Changing Roles and Pedagogy

I continue to be challenged in these courses which have given me the foundation I need to become an effective online facilitator. I will attempt to address all the learning objectives that I feel we met as an online community.

Week 1:Overview of Online Teaching
In this unit we found ourselves with the critical question-Is teaching online really any different than teaching face-to-face? If so, we used our critical thinking skills to say, in what ways. I feel online teaching has similarities, but there are many differences also. In my opinion it is equally important. The adjustments we must make as facilitators are many and one very important one is to create an online environment where our students feel welcomed.

The learning objectives for this unit were to identify and discuss differences between teaching online vs. teaching face-to-face. We had to describe the various roles of an online teacher and determine which personal adjustments were needed to make teaching effectively in the online environment.

We had a few mandatory lecturettes that were very interesting and informative.

Week 2:Facilitating Online Discussion
In this unit we were given information about what would occur in the weeks to come. News flash for all of us that we would be facilitating the discussions that occur each week. It was clear as a bell that we would not just be learning about facilitating a course, but most importantly about experiencing it by doing it ourselves.

We were told that the role of the instructor in this course would be quite different from what we had experienced in the last course. Our instructor may participate in some of the discussions, but her primary role is to work with each student-facilitator as a coach. She will guide us to assure that learning objectives of the course are met and to help each of us begin to develop and hone facilitation skills. Pretty intense for sure. We were all surprised, shocked and scared a bit. Some of us asked lots of questions and then we were able to relax a bit.

We had a chance to prepare for student facilitation for that week by focusing specifically on the skills involved in facilitating synchronous and asynchronous activity. We also had to enter a blog entry on this topic.

The learning objectives for this unit were very clear and to the point. We had to identify different strategies to engage students in asynchronous discussion topics.
We had to develop effective responses to student posts in order to maintain and deepen student learning in asynchronous discussion topics.
We had to provide feedback for students in asynchronous discussion activities.
At the end of this week we had to utilize synchronous conferencing tools to facilitate a 'live' classroom session. I had to do the archive session because I came across a few technology problems. I had to do over an hour of reviewing on my own, but the information was very informative and helpful.

Week 3:Changing Roles
In this unit we found out that online learning calls for changes in the roles that both instructors and students play in the learning process. It wasn't until this week that we had to look at those changing roles and develop different strategies that we would be able to use to help students adjust to their new roles in the online environment.

The learning objectives for this unit were very interesting and in my opinion very clear and to the point. We had to discuss the changing roles that instructors must address as they move from the real to the virtual classroom. We also discussed the changing roles to which students must adjust to become successful in online courses.
As an online community we developed strategies for helping students successfully adjust to their new roles in the online environment. We took a look at basic introductory HTML tags and how they are needed for creating a web page. We ended by taking a HTML quiz which to my surprised I did very well and got 5/5 correct.

Week 4:Online Teaching Competencies
In this unit we looked at effective facilitation of online courses and how it requires a blend of both pedagogical and technical skills. We were told that in this certificate program we have started building our competencies in both of these important areas. We were also told that even after we complete the program, we would find that there is a pressing need to continue to build new skills and remain current in this rapidly changing field. I can agree with this profound statement because learning is a lifelong process. This new field is constantly changing and evolving and we need to be up to date with all of it. We were also asked to pay attention when reviewing the resources for the week because we had to take some time to complete the 'self inventory' to gauge our progress to date and then consider the strategies we will use to continue to increase our technical and online pedagogical skills as we teach online.

The learning objectives for this unit were to discuss the critical skills needed for online instructors. We were asked to asses her current competencies against the list of critical skills. Also to access the resources that will enable her to remain current in the field. We were given given advice to use headings and horizontal rules to format HTML documents. In my opinion this unit also had great advice and content to help us grow and be the best facilitators we can be.

Week 5:The Pedagogical Role
In this unit we looked at wikipedia and how it defines pedagogy as the art or science of being a teacher. The 'art' of pedagogy evolves as one gains experience over time with content, exposure to alternative teaching strategies, and involvement with a wide variety of students (when it comes to teaching, students are often times our best teachers!) We were told that it is enhanced as one experiments with new strategies, reflects about one's own teaching practices and evaluates what works and what does not. We were introduced to the science of pedagogy and how it evolves from theory and instructional models and formal research that works to support the validity of these theories and models and the learning outcomes that result from instruction that is anchored in them. We were presented with the fact that this week we were to explore the pedagogical role of instructors and look at some of the specific teaching strategies that have proven effective in the online environment.

The learning objectives for Unit 5 were very important and in my opinion extremely beneficial to all of us. We discussed a variety of pedagogical models. We all selected a pedagogical model that will work with our specific teaching environment.
We were able to evaluate teaching strategies relative to instructional objectives.
We also had to synthesize material to create a personal vision of our pedagogical role. At the end we had to use HTML to format text.

The information provided by the lecturette was very interesting and informative. I found the readings on The Pedagogy of Web Site Design and Instructional Strategies for Online courses very useful. I began thinking how much more we need to learn to be effective online facilitators. We must continue to search and be open to the changes that will be taking place during our lives. It is very crucial to be up to date with the frequent changes that take place in the online environment.

Our week of facilitation will be here and gone sooner than we think. I plan to write about that experience here on my blog. The learning opportunities we have been presented with make me realize that learning is as I said before a lifelong process. I now realize that our online instructor plays a vital role in developing and maintaining an effective online learning environment and must possess a unique set of tools to perform successfully. Some highly seasoned instructors from the traditional classroom environment will easily adapt to the online model, while others may find the transition challenging at first. In my mind if you are open to change and are willing to learn new skills then online teaching may be for you.

Let me ask you these questions:

Do you have to have computer skills, do you have (or are you willing to obtain) access to a computer and Internet connection at home?

What is your attitude towards teaching and learning in the online environment?

What is your teaching style?

Are you willing to train and commit to becoming the best facilitator possible?

I leave you with this: Reflect on your teaching style, circumstances and technical skills to see if teaching online is right for you. I know that online teaching is not for everyone, but I know that it is for me.

Thanks,

Josie Davila