You bring up a terrific point about the importance of social skills. Did your friend's professor offer any insights into the social skills of online vs traditional students?
How do you think social skills can be developed in an online course?
Thanks,
Jane
In fact, I do. I find that the students I teach online vs the students I teach in a classroom are often times more dedicated. Now, that's not always the case. Many of my students are working full time, raising families, and continuing their education, but my online students are often a bit more serious. They searched for this program, qualified and signed up for it, and often times, paid in advance. That puts their focus on success. Also, they are seeking a job change and feel that this is important for them. In a classroom students often just want to pass and move on...in an online class students really are there to learn and do well. It's not always the case, but I feel that students who are taking online classes are dedicated, hardworking, and willing to learn.
Teya
Jane,
Good question. I think it's quite easy actually to include social skills in an online course. Often times for an assignment I'll ask my students to contact someone in the field of their choice and talk to them about that specific trade. Also, I try to provide them opportunities to use current events as a topic of discussion. Again, it's not the grade as much as it is well-rounded skills.
Thank you for the question. Teya
I echo Mr. Phillips here. The hiring process is the first place to instill standards and expectations of the instructor position meeting the educational needs to relate the online experience to qualified students. Expressed another way, the criteria for the instructor needs to fit the online requirements and required pedagogy to relate the material to the students.
Administration, Admissions, Curriculum-developers, Human Resources and Academic Deans need to have a meeting of the minds:
Administration needs to convey the compliance issues to Curriculum-developers and Deans.
Admissions must receive a clear understanding of the type of student who will have a greater opportunity to succeed in this environment. Furthermore, they need to know how many students need to be in the program to ensure financial success.
Human Resources and Deans need to have some concrete manner in which they can judge the core abilities of instructors. They must be able to discern the difference between prospects, suspects, and rejects. Consequently, will the school provide the financial and benefits package to attract a solid candidate?
Although this is an overview - at best, if the entities above meet and agree on paper then the future results will be predictable and sustainable for the instructor, student and school.
My original question from this discussion seems to be AWOL. Your overview of the hiring process for online instructors is very thorough.
My original question had to do with a hiring manager's decision when hiring a bookkeeper. If all other qualifications are equal, would you hire the candidate who was trained in a traditional classroom or one who attended an online institution? Are there qualities that each might possess that would make him/her a better employee?
I am interested in your thoughts :)
Jane
Jane:
Would I hire someone trained in the traditional classroom in to the online world before I would hire someone trained exclusively in the online genre? Interesting thought! [If you grant me some poetic license, whether it is a bookeeper or educator, I think the answer is apllicable.]
The answer to this question hit me immediately! I thought back to my typing class back in high school. Mrs. Jo Hamrick did a valuable thing for us. We learned to type on a manual typewriter. (Do you see where this analogy is going here?)
I believe that the experience with a manual typewriter, strengthened my fingers; increased stroke speed; and instilled confidence in the process. I feel the same about the teacher selection question.
The individual who has performed face-to-face in the educational process, brings a background and / or practicality that the online trained instructor has not experienced in their development as an educator. I prefer to call myself an educator, because that is the final stage of development in our industry.
All of us begin as neophyte teachers. Next, we hope to become instructors. I enjoy being called a professor, but when I speak of my profession to knowledgeable people, I emphasize that I am an "educator."
The person who begins their teaching experience in the classroom, builds a very strong foundation for their development. The person who begins with the online experience, most likely will not have the resources to understand how to compensate for the lack of the teacher's physical presence.
The online tech-savvy person has no experience in developing relationships with the students in this forum. Where would they have this opportunity? Ironically, they would have to attend classes to learn the methodology from a student-savvy educator..........That is irony in the purest form............
Take care,
This is proof that having the ability to take continuing education online such as this when deadlines have to be met is an added benefit to all. Being most of our students are older and do have full-time jobs, to create an option for them to continue some courses online at their own pace while reaping the benefit of achieving their goal would relieve a lot of pressure for some very talented students.
Hi Anne,
I agree with you that online education is a terrific benefit to older, busy students. You mentioned that online classes are especially beneficial to "talented" students.
How can course designers ensure that online courses are beneficial to the average student?
I am interested in your thoughts :)
Jane
I agree with checking the schools credentials. I believe there are many fly by night schools out there that claim to offer great things, so before spending any money, it's worth chekcing them out.
In addition to the school credentials, some online course design standards needs to be
used for the criteria to determine if a school is offering a qualitative online education.
Examples of such standards are interactivity, usability and relevance.
I agree that more and more employers are requiring not only more continuing education but certifications as well. Many people are juggling 8 to 10 hours days, 1 or more jobs, family, etc. Many of us are finding that the online courses give some flexiblity in our time management for education and study. Online courses have improved tremendously in the last few years. I think the employer is looking at the quality of training--whether you can do the job more effectively.
I think I would initially be more sceptical of the qualifications of a person who had received an online degree than I would be of a person who had received a degree from a more conventional setting. In my experience (I have a son and daughter who have received components of their education delivered online) there can be a sense of "jumping through hoops" that is not as prevalent in traditional education. There seems to be an understood agreement that goes something like this: "I know and you know that you just need this paper credential and that you really don't care if you learn anything. So, do this, this, and this, and I'll give you the piece of paper that you need."
These are liberal arts type courses in accredited programs from accredited schools, and I would say that both programs are a "joke."
In the career school setting, in courses where there are more objective skillsets to be demonstrated, I would look for 3rd party certifications to be a guarantee that perspective employees could actually do what the courses on their transcript imply that they could do.
I agree, but where the person did there on-line learning is very important. Classes can be watered down and someone else could take the class for an individual . So school and personal integrity is very important. I Have taken many on-line courses and I do prefer them over traditional classes.
I agree that the degree is more important than how it was obtained. I belive that for a single mom with a full time job that wants to further her education and still have time with her kids on line classes are the way to go.
George:
You have made two important observations. The credibility of the school, the program, the quality of the course materials and associated learning objectives as well as that of the Instructors are all key factors to a successful online program.
Quite often, I have seen instances in which courses are watered down to accommodate the reduced duration of the course so that the number of offerings per year can yield higher revenues.
Moreover, you are quite correct about someone else taking the course. Some institutions with which I am working have implemented proctored exams which require students to show up at a location to take their exams after producing identification.
One cannot dispute the benefits of the dynamics and synergy in a traditional classroom setting.
Satrohan
Pamela:
Online courses have the primary benefit of convenience------once you have access to the Internet, you can take the course anywhere. This is an important criterion for the audience you have specified. Important also is your first statement. The learning gains are heavily anchored on the quality of the course, the learning activities, and evaluation measures. These elements of the equation play are of highest importance when the knowledge and skills addressed in the course are directly related to one's ability to perform the duties associated with a job.
Satrohan
I agree that online meets and even often exceeds traditional education requirements; however, communication and problem resolution between students is a very necessary skill to develop and to apply in a teamwork environment on the job. Individuals struggle with communication in the workplace even with traditional educational guidance. With the loss of visual response, as is the case with online learning (student to student) ability to respond or react appropriately per non-verbal cuing is lost.
Cheryl:
Your point is well taken. In an online environment, we lose many of the benefits human interaction brings with it in a traditional classroom settint; especially those associated with the dynamics of communication, immediate feedback and the overall synergy of the traditional classroom interaction.
Satrohan
I think the ease of which on-line courses allow you to navigate and retrieve information has a greater impact on ones ability to retain information. It can be difficult in the classroom setting to obtain missed information. Within a traditional classroom their may be well over 100 students with only a few hours a week all face to face time with the instructor. It is even more difficult to feel as though one on one attention is at all possible. Regardless, I think most would hire according to who fits best with their current needs and personality will play a large part in this.
