Get Your Students Hired
In my school we have live chats twice a week. The students can hear us (and see us if the video is working), but we can't see or hear the students. This means we can never really be sure what the students are finding interesting, if they're paying attention, etc. And since the students are not required to attend live, you can sometimes find yourself speaking to an empty room. And this could mean that the students aren't really listening to you. I find that to be the difficult part of the online environment vs ground based. The students are more in control of their education than you are.
I have been an online instructor for a number of years now, so this transition is complete for me. However, when I first started working online, the biggest challenge I had was in being able to gauge student learning through the online discussion forums. Having a written discussion that occurs asynchronously is much different than a traditional, face-to-face classroom. You cannot see where students are confused, and they often will not tell you that they are not "getting it" until you get their assignment and you realize they completely missed the boat.
To address that gap, I really bumped up my questioning techniques in the online forums. I prepare for online discussions by reading the materials carefully each week, even if I have taught the course numerous times, so that I am prepared to direct students to specific parts of our texts. I ask leading questions, I challenge students to support their ideas, and I include discussion topics that help me review where they are headed with their assignments so I know ahead of time if I need to redirect them.
Over the years, I have gotten quite comfortable with this format, and I actually enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed being in a "real" classroom.
Rebecca
Gail,
True, students do need to learn how to research and find answers themselves. That leads us, as instructors, to be the guide on the side and help guide them in their learning experience. However, there are times when they need just a little more guidance than others.
Herbert Brown III
I feel that students need to be their own best resource. I try to teach them that they need to not always know the answer, but know where to find the answer.
Tina,
Specifically what are you wondering about labs and what type of labs? Computer lab function is not too difficult and we have a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure that allows students to log in to a virtual machine through the web and access the entire computer lab software suite as if they are in the lab. Other labs like science labs can be more difficult and are often "simulated" with computer simulations or provided in regional locations for students to attend a lab session near them. If it is a "performance" or skills demonstration required of the students they can video tape themselves completing the activity and submit the video.
Herbert Brown III
Tina,
I appreciate that you are still drawing a line on the amount of time you are responding. Too often as online instructors we feel we have to be communicating 24/7 with students and that is not fair to us. Instructors have to have a life too. As long as we provide clear expectations to the students, they will understand that as well.
Herbert Brown III
In one of the online schools that I teach, email is the primary way to connect with students. I do make sure that the turn around to respond is within 24 hrs. However, in another online school, the instructors are responsible for retention; therefore, weekly calls are the norm. I do post my office hours throughout the week, and also indicate that if they call me after hours or after my office hours that I will contact them the next day. Doing this allows me to maintain a sense of control in my life, and I've found that approaching students in this manner makes them feel appreciated and important.
This is very interesting! I have often wondered how labs work online. Are they effective? How do you monitor student participation and demonstrations? I look forward to your response.
Hi Michael,
Absolutely, I have found it disheartening when the course evaluation is submitted and I find that the students who didn't do well, take it out on me! Of course it is a rewarding feeling when the student's have positive feedback!
Herbert,
It is difficult to do this online, because there are some University limitations, with the extent of academic freedom and all. However, when I was teaching on ground, I would start of with an "ice breaker" for each class, throughout the semester. Some techniques were aligned with coursework, other techniques provided a deviation from course work, and was just fun.
The biggest challenge is the lack of face-to face interaction. Therefore, I try to compensate by making sure that during my chats, my energy is positive and upbeat. I do this not only to engage the students who are participating in the live chat, but specifically targeting those who will be listening to the recorded, archived chat. I constantly remind students that I am available to and for them, and that they are not "bothering" me. Their success is my success.
The biggest challenge would be to engage the students 100% with each reply to discussions and when it came to their assignments be able to make the comments express my voice for their learning.
Melissa,
Great point! We do all need to stay current on the rapid changing technologies and approaches to online learning as well as the content of our field of study. But this is also the same for traditional classrooms. It is part of being a professional educator.
Herbert Brown III
Robert,
I can be a challenge but it is also in the design of the course. If the assignments are student centered and designed well, you just have to oversee the discussions and other work and guide them in their learning and help them stay active and on task. The communication can be overwhelming at times too, but like anything you just need to set clear expectations for not only the students but for yourself. It is not being fair to yourself to say you will get back to students in 2 hours, when you know you will not be up at 2am or 4am to respond to them. Be realistic. I tell my students 24 hour response. I have a smart phone and sometimes when I am out and about I might respond to them and tell them I will get back to them later or I may answer their question immediately if it is a simple one. But that is my choice. I certainly don't respond between 10pm and about 6am.
Herbert Brown III
Instructor presence and interaction are truly essential in an online learning environment through continuous innovative and engaging approaches. My biggest challenge in transitioning to being a "guide on the side" is facilitating the online course on a flexible schedule. There may be a number of issues that may arise from an online student such as technical issues, discussion or assignment questions, or lateness concerns. For example, an online instructor needs to be readily available and flexible to check emails and provide responses in a timely manner. It is also important to present the content in multiple online learning approaches through current and up-to-date media techniques. This is why it is truly essential to continue our professional development and learn the latest and most effective trends in online instruction.
To me, perhaps the biggest challenge is to be there for the students...consistently. I feel things can get, or could get, overwhelming when trying to be the "guide on the side" for three classes at once.
Audrey,
Have you done an introduction/welcome forum that provides the students with a required assigment to post and get responses from other students?
Herbert Brown III
I find that the biggest challenge in transitioning to a "guide on the side†is getting that interaction with the student at the start of the course. Even though I make the strongest effort possible (and reasonable) to connect and communicate with the student by sending welcome emails and make personal phone calls to introduce myself to reassure the students that they are not alone in cyber-space, I very rarely get responses back in acknowledgment. ~Audrey Thomas
To me, one of the biggest challenges between the classroom and online is getting everyone to remember the assignments. I feel that I spend more of my time sending out reminders to do the work then I do actually looking at their work. Missing online classes to me in NOT acceptable, especially in my current program where they are given an entire week to complete the work.
To be honest, I have loved the transition. As someone who teaches in both settings, I enjoy the "sage on the stage" presence at times, but I am actually a somewhat anxious speaker (imagine that), and I over-prepare for face-to-face classrooms to compensate. In the online classroom, I relish the freedom to present myself solely through my forte--words! Still, the greatest challenge online is to initiate nearly all of the interaction without any non-verbal sense of the students' needs. For example, in a classroom, it is easy to see if someone is confused or not following. It is more difficult to discover this (quickly) in an online environment where confusion may simply look like a lack of engagement or a late assignment. Thus, the challenge has been to notice the differences in the "warning signs."