No Teacher Left Behind
Posted on June 9, 2009 in Instructor Education, Newsletter
Top Tools for Success in the Online Classroom
The rise in popularity of online education has led to a complete educational overhaul for many traditional colleges and universities, thus blurring the line between virtual and physical classrooms. While this change has been a boon for both students and enrollment officials, schools must ensure that their instructors remain on top of the new advancements and not become lost in the technological shuffle.
Online teaching offers many valuable cyber tools and presentation capabilities that can be integrated into coursework to capture the interest of tech-savvy students. As Gary Dietz mentions in his article, “The Future is Now,” published on universitybusiness.com, “Schools not offering the latest tools for online classes or using online learning to enrich the mix of curricula are officially behind the curve.” However, the technology is only valuable if the educators have a working knowledge of it and don’t feel and look as if they are flying blind.
In the online learning environment, teachers can often feel overwhelmed and fearful that their students are more technologically advanced than them. Some teachers take on this challenge directly by exploring, adopting and adapting modern learning delivery methods to minimize their tech-driven anxiety, while others remain resistant to change, preferring traditional teaching methods. Their resistance can lead to under-utilization, not only of new technologies, but also of pedagogical talent and treasure.
Colleges and universities with burgeoning online programs that want to make the most of their new investments would be well advised to make the implementation of gradual, yet thorough, training programs a priority for teachers. In Charlene O’Hanlon’s article, “Resistance is Futile,” published on TheJournal.com, the writer quotes Celine Azoulay-Lewin, NYC Department of Education borough instructional technology director for Staten Island/South Brooklyn: “It takes time to learn new tools and software, and with everything else teachers are asked to do, technology integration is often last on the list.”
In O’Hanlon’s article, Azoulay-Lewin argues that teachers need to be motivated by the impact of technology on today’s students rather than be fearful of it. When new techniques allow students to learn far more than they traditionally have in lecture halls, teachers should become inspired to embrace the new technology to the fullest.
After teachers have mastered the basics of functioning within the digital classroom, they need to employ a handful of specific practices to ensure success when instructing students online. The Learning House Department of Training and End User Support recommends four best practices to ensure that instructors deliver successful online instruction. These include asynchronous and synchronous communication, feedback, one-on-one sessions and troubleshooting techniques.
1. Online teachers should be well-versed in facilitating asynchronous communication in forums as well as synchronous conversations in chat style environments with both tech-native students and non-traditional students. Many of today’s online students have grown up in the age of online chat, so this is a must for communicating with off-site students in a virtual community. On the other hand, non-traditional students may need guidance and encouragement when communicating in an unfamiliar format. While forum conversation can, at first glance, appear disjointed, once instructors become familiar with the flow of forums, they will quickly realize the value of forums for exchanging information.
2. Instructors also need to be able to provide timely, constructive and written feedback on student work. Since there is no face-to-face interaction in the online realm, ongoing written, concise and clear communication is key for student advancement.
3. In addition to feedback, online instructors should allocate enough time for one-on-one sessions with students, either by phone or online chat. This is crucial for building rapport and addressing individual issues, just as teachers have traditionally accomplished during their on-campus office hours.
4. In addition to communication skills, instructors should possess basic troubleshooting skills and know where to turn for more complicated issues. Institutions must ensure that teachers receive assistance from a reliable tech support department so that any problems are addressed quickly and accurately. The lack of quality tech support can lead to a negative experience and discourage a teacher from using technology. Basic training in troubleshooting, combined with guidance from knowledgeable tech support staff, enable instructors to remain calm and flexible, even in the face of an unplanned glitch.
The transition and integration of education from the traditional classroom to the online delivery platform is exciting for educators and students as they realize many new learning possibilities. Targeted training programs that focus on key areas in online education will equip instructors with the knowledge they need to learn about the new technology and flourish in the digital classroom setting. The implementation of thorough faculty training programs is a vital investment into the future success of a school’s online growth and viability.
Programs that inspire teachers to adopt new capabilities ensure that no teacher is left behind as the traditional classroom setting continues to expand into the virtual realm.
