Instructors and students need
to understand the characteristics of the online environment in order to
further develop the trails for success as online teachers and learners.
Faculty members and instructional support professionals who participated
in this dialogue session identified themselves as either novice or veteran
users of on-line technology; the comments included here reflect a range
of experience, understanding, and, in some cases, preconceptions about
the on-line environment.
Focus question: What are
the essential characteristics of the successful online teacher and learner?
This question was further divided into 3 areas:
1. What is the nature of the online environment?
2. What are the characteristics of a successful online instructor?
3. What are the characteristics of a successful online students/learner?
1. What is the nature of
the on-line environment? Comments:
- Driven by technology
- Less flexible than classroom
environment
- Requires more planning,
preparation, and detail
- Lacks spontaneity
- Changes "energy"
by offering more asynchronous interaction
- Difficult for students
with poor written communication skills
- Provides opportunity for
reflection
- Uses "online-ese,"
the language of online education
- Humor and emotions may
not read well
- May cause fear and caution
both personally and intellectually for novice user
- Requires an adequate base
knowledge of technology
- Allows anonymous participation
- Requires instructional
design resources to maximize use of technology
- Students benefit from
introduction to environment
- Limits nonverbal communication
(body language)
2. What are the characteristics
of the successful online instructor? Comments:
- Organizes and prepares
course materials
- Is highly motivated and
enthusiastic
- Committed to teaching
- Has a philosophy supporting
student-centered learning
- Is open
to suggestions following pre- and post-learning evaluations
- Demonstrates creativity
- Takes
risks
- Manages time well
- Is interested in online
delivery of courses with no real rewards
- Responds to learners needs
within the expectations stated by instructor
- Is disciplined to require
and reinforce to expectations with students
3. What are the characteristics
of the successful online student? Comments:
- Manages and allocates
time appropriately
- Prefers linear learning
style
- Displays technology skills
- Can deal with technology
and its frustrations
- Is an active learner
- Highly motivated, self-directed,
and self-starting
- Depends on nature of instructional
methods (group vs. individual tasks)
- Has appropriate writing
and reading skills for online learning
Key Issues of Consensus
Participants
reached consensus on the following items:
- How can institutions provide
- Support for use of instructional
technology to instructors and students?
- 24/7 support to instructors
and learners?
- Functional and emotional
comfort and skill acquisition?
- How can institutions "face
the myths?"
- Development time by
faculty is too great
- Students and faculty
have different levels of understanding of distance learning
- Need to recognize efforts
of instructors
- Why does every instructor
need to learn every skill?
Areas Where Consensus Was
Not Reached
Several participants expressed
concern that some of the following items have not been articulated or
consistently provided to faculty systemwide. They did agree that there
is a need for institutions to communicate and provide:
- Consistent support for
instructional design (pedagogy needs analysis, design options, implementation
planning and evaluation of course, certificate, program and / or degree)
and instructional developers (application specialists)
- Quality standards and criteria
as well as evaluation criteria
- Clear expectations among
and between institution and faculty, institution and students
- Clarification of differences
between global and detailed perspectives between novice, apprentice,
and expert instructors and learners
Topics for Future Discussion
- Ability for faculty and
students to share content
- Design expectations with
flexibility on all levels--instructor,department, institution, etc.
- Information about changes
in student demographics
- Clear institutional commitment
and articulation to students,instructors, and staff about institution's
motivation and goals to offer online learning
- Philosophy of online learning
- Support for technology
- Recognition of efforts of
instructors
- Ability to provide appropriate
preparation time
Conclusions
The faculty and instructional
support professionals agree that teaching and learning online requires
substantial investment in many types learning by all parties involved
and is a developmental process. Some skills and knowledge need to be adapted
from traditional application; other skills will be additional ones. The
commitment of the institution is essential. Instructors and support professionals
are already firmly committed and more instructors are choosing to use
online capabilities. However, some needs are not yet adequately being
addressed.
|