I would disagree with the statement. The responsibilities are the same - the means and techniques are different, bu the the responsibilities are the same.
Deana,
True they are very similar. Do you think that online environments require anything special that traditional classes might not require? What about the depth that you cover expectations?
Herbert Brown III
Hello. Whether teaching an online or face-to-face course, both require the same responsibilities. Both learning platforms require instructors to handle conflicts, avoid distruptions, aid quite learners, and push procrastinations - all learners exist in both platforms.
Deana Plaskon
Roberto,
I agree the instructor learns a lot during the process. Another thing you learn is that expectations have to be very clear and detailed. You quickly learn as an instructor what assignments or expectations are not as clear as you thought they were and have to adjust constantly to be an effective instructor. It is vital to be a reflective practitioner.
Herbert Brown III
I agree that online does not equate to the same responsibilities when teaching the same course in a traditional classroom. The instructor in an online setting needs to be more active just about all the time. This includes being active in the classroom, responding to student requests timely and knowing on when to help students out when they are struggle. I've found that providing students timely feedback will help students out in terms of getting the most out of what they've learned. I often say that the one who learns the most in an online setting is the instructor.
There are aspects that are similar and those that differ greatly. In the traditional classroom I used a great deal of humor, which translated well to the students as they could see my facial expressions and body language. When I began teaching online I thought, well humor is always good to loosen up the stressed out math students... NOT! Humor in an online environment does not work right out of the gate and never works in classes where there is not a synchronous component. It was a hard lesson to learned, but it was learned very quickly.
Similar aspects include respect in the classroom and for the students, being present and open so students are comfortable coming to you with questions, and seeking out those whose grades are faltering. The latter of these similarities is tough whether on ground or online as in both it is generally not easy to locate the student.
As far as overall responsibilities, I agree that you have the same responsibilities to uphold academic integrity, respect the students and be on top of what is happening in your classroom, along with all the items mentioned in the second paragraph.
Karen "kam" Maiorano
William,
I agree the content is very important. Even with math and other subjects I think at times we have to provide traditional delivery of concepts and content, but then guide them through the deeper analysis and synthesis of the information to help them reach the next level of cognitive understanding.
Herbert Brown III
Hello
I think a lot has to do with the type of course you are teaching. Generally, online teachers are more facilitators then teachers. We are here to encourage learning and research on one’s own. I teach business so it is easier for me to be a facilitator. However, if I were teaching mathematics then I would have to rethink my role; facilitator or teacher.
Bill Becker
Jocelyn,
It is vital to have clear expectations, course schedules, assignment due dates, etc. Video can provide a higher level of interaction, but it still requires the student to interact. I use synchronous tools regularly; however, just like a regular classroom you get the lurkers just listening to the conversation, you still have to encourage them to join in. I hear the argument of lack of immediacy fairly often. Do students in a traditional class live in your home and get 24/7 response from you, of course not, they might get your immediately attention for an hour and 15 minutes twice a week, but otherwise they don't. It is interesting how this changes with online classes where students expect a response in an hour or less. This makes it very important to articulate clear communication expectations at the beginning of the course.
Herbert Brown III
Hi
I do think it depends on the school. When you are required to have live chats it does get to be quite similar to a classroom experience. Particularly if you allow a high degree of interaction such as a live image and allowing students to speak.
That said, the lack of immediacy that online brings can be a challenge for some students. Not having to truly face the instructor can create a problem for understanding and following due dates. Having regular reminders through announcements and email helps with this.
Jocelyn Dervis
Tonya,
Teaching classes online can be much more challenging, but just as effective. If converting a "ground" course to online, it is vital to analyze what in that course makes it the quality course it is, and then explore and select online tools that allow that traditional course to be just as effective online. You are correct, online courses do take more time to manage than traditional courses. It is important not only for instructor to realize this, but also for adminstration to take this in to consideration when planning workloads, etc.
Herbert Brown III
I agree whole heartedly that teaching a course online differs from teaching on the ground. I don’t see a big difference in the learning outcomes but the delivery and instruction is where the biggest difference is. Instructors need to know the overall expectation of them when teaching online as outlined in the training is reference to student response time, office hours etc. Instructors need to be available more for online students versus traditional students. I think teaching a class online is much more challenging than a ground course.
