Transitioning from F2F
Teaching into Online Instruction
The
role of an instructor in on online course shifts 180° when compared to a F2F
teacher. The instructor becomes a guide
–on the side- rather than a lecturer. But this guidance implies understanding
the need to have material already predetermined and available to students from “Day
1.” Instead of the usual weekly or daily planning, our students have
already-prepared modules, which have been carefully thought and prepared by the
teacher. This ahead-of-time preparation with material in various types of
digital formats is what differentiates the online instructor from the F2F
teacher.
Although
I have never experienced being a 100% online instructor myself, I do have some
experience in hybrid environments. One’s role as a teacher changes
exponentially in a very positive and unique way. Preparing the learning modules
with very concrete and reachable learning outcomes is a time-consuming,
pain-staking task but worthwhile trying. Encouraging students to take their own
learning in their hands with one’s guidance is the very first step to take when
beginning an online or blended learning course. Somehow the instructor becomes
the curricular designer of the course and the student motivator who strives
hard to convince them that autonomy in learning does exist.
Your
role also shifts from lecturer to facilitator. The instructor and the students
are no longer trapped by class time. Whatever that happens in a F2F classroom
can be replicated in an online environment by means of web tools available and
free of charge. For instance, in a pronunciation blog I created for one of my ELT
content courses at Universidad Latina (http://bin-02.blogspot.com/),
I embedded a chat box to give students the change to either interact among
themselves on the blog page by sharing information or posing questions about
the class content to one another, or to ask me since I signed in a couple of
nights a week. It has proven to be a helpful tool that our digital students are
accustomed to using: chat rooms.
Becoming
an online instructor can be really a thrill, but make sure you do work on some
adjustments:
1
|
Transfer
your lecturing into useful online resources to work on assignments, projects,
forums, group discussions, etc.
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2
|
Bear
in mind your new role: facilitator,
a guide on the side.
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3
|
Remind
students of your presence by having students interact regularly, by being
available when pupils are in need of answer for their questions, and by
reminding them of deadlines and course events. Don’t leave them alone.
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4
|
Design
interactive activities and tasks
such as case study analysis, WebQuests, surveys and the like.
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5
|
Design
activities, projects, tasks, etc. beforehand, so you have an idea how long it
can take students to complete them.
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6
|
Limit
yourself to using online free resources and what is provided by your
institution.
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7
|
Try
a new piece of technology before you decide to incorporate it. Knowing how it
really works can help you train students on its use.
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8
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Motivate
students to go beyond the classroom to learn more outside by visiting blogs,
wikis, forums or by using social media.
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9
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Create
activities that allow students to exchange ideas and information and that
help them learn cooperatively.
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10
|
Explore
the pedagogical reason for using a new piece of technology. Perhaps you may
find out that it is not really necessary.
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11
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Be
aware of the learning preferences among your students. Let it be borne in
mind that knowing these preferences can help you in designing activities much
efficiently.
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12
|
Always
provide feedback to your students, so they really know that they are not by
themselves.
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√
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Learning
is a journey for all of us when we are the students in a course, and it is a
satisfying one. Just imagine how challenging but rewarding it is when you want
to teach your students and achieve the course learning goals.
Feel free to download a copy of this paper over here.
Friday, May 31, 2013
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