipate receiving from their instructor. One of the first assignments that my entry-point doctoral students complete has a variety of criteria to reflect upon. The following are student excerpts from one in particular, titled How I Accept Constructive Feedback:

“Availability to ask the professor questions and get a timely response.”

“Try not to form hurt feelings.”

“Accept it comes from someone that cares about me.”

“I often need time to sit in the feedback and let my defensiveness simmer down. Once I can reflect upon it, I become much more responsive.”

“I analyze if the feedback I receive supports my goal achievement; does it have value?”

“I accept constructive feedback when there are points of gratitude incorporated and some validation is given.”

As you can tell from the responses above, the relationship I develop with students has a direct impact on how well they accept feedback received. There are key words here which depict the importance of developing a bond with them, including one a student wrote: “someone that cares about me”. Now if I were only an instructor on-call, and someone who was not working closely with students, any feedback received may be met with resistance or worse.

5 Strategies to Help Students Discover the Power of Possibilities

I have always believed in the power of the mind, and more specifically, the thoughts we focus upon. Whether you want to complete a goal or create a new future for yourself, it is all possible if you accept your own power. This starts by deciding it is important to you, and then believe it is possible, for you to achieve or accomplish it.

This is something I try to teach my students, not directly through long classroom posts, but through motivational messages I create and share in my classes. As to strategies you can implement, there are five I implement within my online teaching practice which you may be able to use as well.

Strategy One: You Didn’t, But You Can

When students receive feedback from me for the first time, they have a true indicator of how I will evaluate their work. While there is always an objective element to feedback, because of the inclusion of a rubric, there is also a subjective element as well. This occurs when I evaluate how their work meets the criteria within the rubric, and to what degree it meets those criteria.

For an entry-point class it would be easy to give perfect scores, operating under the assumption students have not adapted to the expectations yet. However, my approach is to grade based upon what was submitted. While I may not grade with the expectation of an advanced course, I do not “give-away” grades either. I include numerous supportive comments, especially for students who did not earn all points possible. This tells the student: You didn’t achieve the maximum score, but you can with practice and by using the resources shared with you.

Strategy Two: Celebrate Your Ongoing Progress

When students begin an academic degree program, or even when they are early in their program, the thought of reaching the end point may seem a long time away. This is especially true for doctoral students who must complete a dissertation after their coursework has been completed.

As students complete a course, they may still feel as if there will be a significant amount of time required to finish the remaining requirements. This is why it becomes very important for instructors to remind students of their progress, and more importantly, help them celebrate what has been completed as each course marks progression and progress confirms their capacity to persist.

Celebrating a student’s progress can also occur within a class as well. For example, if a student struggled the first few weeks of class, but maintained a willingness to learn, then their growth throughout the class needs to be recognized by the instructor. With my entry-point doctoral class, which is only five weeks in length, I can observe growth for many students, especially if I encourage them as they make attempts to complete the requirements.

As I notice progress, I make certain to remind them of their growth as it encourages them to continue. I learned from my own experience as an online doctoral student how challenging the first few weeks of class can be and how transformative the interactions with my instructor became. Even a single sentence of encouragement can nurture student growth.

Strategy Three: I See Potential in You

The following is what I personally believe about all of my students: No matter how well or poorly you perform with a required learning activity, you have a capacity (and capability) to achieve more. In other words, one grade does not define who you are as a student or your potential.

I work with non-traditional adult students who are typically highly experienced in their fields and many believe (in the beginning) they are knowledgeable enough to complete the requirements with little assistance. It’s usually not until these students begin to receive feedback, they realize there is more to learn as they have academic skills which are required in order to be successful. That’s why I have to encourage them to see their potential and ability to learn.

Strategy Four: When “I Can’t” Arises, Remember You Can

The role of an instructor needs to involve more than being a grader or subject matter expert. There are many times when students are going to hit the proverbial brick wall mentally, and they believe they cannot continue. Perhaps they have received a grade which was less than expected, they cannot develop an idea for a discussion or assignment, or their dissertation writing seems to be too overwhelming.

That’s when I intervene and become more than an instructor. I begin to act as a coach, encouraging them to remember why they can continue, and I provide them with helpful ideas to break through their mental barrier. I also monitor classroom conditions and intervene any time I observe signs of defeat and/or frustration on the part of a student. While I may not be able to help all students, most respond well.

Strategy Five: Make No Time for Fear

There are two types of fear I commonly find students address. The first is the most expected, a fear of failure. There is no question, from my experience, it takes time to build a sense of confidence within students. Even those doctoral students I work with who reach the dissertation phase may still not feel completely capable of meeting the requirements. The second type of fear, which I also find common among students, even doctoral students, is a fear of success. This occurs when students are receiving consistently good grades, positive feedback, and there has been nothing to indicate they have significant areas of development.

These students may be afraid of continuing to perform well and/or be unwilling to admit they are on the right path to success. My role for either type of fear is to help build their self-confidence and reassure them they can engage in class without fear, as they have a built-in support system, starting with their instructors. More important is the value in making mistakes, as those are the times in which valuable lessons can be learned. I’ve learned from experience both success and failure are necessary for growth.

What to Consider as You Help Your Students

If you want to help your students to discover the power of possibilities, begin with a tune-up of your online teaching practices and ask yourself the following questions:

#1. What can your students accomplish in one class?

This prompts you to think about the subject matter and learning activities for your course. What could (or should) your students be able to complete by the end of the course? You can think of the course in terms of what students should learn and how they could learn. It is also important to factor in the length of the course as it will help establish a realistic frame of reference while you are working with your students. This also allows you to consider the possibilities for students and how best to help encourage them.

#2. Will you see immediate results?

This prompts you to consider the point in which students are at in their academic program, the level of their studies, and difficulty level of the course itself. For example, if you teach a doctoral course and this is one of the last courses in the program, you may expect students to have already acquired knowledge and a set of academic skills. However, if you are teaching a master’s degree course, and students have not taken a college-level course in some time, you may expect it takes time for them to learn how to meet the requirements. Regardless of the college level, you want to know what creates potential and possibilities for students.

Be An Instructor Who Instills Hope

What students need, if they are going to persist in their academic program and continue to grow, is an instructor who can help instill hope and teach the value of a positive outlook. It’s not just about achieving perfect grades, rather it’s a matter of realizing the potential they hold, which can transform how they perform, what they believe about their ability, and the level of self-confidence they can sustain.

This occurs when there is an instructor who is actively engaged in the course and dedicated to the development of their students. From my perspective, I don’t want students to just believe they can complete the course I’m teaching; I want them to see the many possibilities their academic growth can provide. When students believe in the power of possibilities, how they view their potential and ability to perform, become transformed. Now learning can occur and whatever seemed impossible, now feels possible.

About Dr. Johnson

Dr. Johnson is also an inspirational author, writer, and educator. His life mission is to teach, mentor, write, and inspire others. He has earned a PhD in Postsecondary and Adult Education, a Certificate in Training and Performance Improvement (TPI), a Master’s in Adult Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).