The Responsibilities of Teaching Online
i agree because in traditional setting you can set an punishment in face to face while online you really cant do that
Terry,
I agree. It is that much more important to connect with our students and not only ensure they are involved in the course, but to try to get them to feel like they are part of a community of learners and not just lone learners. If we can build this sense of community in our students, they tend to be more involved and happier in their learning experiences.
Herbert Brown III
Teaching online requires the instructor to be more proactive in reaching out to all students to insure all are involved. The traditional classroom has the advantages of seeing smiles or distant looks.
Face to face interaction provides a new dimension for evaluation. I assume that my traditional class room evaluations are higher because I can easily confront students concerning their inappropriate behavior.
In the online class room, unless the evaluation is mandatory, most students do not take time.
Second, it is frankly easier to tell a little lie online. My traditional class room is currently with full time "younger" students.
In the only traditional class rooms with part time adult students, I received very high evaluations but the class room was only 15 students... 15 students means you can talk and meet with them individually.
I suggest that we do not compare the results of evaluations until we account for the class room environment, the types of students, and the role of evaluations in minds of the administrators. That is my opinion.
Evaluations should be used to improve the teaching/learning experience... by using feedback from students that does not affect their "grade".
Albert,
So would you say that is a good thing? Does the online student get a better evaluation then the traditional student in your opinion?
Herbert Brown III
Jonida,
Certainly the communication method, having to type much of what might be handled through a verbal discussion in class, can add to the workload. It what specific ways do you see it as harder?
Herbert Brown III
I agree. I feel that teaching an online course is harder than teaching in a traditional setting. You have to work twice as hard to gain the trust of the students.
I find that online students face tougher anguish from online evaluation... my evaluation is more personal, directed and detailed; I often do not address the student's difficulty with their learning syle in the traditional environment.
Teaching a course online does not equate to the same responsibilities when teaching the same course in a traditional classroom setting. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
Jerry,
Good reminder for all teachers no matter the format they teach within. We need our teaching to always be student centered.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Tamara,
Good explanation of how different approaches are used in working with and supporting students online and onsite. Each are unique and require that we adapt our approach to work within the venue we are interacting with students through.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Carol,
I am of the opinion that you can still still punish a student in an online environment. I think your responsibility as a facilitator is to teach the students, or lead the student to learn "new" information. The processes may be different, but the facilitator's/teacher's responsibility would still be the same.
Jerry
Hello,
I disagree with the notion that the responsibilities are dissferent because ot the difference in teaching platform,
I do believe that learning is about "changing beliefs" that is why I take the time to learn from my students first because understanding their perspective makes it a little easier to share my perspective with them. It is important to know where the student stands before you can lead them to a different direction. No matter the platform, it is important to bear in mind the goal of teaching.
Jerry
I think that any college/university that has both online and traditional classrooms (especially those who offer the same course through both platforms) will confidently tell you that the responsibilities are virtually identical. I mean no student, accrediting body, or shareholder is going to want to believe that there is a difference in responsibilities and expectations.
However, while on paper, an institution may list the same responsibilities; it is "understood" that there are differences and that those differences are going to necessitate some evaluational subjectivity.
For example, if I have a student who is failing my class because of missing assignments, I don't have the chance to bump into them in the hallway/library to reach out. I can only send emails and call their campus contact with my concerns. Time and space limit me--and my institution would never hold me responsible for this limitation. Conversely, if a student emailed me on a Saturday afternoon, I could get into trouble if I did not reply by Sunday afternoon. However, at our institution, most on-ground personnel are considered to be "off" on the weekends and would not be expected to respond to an email until Monday.
So perhaps one could say that the differences in responsibilities are more operational than academic in nature...
Charlotte,
So true and so important to keep students engaged for the long haul.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree. Online Instructors must do more managing and trouble shooting than traditional teachers and professors due to the various limitations and barriers.
I agree that it takes more time to teach an on-line course, provided you wish to perform well of course. I think it is because a "blank look" in class can be addressed in real time. A lack of response in cyberspace is nothing. You do more chasing moving targets in the on-line community. That said, it is much easier for a student to become a potted plant in the classroom, than it would for a student on-line. Sadly or not, because all the excuses in the clssroom are waived by the student who takes the on-line course. This waiver may not be known by the actual student, but it is a consequence of taking an on-line course.
Eman,
Your last point is a good one in terms of how communication and interaction impact learners in the two different delivery formats. We need to make sure we are being effective in our outreach to students in both cases and use the different formats that will enable engagement to occur.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I disagree. The instructors are responsible in both online and traditional classroom environments to engage the students in learning activities. This engagement enables the students to acquire the desired learning outcomes. However, the communication and the interaction in these two environments are different.
Q'iana,
Good point and one that instructors need to keep in mind at all times. It is easy to let a part of course responsibilities slip if an instructor doesn't have a master plan to follow.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
