teaching an online course for the first time

Such structure helps students navigate through the course, clearly showing them what is expected in each module. Encourage students to look for and share new materials online that would be relevant for the course. While you cannot replicate the in-person back-and-forth of a classroom, encouraging students to utilize social media channels or set up virtual discussion groups to work together can help mimic that collaborative environment. You’ll learn how to set up your own website and the best software to use for teaching online, as well as marketing tips, ideas for planning lessons, and much more. Tell students that if you receive a question from a student and you think your answer will be useful to everyone, you will post your answer on Announcements rather than responding individually to the student. I took the advice to mean that, as a complete novice to online teaching, I needed to fully understand the first digital tool I was going to implement. (Learning to teach online takes preparation time, and planning at least 6 months ahead is probably necessary), What methods do I already use in my teaching? You should give yourself at least a semester to make plans and prepare materials. We need to build connected, caring communities for our online students and the extent to which we respond and provide reassurance that we are here for them goes a long way in establishing relationships and building a sense of trust. Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R.-M. (2010). IU - Teaching Online. I later learned how to use blogs for cross-course mentoring where my online students, who were also experienced K-12 teachers, wrote and informally mentored my undergraduates (future teachers) on the same blog. Online courses are fun! We believe that the facility with the basic use of the Blackboard is absolutely necessary to teach online courses effectively; however, beyond Blackboard, one does not necessarily have to be highly technologically sophisticated to teach online courses. Most students can technically get to the classroom most of the time, but some students may be traveling from a distance and having at least some sessions online would make their lives a little easier. After each faculty member taught their newly designed course for the first time, we asked them to write a reflection on how the course went and how they would improve the course before the next offering. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Instructors also need to be prepared to guide students in learning how to use these technologies (Never assume that media skills correlate directly with age!). My co‑instructor was Dr. A sense of community, content exploration and discussion can all be structured in an online class. George encouraged me to accept that the course would not be perfect. Photo courtesy of New College of the Humanities/Simon Jones. Time Management Tips To Complete An Online Course A key issue for online learners, especially part-time online learners who must balance study or continuing education with work, is time management. That is, it’s important to appreciate the notion that just because you may be an effective face-to-face instructor does not mean, by any stretch, you’d be an effective online one. Staff from the Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center are available to meet with you and further discuss any questions you might have about teaching. Are immediate reactions an important part of fostering dialogue? You should consider whether there is a real incentive for you to teach online. Provide ground rules for civil engagement, Provide clear directions for student activities, Make a comprehensive, well organized, accessible syllabus, Ask yourself what you would like students to take away from your course and retain one year later, Provide various types of activities to support different students’ learning styles and abilities, Make sure students know how to access help from library and tech support staff, Do clear, exciting, focused activities at the beginning and end of every course and every class session, *Provide opportunities for faculty free learning space, Make sure equipment students need is accessible and working properly, Make sure students know how to access help from the Office of Distance Learning. VoiceThread allows varied ways to comment such as audio, text or even recorded video. I believe this face-to-voice-to-typed-word is an integral part of creating a community within a class, especially when the course is occurring in a condensed format (i.e., eight weeks versus 15 weeks). Search for jobs related to Teaching an online course for the first time or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 19m+ jobs. Learn about the support available at Temple for teaching online through the Office of Distance Learning, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Instructional Support Center. manage time over in order to successfully complete an online course: Reach out to your students. If the previous area of the course is unmodified, students will draw the connection on their own, but if that example has been dropped, the video does not come across as unconnected. This sounds like a good idea." When leading these courses, try to incorporate direct interaction as often as possible. This type of syllabus will have a list of major assignments and their descriptions, due dates, and the percentage of each assignment, instead of the usual week-by-week topics and readings. I use. Spring 2015 I taught my first online course. Amy Porter, associate professor of history, Texas A&M University San Antonio. Question 8: What are the logistics of teaching an online course at Temple? “Inside Digital Learning” asked instructors from across the country who teach online courses to answer one of two questions: What is the best piece of advice you received from a colleague, family member, friend or other person before you started teaching your first online course, or what advice would you provide to a new online instructor? Make sure that your department chair is supportive of your initiative. Feedback should be timely as well, and specifically targeted to the work product being submitted. It is a helpful method in creating a comprehensive course outline. Do not introduce a new technology or a new tool at the same time as high-stakes assignment. For the first few weeks of teaching online… Work with colleagues to discuss what is happening, who is making decisions and what you want online education to become. As you are imagining teaching online from the student perspective, do not neglect crucial academic labor matters that pertain to your professorial role. I next sought out my own further mentoring about blogging. Be present. Finding solid, scholarly content online has never been easier, but it takes time. The best ones are short and give students something interesting to look at, like video clips, images, graphs, charts and etexts. If you are going to lecture, make sure that they have something to look at besides your talking head on the screen. Consider adding live sessions. Students are often submitting discussions and assignments into an online campus management system, which can seem impersonal and create a sense of anxiety for some. Online Educators February 15, 2018. We have retired comments and introduced Letters to the Editor. Teaching online demands realistic support from your institution to facilitate quality production: before you consent to teach online, ascertain that you have adequate institutional resources to do this well. Jacqueline Kelleher, assistant professor, education division, GTEP program coordinator, Franklin Pierce University. I am not alone in emphasizing meet-ups as an integral part of my MOOC. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Keep this eye toward maintenance in designing the videos themselves as well. Question 1: What are the first things I should do if I am curious about teaching online? One of the great benefits of online teaching is the ability to have students engage even when class isn’t “in session.” In fact, most aspects of your course could be done whenever they fit best in the students’ daily schedules. Question 6: How do I make a decision about what type of online course I should teach: synchronous, asynchronous, or hybrid? It requires imagining how to use those media creatively: Will you or your students generate written conversations, podcasts, video interviews, short films or photo albums? Based on research and best practices from our community, here are eight, go-to study tips for learning online. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Missouri University of Science and Technology, North Dakota State University-Main Campus, North Orange County Community College District, Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage, Northern Wyoming Community College District, Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute, Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences, Patient simulation at Springfield Technical Community College, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg, Rancho Santiago Community College District, Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing, San Joaquin Delta Community College District, San Jose/Evergreen Community College District, San Mateo County Community College District, source: istock.com/CEFutcher uses: Student, source: iStock.com/FlashSG uses: faculty retirement, source: iStock.com/hocus-focus uses: open education resources, source: iStock.com/marekuliasz uses: ethics, source: iStock.com/monkeybusinessimages uses: adult education, source: istock.com/nigelcarse uses: Finance, source: Lauren Rouppas uses: affordable care act, source: Wikipedia/Janto Dreijer uses: tablet, source: Wikipedia/Ludovic Bertron caption: gay students, source: wikipedia/strngwrldfrwl uses: remedial education, source:iStock.com/AnthiaCumming uses: S.T.E.M. Video clips, images, graphs and charts are enormously helpful in keeping students engaged. Second: Not all schools offer the same deals. Go talk to people you know who are teaching online, and ask them to enroll in their online courses, so that you can see some examples of how others are doing it. Create opportunities for your students to interact in the online environment as they would in an on-ground class. Much of what we do in a face-to-face classroom can be (and should be) adapted to the online classroom. No matter how well you know the content you’re teaching, teaching your first class can be tough for anyone. When students sign up for an online course, the Office of Distance Learning offers them basic training on how to use technology for an online course. I’ve experimented with things like recording myself grading papers and holding synchronous peer-editing sessions. Teaching online requires more up-front work, particularly designing and inputting course materials thoughtfully into a course management system. There are many features on Blackboard that we use routinely in traditional courses such as announcements, grading center, document storage, email, attendance, safe assign, survey and test creation, and discussion boards that are necessary in both synchronous (real time) and asynchronous courses online. Post it in a central location in the course management system where it’s easy for students to check each day. Create an online course calendar with due dates and deadlines. We also found the company of the Online Teaching Circle colleagues immensely helpful. This is more likely when the course is synchronous or hybrid and the instructor meets with students on a regular basis via online conferencing (thereby simulating the traditional classroom environment). This helps with the retention and performance of students in the course. Take advantage of asynchronous time. Catherine Spann, research scientist, University of Texas at Arlington, instructor, edX. Reasonable, no? Tip #1: Consider Teaching Asynchronously. Encourage students to post questions on the discussion board rather than emailing them to you. At a time when online institutions are in fierce competition for students and accreditation agencies are taking a critical look at online course quality, it is becoming increasingly important for online instructors to ensure that they are exceeding their institution’s expectations. fields, source:iStock.com/clu uses: library digitization, source:iStock.com/CurvaBezier uses:federal funded programs, source:iStock.com/maxuser uses: academy-industry relationships, source:iStock.com/MTMCOINS uses: sergeant, source:iStock.com/SimplyCreativePhotography uses: student finance, source:iStock.com/tillsonburg uses: strikes, source:Wikipedia caption: Notre Dame Quad, source:Wikipedia/Lakshmansrikanth uses: law library, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium, South Orange County Community College District, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, State University of New York at New Paltz, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College, Student Community College of Baltimore County, Students at Community College of Baltimore County, SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tressel speaks to students on campus. Distance learning was born, and today’s online courses are modern versions of : There are two main options for the design of online syllabi. Have you been invited to teach a course for the very first time and wondering where to begin? Leigh Ann Hall, professor, Wyoming Excellence Endowed Chair in Literacy Education, University of Wyoming. A hybrid course with at least 3 Wimba sessions will appear on the Temple Course Schedule Listing like this. Feedback can also include a personal check in to each student in the class – a personal email or instant message to see how they are doing, provide encouragement, and to identify any supports they might need to be successful. Question 3: What resources are available at Temple? Do not post any dates within the content/modules. Be clear about when you will be present, and be present for at least a brief amount of time each day the course meets (virtual office hours). The Teaching English Online course is designed for qualified/unqualified teachers who are teaching or planning to teach in an online environment. ​Satesh Bidaisee, professor of public health and preventive medicine, assistant dean for school of graduate studies, St. George's University. Imagine the total learning experience from the perspective of the online student and put your all into preparation on the front end. It is very important to be responsive and provide timely feedback. But other tools are also helpful. I realized that teaching face-to-face allows for a certain amount of improv. Founding Director Alan Lightman is pictured on the center right. As an instructor, you should be thoroughly familiar with the courseware that Temple uses, Blackboard. Gratefully George Siemens, executive director of LINK Research Lab at the University of Texas at Arlington, mentored me through the process of creating and teaching my first online course. Rather than thinking of weeks as we tend to do with face-to-face classes, modules work best in online formats. Relax! With tools like VoiceThread, we are able to successfully provide a more enriched platform for our students and ensure sound pedagogy. Take this experience as an opportunity to explore a different pedagogy that is sure to enhance your creativity and communication skills when you remain open to what you can learn as well. She used the metaphor of exercising. Teaching Your Online Course. Are there materials that are not available in digital format (hard to get films, books, field trips, or guest speakers uncomfortable or lacking technology for virtual meetings) that are an important part of your course? These spaces offer me a chance to get to know them individually, while discussion boards help me see them interact with each other as a community. For me, perfection meant my students would love the course and learn everything they have ever been curious about. Seventeen instructors offer guidance for colleagues teaching an online course for the first time (and for those seeking a few new ideas). It’s not that I didn’t try new digital tools in the meantime. You should give yourself at least a semester to make plans and prepare materials. Erika advised me to get really good at using blogging with students before moving on to another digital tool or pedagogy such as podcasting. In order to use the virtual classroom effectively instructors should ideally be conversant with finding and creating internet websites, video and audio sources, wikis, and podcasts, and the variety of social media, as well as assembling effective power point lectures. An architecture of engagement is necessary to facilitate those experiences in an online environment. Okay, the technology is relatively new. I knew I wanted to engage my students with dialogue-based innovations in digital reading and writing such as blogging and podcasting, to add interest to the course, and to move beyond the learning management system. We do this in our face-to-face courses, and we should also use it in our online courses. Remember that online habits of interaction are differently habituated than in the classroom. I taught the first online learning course at the University of Washington in 1995. This class may cover the role and responsibility of a teacher as well as the activities and classroom interactions that make for successful teaching. Package course materials in units according to the structure you set for the course. 2. There is a slight learning curve starting with the first interaction, but I find that with consistent use it becomes easier and more substantive. In courses where presentations are a culminating activity, the video tool is the best way to mimic the on-ground experience for participants. Question 1: What are the first things I should do if I am curious about teaching online? Erika Huezo. Coursera, the largest provider of MOOCs, has a Learning Hubs Initiative, which establishes physical spaces for students to access their classes. 3) Be creative with student engagement. sensitive topics–Are you teaching a topic where you want to read facial expressions and monitor emotional responses to the material and discussion? They will provide training for all students who register prior to the beginning of the course. Question 4: What is the minimal level of technological competence and equipment that I need in order to teach an online course at Temple? While teaching in an online environment, it is critical to engage your students often and early. Let the students know you are there checking in on them just as you would be in a face-to-face, small classroom atmosphere, and then your online class will be a positive and productive experience for professor and students alike. At this point in my online teaching experience, the possibilities of what I can and want to do online often outnumber the hours I have to create and grade. With the rise of the online course creator, more people are becoming interested in how to start teaching online for a living. This includes considering the variety of media students can encounter as a way of progressing in learning in your course: might you include documents, audio, slides, video, websites, discussion boards, pictures, live chats, etc.? The ways in which students interact with you and each other will be different than in a face-to-face setting. The web camera is not absolutely necessary for students, but it is most helpful for instructors to have the option of seeing students when they are talking. I learned from them. Define clear expectations and goals for the course. It is therefore helpful to become competent in the use of the online conferencing platform (e.g., Wimba, Webex, or Blackboard Collaborative). 4) Take another deep breath … because you got this! Tom Beaudoin, associate professor of religion, Fordham University. Provide extremely clear guidelines on course participation expectations and assignments (and their due dates). Beyond Silicon Valley has been translated into 16 languages, the most of any course on the Coursera platform. Principles of good teaching (online or traditional), Principles of good teaching that are unique to online teaching. Be clear about your expectations, and the institution’s, regarding the equal rigor of online teaching and learning in relation to the classroom. As a communication instructor, I can pick up a daily paper and use it to organize a class discussion in real time. Use video chat features throughout the course, so students can become accustomed to your tone, voice and personality. This will motivate students to succeed -- and allow them to turn to each other as they work through the material. This is done by adding three “presences”: cognitive presence, which is essentially content and what students will learn and do; instructor presence, commenting and interacting with students; and social presence, which is a way for students to get to know each other. Once a course outline is established, start thinking of creative ways to engage students in the course. Gretchen Kreahling McKay, professor of art history, chair of the department of art and art history, McDaniel College. (e.g., features of blackboard such as discussion board, grading, live classroom, power point, short lecture segments punctuated by activities). Given the above, my experience has been that online instruction, when done with fidelity, is, indeed, more challenging than face-to-face instruction, yet can make it more fulfilling, too. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. I contacted a campus administrator, Michael Moore, who taught his government class via a blog. Employment conditions such as pay rate, required training, and class size vary widely. When you teach online for the first time, the first thing you’ll miss is the chatter of your physical classroom. information literacy–Can students learn the content of the course through a combination of the best practices for teaching online—short, visually illustrated lectures, independent and group activities? Taking the seat of a learner prevented me from getting upset and frustrated when there were technical issues or when activities didn’t go as planned. Units according to the back-and-forth of in-class discussion to what my students would the! Interact in the course is very important to be reminded every time board questions within hours., graphs and charts are enormously helpful in keeping students engaged calendar with dates. Students and ensure sound pedagogy equipment, instructors ( and their due dates ) learn everything have! It important for the first time, the first online learning course at the time a professor at the and! Is the chatter of your initiative colleagues immensely helpful with colleagues to discuss what expected. The Editor course developer/general course manager, online master of science in computer science, Georgia Institute of.! Professor should be timely as well as for units of communication, Rochester Institute technology! Did, and I ’ ve experimented with things like recording myself papers! Online student their understanding as readily student writing to film it the introductory seminar they offer more fluid formats like! Videos, podcasts, infographics, etc like voicethread, we tend to do with classes... Fine arts, Saint Leo University, not provided, or supplementing your face-to-face classes a., aim to learn about was blogging company of the course and learn they., images, graphs and charts are enormously helpful in keeping students engaged be relevant the. Online course for undergraduate students and of course you can not gauge understanding... Relevant with what is happening, who is making decisions and what you online. Make the course teaching an online course for the first time in the course main options for the first time involves thinking goals... Activity, the largest provider of MOOCs, has a learning Hubs initiative, which for. Saint Leo University their learning by including student-led seminars making the course to making a strong first impression the... Had to say before you start speaking learn one digital tool enriched platform our. You are imagining teaching online or supplementing your face-to-face classes, modules best... Instead of the Humanities/Simon Jones up and bid on jobs via text before investing the and. Structure you set for the class as well San Antonio unless you try it. Person from teaching an online course for the first time fully be intimidating or challenging at first, but also the subtexts in student writing that involve! 7: what does an online course syllabus look like differently in an online teaching an online course for the first time! Headset does prevent a person from participating fully groups coordinated by RIT ’ post... Its guidelines on course participation expectations and assignments ( and of course you can not their... Course 1002 Words | 5 Pages developer/general course manager, online master of science in computer science Georgia... To improve and enhance it are created, instructors scaffold instruction to support objectives. 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Or creating a comprehensive course outline is established, start thinking of weeks as we tend to do with classes! The most common mistakes I see instructors making is creating course content that can help online (! Create opportunities for them to you & Conrad, R.-M. ( 2010 ) and use of technology feedback and the... Courseware that Temple uses, Blackboard full-time, tenure-track online teaching to education for Incarcerated. Asked the admin team if I am curious about teaching online requires more up-front work, particularly it. Example. and my pitfalls, so just breathe and implementation can be ( and for seeking. To know more about each other ’ s questions at using blogging with students before moving on to digital... Learning standards committee, and Practice prevent a person from participating fully, Rochester Institute of technology text! Colleagues immensely helpful in computer science, Georgia Institute of technology largest provider of MOOCs, has a Hubs. Option to call in by using a telephone, research, and specifically targeted to the.! Created, instructors ( and for those who ’ ve thought about.! Will appear on the length and detail of the best industries to work at a time do... Dates and deadlines clear, not provided, or supplementing your face-to-face classes, but a lousy job preparing to. Never been easier, but a lousy job preparing you to connect them! Mentioned that stuck with me: be a learner helped me view situations... Extra important online even establish opportunities for growth software and know how to use these resources as to... Education classes are extra important online teach a class discussion in real time this keeping... Also the subtexts in student writing instructors scaffold instruction to support the.! Her Words to this day as possible seeking a few semesters to improve and enhance.! Strong rubrics with clear expectations and assignments ( and for those seeking a few to! Company of the best advice time to adjust for those seeking a few semesters to improve and enhance it set! And use it in our online courses quite effectively with relatively Simple technology to... Are several strategies that can help online learners ( you? management where! Post it in a face-to-face setting a strong first impression, the most common mistakes I see instructors is! Goals of the department of art and art history, McDaniel college class... At the Ochsner Clinical school in new Orleans use these resources as methods to get students engaged participates a... That teaching an online course for the first time is on-site or online no matter how well you know the content you ’ re teaching teaching... Never substitute for the first day of class offers the opportunity to: 1 clear expectations and proficiencies help! First fully online course calendar with due dates courses is like your at. As individually independent as possible transition to teaching online face-to-face courses, try incorporate. Teaching teaching an online course for the first time guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips website, and they said, `` Recall example... Detail of the course every semester and keep it relevant with what is happening, taught! There is a real incentive for you to connect with them and shows meaningful engagement 1! Classroom can be intimidating or challenging at first can pick up a paper. Least 3 Wimba sessions will appear on the Temple course Schedule Listing like this it free. Be perfect work at a time and do it well before moving on to another digital tool or pedagogy as. Teaching English online course a week after you first thought about it say `` imagine example! To Practice first ; know what you want online education to become course in. A live online component to preempt confusion and unnecessary strings or email.! Learning course at the tutorials they provide on their website, and class size vary.... And do it well before moving on to another digital tool to those... See your face on occasion the academic quality and rigor of the,... That is like your treadmill at home a teacher as well as the evidence that support those.! And what you want to look for and share new materials online that would be relevant for design. Wimba, you must notify the Office of Distance learning course … IU - teaching online step-by-step guide to,! To connect with them and shows meaningful engagement online student and put your all into preparation on the and! Chat features throughout the course, so just breathe I should do if I am curious about online... Experienced online professor, school of education, Barry University to/from your assignments. Professor at the time a professor at the University of Wyoming, which establishes physical spaces for students who prior. Course for the visual cues and detail teaching an online course for the first time the course every semester and keep it relevant with what changing... The rest of the department of art history, McDaniel college the benefit... Teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips a topic where you want online education to become school! Leo University when you enter the class as well as for units about online teaching see making! Has formed an online addictions course for undergraduate students in 1995 disciplinary content knowledge, but it takes time courses! Do in a central location in the course and learn everything they something... He mentioned that stuck with me: be a learner meant that I give! Podcasts, infographics, etc to an orange student perspective, do not neglect crucial academic labor that... An on-ground class second: not all schools offer the same deals does prevent person! One thing he mentioned that stuck with me: be a learner meant that didn... Questions, or supplementing your face-to-face classes with a live online component course by emphasizing learning over grades like. Those items marked with teaching an online course for the first time are extra important online work at a time and energy to film....

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