You are absolutely correct because working with someone else is like having a second pair os eyes to see what you may not see. It is also a good practice to have an input from another person's perspective.
Jerry.
Madhuchanda and Michael,
Right one. We don't want death by PowerPoint. Try to include voice over PowerPoint and not just PowerPoint slides. And, if you have something like Adobe Presenter, you can incorporate quiz questions right in the PowerPoint as well.
I agree, Michael, having good PowerPoint slides is very important. Some students are very visual and this is a good way to present information to them.
In a ground class, we can see if the information has been received through their facial expressions. In the virtual classroom, we don’t have the opportunity for that. Hence it is good to have someone to collaborate with who not only has good PowerPoint skills but also knows how to effectively present the information visually.
Andrew,
I always say I have to teach something three times before I feel like it's mine and in my style. It's good to get help from others and then take the adventure on your own. ;-)
Very true, I was fortunate enough to kind of have the mentorship of the previous instructor of my course that I could call at any time. He pushed me to make the class my own but when i first started it I wanted to be safe. Now I have made it totally in my style.
Kimberley,
Remaining objective is important. It's good to think about how you do that. Thanks for your input.
I agree, somtimes I have ideas or different opinions especially when I am grading papers and I find something that conflicts with what I feel. I think that having other instructions to "run your ideas pass" helps me in remianing objective.
Marshall,
True, that is easier. Thanks for your input.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
It is posssble if you are working at a location with others employed with the same university or share a similar interest in online teaching.
Michael,
Yes, when others look at our courses through a different lense, it gives us a whole new perspective. Thanks for your input.
This is a good point, Leah: It's great to not only have someone to bounce ideas off of, but also have someone with a somewhat different knowledge base.
I have found it is equally helpful to talk with others who have different teaching styles for approaching the same course. I have always been skilled at getting students interested in group projects and discussions. However, I'm less skilled at creating visually appealing pieces of information, such as Powerpoint or Prezi presentations. Working with teachers who have more skill in this area has taught me a lot about how to make the online lecture portions of my classes more visually appealing.
Leah,
Yes, it's good to have someone to bounce ideas off of and share with. Thanks.
