A short take: online teaching

Community College Enterprise, The, Spring 2005 by Zappala, John

"Teaching an online, web-based course...can be a challenging, intellectually stimulating and exciting endeavor" (Frederickson, Clark and Hochner, 2002). Instructors and students can enjoy "24/7" access to the class, day or night, weekday or weekend. Based on eight years of teaching experience online, I believe the possibilities for enhancing the teaching/learning process are without boundaries in this nontraditional format. The big advantages include addressing different learning styles through the use of graphics, audio, and video to develop more active learning. Students who might have hesitated to ask questions in a face-to-face classroom are quite comfortable emailing a question or a request for clarification to the instructor. The anytime/anyplace class format attracts today's adult learner who is juggling other life issues. The numerous positive factors can have a significant effect on student learning in spite of the sometimes frustrating, demanding, and even confusing elements of online teaching and learning.

Lessons learned

In Tech Trends, Betty Collis (2004, p. 10) states that "technology is used to extend good teaching and learning. It does not replace the good teacher." The key is not to be misled by the word "distance" in distance education so as to believe that the relationship between the good teacher and learner is any less important than it would be in a traditional classroom. A web-based class should take on a constructivist approach that focuses on relevancy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Liaw (2004) writes that the online class format should emphasize the learners' abilities in solving real-life and practical problems.

The viewpoints expressed here, then, are directly related to (a) establishing relationships among the distance learning participants-including the teacher/instructor; and (b) cultivating strategies that lead to direct application and meaning for students. According to Hambrecht (2004), the relationship and teaching strategy goes beyond the content of instruction and "focuses on the less tangible, but perhaps, more fundamental character of teaching" (p.45). The primary responsibility for the development of these relationships and strategies rests with the instructor-the designer of content, deliverer of the material, and evaluator of outcomes. As an instructor of Internet-based courses, I am obligated to establish the same outcomes with a student learning online as with a student in the face-to-face classroom. While there is no set of formal rules, the following strategies seem to work well in relationship-building and teaching students in distance learning, whether they are around the world or around the corner.

Maxim #1

In distance education, the instructor sets the tone on the course web page for introducing those components he values. On the web page, I discuss classroom norms such as

* Be present in mind and body

* Have fun

* Be open-minded

* Respect the opinion of others, no matter how different

* Respect cultural differences

* Conduct one electronic conversation at a time.

An invitation is also extended on the web page that encourages involvement and participation. In my "Welcome to MSA 620" (Effective Administration and Organizational Behavior), I invite students to "think about this course as a process where we're all learners involved in a collaborative experience. In this learning activity, constructing knowledge will NOT be a one-way transmission of information from the instructor to the learner. Rather, constructing knowledge involves the opportunity to critically analyze information, dialog with each other, reflect on knowledge and see how it fits within your personal belief and value systems, and arrive at meaningful understandings of what was learned. Think about how rich learning will be in this course when everyone is involved in shaping the experience, where everyone has something to offer. Being involved in an adult learning format is a place where the presence of enthusiasm and excitement is easily felt. I hope you'll feel this same way."

Maxim #2

Plan, plan, plan. A former professor, Dr. Chuck McKee of Michigan State University, used to say, "Prior program planning prevents poor performance." His statement hits the bull's-eye in online teaching, which requires significant upfront planning and organization (Coyner and McCann, 2004). Usually, someone from the University's Distance Learning program suggests all course information, syllabi, and other materials be submitted and posted-long before the start of the semester. Planning cannot take place one unit ahead of the learners. In most cases, the learners have already reviewed the syllabus in its entirety before registering for the course. Expect that grading, learner communication, downloads and other course components will all take longer than expected.

Maxim #3

During the eight week class format, I email a weekly greeting to each student. Typically, it contains information about what to look for in the next week's readings or perhaps a tip or two on completing the next assignment. It tends to keep the instructor in contact with the student, even the student who is the reluctant-to-email type. The greeting should also serve to keep the student on track with the class. Here is an excerpt from my "Greetings and Week One Message": "I'm delighted that you can be here. If this is your first MSA class [Master of Science Administration], a special welcome to each of you. Also, if this is your first internet class, you are in for a treat. I'm here to help you succeed. Remember, life is about getting A's, right? And when in doubt, please ask. The first chat will be scheduled for Wednesday. (We will discuss chat netiquette and leading with soul. Big tip: one person chats at a time)."