Instructor Presence
Being a "guide on the side", is a huge challenge when a great deal of security comes from knowledge of content in a traditional classroom setting and face to face contact with students which make it easier to communicate; especially when you can use body language and facial expressions to emphasize lecture material.
An online instructor needs to learn how to apply technological skills while also facilitating communication with distance learners.
Class material must be prepared and ready for students before the course even begins.
Onine instructors need to make themselves available to student questions on a consistent basis through out each day to insure that students have a consistent resource for learning. This can be quit consuming if the instructor doesn't manage their time efficiently.
Students need to be monitored for their participation in the class and the material being presented,an online instructor needs to monitor students on forums and message boards.
Finally instructors online need to create a sense of community for the online student that a traditional student experiences, assigning group projects can create that sense of belonging.
Overall there are a great deal of challenges with transitioning to a "guide on the side".
Kevin,
Why don't you? There are many free online video and audio conferencing tools. Why not connect with them face to face at least once in the semester for a help session or to review student work?
Herbert Brown III
I think the biggest challenge is not being able to connect with each student face to face.
Terry,
That is a key difference in online learning....we have to build in elements in the course design that allow us to get that feedback from students without being able to always see their eyes. For example short reflective statements, they can respond to quick questions, little things that can provide formative assessment of the students and their progression in the course and their learning.
Herbert Brown III
As I teach in the traditional classroom, I can look out and read the faces of the students and get an idea if they are getting the information. Many respond in visual ways and will not do so verbally.
Instructor interaction in an online learning environment is very different from the traditional learning environment. Traditionally, the major interaction that an instructor has with learners is through the transmission of content via lecture. In an online learning environment, the delivery of course content is not the instructor's primary activity, so you will need to be able to transition from being the "sage on the stage" to the "guide on the side." What do you feel will be your biggest challenge in transitioning to a "guide on the side"?
I have been teaching online for six years and started in blended learning, so I kind of had the best of both worlds. I think the biggest challenge has been the amount of time that must be invested in online teaching. I am in my classes six days a week, often seven days a week. I always present on weekends because that is when students are engaged and available. The types of questions really are not that different than in the face-to-face classes.
Jerry,
You make a very good point in your last sentence. In the online environment sometimes students feel like they are drifting in space and don't have the full attention of their instructor. By having ongoing communication with all students this feeling can be reduced not to mention the earning of their respect and the development of rapport.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Patricia,
Everyone likes to receive feedback. You make a good point and one that is easy to overlook since our good students often are not interacting as much with us as some of the more challenges students. This way everyone is receiving feedback and everyone benefits.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have always sent gentle reminders to EVERY student in EVERY unit who missed work. I try to encourage them to complete the work. Then it occurred to me that good students did not get a personal email message from me. So I started sending one to every student who had good scores in the first two units. I know that sometimes a good student may feel shy about asking for assistance and even needs a “pat on the backâ€.
Dear
You have made a very good start in our class. I am very happy for you. Let me know if you need anything.
Many of my students combine both online and classroom (blended) environment, so I encourage them to combine their work and personal home lives with their student lives as one to see their lives as a WHOLE, and deal with all aspects of their lives in such a way that what happens in one sphere affects the other spheres. As far as I am concerned the less partitioned the student's life is the better it would be for the student to manage his or her time properly. Once the student is able to overcome the partitioning issue, he or she is able to accept the practicality of what they learn in class as relevant to their lives and work. With the emphases on “student focus†I make it a recurring theme in every class meeting, and I find ways to help the student link the principles and information they get from the class lectures to specific practical aspects of their work, family, or community.
My greatest challenge is the ability to convince the students that my main foocus is on them in the shortest possible time.
Jerry
Gary and All:
In an online environment,the facilitator must be more available than one would expect in a ground class. Emails and feedback must be regular and timely. One method I have implemented is providing a "Question for All" in the discussion board forum. It is usually a controversial question and/or video that stimulates dialogue among the students. I will interject along the way to motivate the conversations. JMH
Richard,
Good point about the value of student input and feedback be it onsite or online. This is why we need to keep in communication with our students so we can "read" them through their postings and interaction with others.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Face to face interaction provides an immediate unbiased "look" into the ease of the student. For example, a confused student need not say they understand the material as their body language speaks the truth. This "look" is obviously missing from the e-learning experience. This is not to say, however, that a student is without means to ask question in the e-learning environment. It only raises alarms when students fail to step up and ask for help.
I use a lot of body language in the traditional classroom environment which is hard to project in an online lecture. The biggest challenge I find is trying to stay lively and effective when no one is in attendance during the Live Chat Session. Thank goodness this has only happened a few times but it is extremely hard to lecture for an hour with no one to interact with on the topic you are reviewing.
Alfred,
You are taking a varied approach to enhance the engagement of your students in the classes you teach. This is so important because you do not have the benefit of "reading" their faces as you do in onsite class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I began teaching at a brick and mortar school and I find I truely enjoy the interaction with the class. Having started teaching on-line I find that it is a big transition. That lack of face time was a hard adjustment.
I try and compensate by posting announcements, responding to DB posts and sending email.
I think the most important way is via the livechat sessions. Even if students do not attend they can review the archive. I do get a chance to learn mmore about them asthey ffdo about me.
the biggest challenge for me would be I like interaction with people .
Troy,
You make a very valid point and it is one I have considered many times as I teach both online and onsite. I like onsite because I can read the students much quicker as you mention. I like online because I get to interact with a much wider and more diverse group of students that I would normally in my onsite classes. It is a toss up on which I like best which is a good position to be in I believe because I get the benefit of teaching in each venue.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Hannah,
Great bit of advice for all to remember. Constant communication keeps student involvement at a higher level and this increases student satisfaction as well.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
