Dr. David Vaillancourt
When being a guide you have to think about the saying you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Often in a virtual environment it can be hard to influence, advise or counsel a student as it is hard to get a pulse of a student or classroom
What I feel will be my biggest challenge in transitioning to a "guide on the side?" I believe that the biggest challenge will be to remember to post often and provide substantial feedback to students in the online classroom environment. Having taught in the online environment for over 8 years, I personally see and understand that if the instructor is visible, this will help student online success.
Dr. Aron
I use the Socratic method in both my f2f as well as my online discussion boards and Live Chats. My only problem with the Discussion Board is that I feel many of my students ignore my DB questions as they are not tied to their grades.
Nicholas,
This is a very good example of transfer. Many times teachers have indicated that teaching in both environments has helped them increase performance in one or the other. Thank you for sharing your insights.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Dave,
This is a high standard of excellence. Keep up the great work!
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
In a face to face environment I'm given the opportunity to explain in detail an issue. In an online environment it is more about "showing" the students. Thus I'm forced to use other mediums such as audio, video, or photographs to convey the information. I find that while this shift is hard it is rewarding even in the face to face classroom. I'm incorporated more photos and video examples in the face to face classroom as I utilize them in the online classroom.
Transitioning to a 'guide on the side' entails being a facilitator and cheerleader. Servant leadership is probably the best way to describe it, a pure form of altruism. The two things that set me apart from fellow instructors is:
1. Rapid response time to email inquiries, discussion posts, and grading/feedback...usually within the same day; and
2. 24/7 access to me if needed via my cell which shows my diehard commitment to student-centered needs. I know it sounds a little extreme but my course end evals are consistently ranked at the top.
Dr. Dave Hinkes, DBA, DBA
James,
Yes, especially the Adobe Connect or WebEx that facilitate two a/v communication can be significant in this area. The technologies are becoming more pervasive. So we should be seeing more and more schools implementing them. It does take time.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I have taught online for years and if you sue tools like Adobe connect or simple narrated PowerPoint slides you can add some lecture component and a presence in the classroom in that manner. Unfortunately a number of online institutions do not do this.
Jeanne,
You may be surprised at the ease of mastery once you get underway. If you are a good f2f teacher, the skills often transpose nicely. Nevertheless, it does take a hefty upfront effort.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I am quite sure that this is going to take some getting used to! I'm also sure that the vast majority of my students will adapt more quickly than I :)
I feel that one of my strengths as a teacher is the ability to "read" the class in front of me. Learning how to transition that strength to the on-line classroom will be my biggest challenge.
George,
Thank you for sharing your in-depth insights into the 'how and why' of the online pedagogical processes you employ. Very well done. I've been teaching since 1986 and I started teaching online in 1999. The cell phone has been a terrific 'shortcut to me' for many of my students. Your explanation of how you use the cell phone is helpful. I like the way you have independently explained the interactive dynamics of the components in your online class.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Alana,
Very nice. Your approach is an excellent example of leading and guiding the student, then modeling the desired behavior. Keep up the good work.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Hi Dr. Vaillancourt
Great question for us today. In regards to your question, I think learning how to help our online students with being a guide over a "sage on the stage". For example, if my online students are having a hard time using the full-text databases in the library to find journal article. I will showcase how to do this in live chat. Live chats are archived so my students who are absent or need a review can go back to check this out.
Thanks
Alana
I have been on online instructor for years now, and the challenge of being the “guide on the side†had escaped me until recently when I went back on the “stage†for a couple of courses locally. Students run the class versus the instructor in the online environment, and how well they do that and how much they learn is tempered by the instructor’s bringing their best out of them. Think about that now. We provide the cues in the assignments for their learning but getting there does not depend on information in lectures. Students typically come into my courses having had at least one online course and some are in “blended†courses. They also get a good orientation that introduces them to the online environment. They know the mechanics but not necessarily the capabilities of online learning. The key to keeping the student engaged (I heard that term a thousand times at a recent HR conference) is to present the capabilities of the online platform. There is the synchronous chat session that can be used in presenting interactive lessons and that can be open during office hours. The capability to converse privately is available in that forum. The chat is a good venue to use the webcam to get a more “face to face†experience, with the addition of film clips, music, and slides. Being a “producer†of such a performance is not that different from prepping for the brick and mortar classroom. Assessing the impact that the presentation has on the student is different. (You cannot see them nodding off, or doing something else with the appearance that they are present.) You have to structure the session to involve all of the students present (and ensure that they come back for more as the school I teach for makes attendance optional). The asynchronous forum I love and so do the students as they can join in a classroom discussion as they feel they have done enough research to do so. I require posts to discussion boards to begin early in the week with an initial post by midweek, and a “main†post (essay) and responses by the end of the week. (The initial post can be the main post and usually is.) The real challenge in being a guide is the one-on-one attention that the student expects throughout the course. I have not come across many students who depend on that guidance every step, but there are a couple or three a year who definitely make me earn my pay. I provide a cell phone number and answering service for students to contact me 24/7 and that helps in reducing the anxiety. They can talk real time about issues or I can answer email soon after its receipt. (I try to reply to e-mail in 8 hours or less.) Students need to feel that they can freely ask questions and an advantage of the online course is that they don’t have to worry about asking what others may perceive as a stupid question….
Pamela,
You have identified many of the foundational factors for appropriate online instructor presence. The individual communication channels make up an extremely important component of the overall instructor presence in the classroom. Very good.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
For me it is the time factor depending on my actual class size. When my class size is over 15, it becomes difficult to hold private chats and one-on-one meetings with each individual student, which is essential for motivation in the type of course I teach.
Being a "guide on the side" is something that helps the rapport and attrition in class. It keeps the connection to the student and the door of communication open.
Linda,
Your feelings are all too accurate for many of our online learners today. Providing written and audio files that reinforce the expectations and requirements for the class is a necessary foundation. Then follow up with periodic reminders can enhance student adherence.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Kimberley,
Yes, many students do not read the entire e-mail when it becomes detailed and lengthy. Sometimes posting an audio file with a visual sample file can do wonders.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I feel as an instructor making sure my students understand the assignment and completing it on time will be a challenge. I feel students will postpone the work till the time it is due and possibly not putting in the required time that they may need.
