The online facilitator should be prepared to be a "one stop shop", which means wearing many hats or pair of shoes to meet the needs of the students. The facilitator will function in the capacity of an instructor by providing instructions and directions to solidify course content. A social director to insure engagement throughout the course, an administrator to insure compliance of the program and a technical assistant to troubleshoot any technical challenges the student may experience.
Rickey,
True, do you see this as your most important role as an instructor of an online course?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Because they are the front end as far delivering the content and knowing when the student needs help or when the student is confused.
Paula,
You are right. We do have to coach students to interact. I like the term you used, coach.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Simone,
Yes, as a facilitator you have to take the feedback like you give it! It only makes all of us students and instructors better. It teaches students how they are to take feedback and internalize it to make them better.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It is important for the online facilitator to wear four "pairs of shoes" because students face a different set of challenges in an online environment than they do in a face to face environment. Some of these shoes are the same for both but in an online environment it may be more difficult. For example, in the classroom, students interact with each other more easily and in an online environment they need to be coached or encouraged to do so by the instructor. In the classroom, students have their peers and other faculty to rely upon but in an online environment they often feel isolated or alienated so the instructor must recognize this and help the student overcome obstacles and barriers in order to help them succeed.
It is important for a online facilitator to wear four pairs of shoes to essentially guide students through the learning process and be pro-active, anticipating student concerns and issues. On the most basic level, the facilitator must make sure that students are actively engaged in the learning process. Rules for discussion must be established to ensure all students are active and none are alienated. Course expectations should be made clear not just once, but throughout the course. The facilitator also needs to accept and genuinely be be able to accept feedback and constructive criticism, both positive and negative.
Philip,
You make a great point. After reading your comment I was thinking, when do we think about this in our f2f class? Don't our students ALWAYS come to us with different needs to grow? Maybe we don't have to be as adept in certain areas but as good educators. We have always done this!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Claudia,
When I use the term holistic approach, I look at all the components and see their interactions. Everything in my online course should be interrelated and match objectives.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The short answer is because it is necessary. I've yet to run into a class where every student was in the same place in their growth. Some needed the instructor in me while others needed a social director, or program manager, or a technical assistant. Some needed me to wear two or three hats at the same time. You have to be flexible in order to meet student needs.
what holistic approach means?
Sandra,
Great post, we are so busy online!!! You make such a great point regarding creating a learning community that is meaningful to all students and to the instructor.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello, Professor Wilkinson,
I feel that an online facilitator of learning wears at least "four pairs of shoes":instructor, social director, program manager, and technical assistant. Each of these 'shoes' ground the course environment and lends a sense of safety to the learning environment.
As an instructor, we must be competent professionals with a firm grasp of our material both academically and experientially.
As a social director, we foster the sense of community where students feel safe to engage in meaningful communication and participation within the course.
As a program manager, we help to administer the course by managing course content, the organization of the course, aiding students as they to make their way through the course which may include suggestions for time management and submitting assignments in a timely fashion.
Finally, as a technical assistant, our primary duty is to be comfortable with the technology being used so that the students feel comfortable as well. I might also add that when we find areas where we need assistance, that we not be afraid to ask for help from the school's IT department as well as know where the school's Learner Services for IT is located and how to access it.
Sandra Silvestro
Austin,
What a great post. Yes, online courses have different personalities just as f2f. You have to nurture that personality to benefit all of the students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Austin,
True, you may be the only person they communicate to regarding the learning process. That is the way you build trust.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Sodang,
How do you ensure students are learning with your facilitation? What are your strategies?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
You recognize that classroom personality through DB interaction and reviewing the students profile.
There was a dying teacher with Brain tumor presented on CNN who visited with his past students as his last wish and during the period learned from his former students who were now adults that what mattered most to them were the informal periods in between lessons that the instructor spent with them. Those were the most memorable and treasured moments.
It is really important for online instructors to know that they come across to the student as wearing several hats of facilitator, instructor, social director, evaluator, mentor and most importantly role model.
Online Facilitators or Instructor must be a guide for the students. The facilitator must be there to lead and instructs students to ensure each is learning.
Andrea,
Ok, I LOVE your post. You are right, there their are more than four pairs. As an instructor, you as you open yourself for communication and relationships with your students you do become a person they trust and with that comes. . . . more shoes!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
