Kimberly,
I don't wear hats so I used shoes! :) You make a great point, instructors must be flexible. Aren't most instructors that are good whether in f2f or online usually are flexible?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree with these comments. I used to teach in the classroom and find online instruction to be more challenging because I feel the students don't always get the chance to ask "follow-up" questions that happen when a group is together. I have tried using an online chat which helps somewhat but many times not everyone is on the chat together.
Since much of the time the students are enrolled, their main contact is their instructor, they turn to us for nearly everything. I do my best to work with them but know my limitations when it comes to troubleshooting technology. I provide them with a list of contact at the beginning of each term so they can expand the group of people who may be able to help them through their issues. I feel confident in my ability to guide them in discovering their strengths in the course materials.
I provide my personal phone number and email because I want them to have quicker access to me when they run into problems. Most of the time, we all work on different schedules and I found that if they can contact me right away, I can sometimes solve a problem for them. If it is something that I cannot do right away, I text them to let them know I will contact them when I am off the clock at my main job.
If I cannot get them to a solution or if the topic is out of my realm, I direct them to someone at the college campus who may be able to help them or even meet with them face to face.
As a facilitator, I try to guide without giving answers. Many times a question comes before there has been any real thought process by the student. I may speak directly to them on the phone or in a chat to guide their thinking so they arrive at a solution using their thought processes.
This is the first time I have heard it put "four pairs of shoes", but it goes along with the old phrase "wears many different hats". Instructors need to be flexible. We need to be sure we are acting as the facilitator, the tech person, social director as well as the instructor.
We need to help our students understand the material and communicate very well to them. What we teach them they will hopefully carry forward.
Kim C
Michelle,
True, communication is the link to all of the shoes! Good post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The online facilitator is the main point of contact between the student and his/her education. Therefore, the facilitator must wear each pair of shoes.
M Boddy
Elizabeth,
You make a great point. I do worry that we take too much of the responsibility of students' attitudes toward learning. If we make our learning student centered we have to work with them on responsibility.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Melissa,
I like that you added flexible, motivated, and engaged to the four pairs of shoes. You have to "pair" those words with the shoes to be effective.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Students have busy lives and they're not always accustomed to the work an online course requires. In fact, they're rarely prepared. Just in one day a hundred things can get in the way of them getting online to complete coursework....from kids and jobs to inadequate access to resources and procrastination. It may not seem fair, but one wrong move from a faceless online instructor can change a student's attitude toward school forever. It's a tightrope we willingly walk and one that requires careful balance of instructing, socializing, evaluating, and advising on technical matters. I believe the key to success is knowing which "shoes" to wear when the student has a need.
~Beth
As Online Facilitators, we play different roles as mentioned from the four "pairs of shoes" we explored in this lesson. It is essential to become the best at each of these roles and to know which "hat" to put on throughout our online courses. It is important to be flexible, motivated, and engaged in utilizing all of these different roles.
Anthony,
Instructors may not have all of the answers in working in the online environment but they need to be able to direct students who can help them.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
James,
Great post! You make a great point. When commitments and obligations begin to set in the first issue to take a back seat is the online course. You have to be able to connect with students to keep them focused. Online learning can be an expensive learning experience!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dwayne,
yes, students are different and their commitment to learning is different and that will also impact learning.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Darakshan,
Yo may not be the technical guru, but you do need to know where to find answers or to direct students. That is so important.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Because they need to provide a learning environment that is designed to help students become independent learners.
Hello,
Hmmm, I had to think about this one. The online instructor needs to be a facilitator by helping students understand how to use the system or where to go to find things (in or out of the classroom). I teach a few Initial courses for students, and the students often are not quite fully ready for the online classroom environment.
The instructor also has to be a bit of a caregiver in terms of helping students deal with the pressures of the classroom, when the pressures of the "real world" are hitting em hard.
The insructor also needs to be efficient at guiding students on what is required for that unit and how to go about completing their requirements (without really doing the work fr the student).
Finally, the instructor needs to provide effective feedback that will help the student with really understanding what they did well and where they can improve (and why).
Thanks, Jim
Mara,
Very true. Students come from all walks of life and bring many stories and issues to the classroom. You have to be able to strike the right balance to help a student succeed.
Thank you,
Dwayne Roark
An instructor must be versatile and flexible as each course provides a different set of students and a different set of challenges. Students are different. Learning styles are different.
Thank you,
Dwayne Roark
It is important so as to enable student learning. For example, one of the roles is Technical Assistant. Since the course is taught online, the facilitator needs to be prepared to solve technical issues that arise. Otherwise the student may not succeed.
Abundio,
I agree with you. You may be the only "point" person for the university for that student. There may be roles that you are better at or have more experience, but you do need to know where to find info.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
