Transitioning from F2F to Online Learning

Transitioning from F2F to Online Learning

How difficult can a transition from a F2F learning environment be to an online learning space? If this question is answered from the learner’s point of view, it is possible to spot some difficulties students can face in the migration: a) time management, b) autonomous learning, c) success orientation, and d) the role of the instructor.

In terms of time management, the student needs to prioritize his/her curricular and extracurricular activities. Managing one’s time is a need in any learning situation, whether that is a F2F or online class. The most important difference in this particular situation is that the learner can be on his own much of the time and some sort of agenda can help him/her to meet deadlines. Procrastination is indeed the greatest enemy to defeat when taking a blended learning or a 100% online course.

Can a student achieve autonomous learning? A learner does not need to be in a hybrid or online course to realize that the power of learning lies within his/her brain. Fully comprehending one’s learning preferences and fully profiting from them are possible tasks to accomplish. Self-discovering the way one favors learning is vital to achieve learning; the fact that an instructor is not with him/her all the time is a great challenge that confronts the learner with the vast possibilities of learning on one’s own. A teacher can be and is a great guide, but with that guidance learning can be attained exponentially and beyond the course boundaries.

With the proper guidance and being success-oriented, the learner will always be able to achieve his/her learning goals as well as the course’s objectives. Success orientation is the sense of accomplishment that should reside in the student’s mind. This sense can be the intrinsic or extrinsic motivation that governs a student’s desire for learning and becoming a successful professional in the short or long run. Such a sense of accomplishment needs to be always nourished by instructors to trigger some positive, long-lasting, and meaningful learning outcomes in their pupils.

Learning outcomes can also be achieved by understanding the role of the instructor in an online course. It is imperative that learners comprehend the real role of a teacher. An instructor is not the only source of information and learning. Although the teacher can be the starting point, tasks, activities, etc. can also foster learning. Besides being an initial source of information, it is also essential to understand that instructors are not meant to be 24/7 for online or hybrid students. There will be a time for them to ask questions, and a time for their teachers to answer. Let it be borne in mind that communication is vital in this (semi-) virtual teaching/learning environment. Data and questions-answers must be canalized properly to ensure effective communication.

To conclude, student transitioning from F2F learning environments to online virtual learning spaces is indeed a challenge for both actors involved in education: the instructor and the learner, but it is worthwhile. If a student is able to maximize his/her learning time, to learn autonomously, to guide his/her learning successfully, and to understand his/her roles as well as the instructor’s, s/he is more than ready to embark him/herself into a self-discovery of powerful and meaningful learning that can take him/her way beyond the course boundaries and major.

E To fully develop and comprehend this teaching issue, it’s advisable to research and expand these areas:

1	Blended and hybrid learning
2	Time management and online learning
3	The role of instructors in online learning
4	The learner’s role in blended and online education
5	Autonomous learning in blended education