Teachers and Online Learning
When you study online, it doesn’t mean you’ll just research and
learn from the multitude of informative websites on the World Wide Web.
Online learning, especially if enrolled in an instructor-led course,
means there’s a course guide (much like a teacher in a traditional
classroom setting), course material, discussions, grades and textbooks.
But unlike regular classes, you learn at your own pace. There is,
however, an evaluator who gives you feedback on your assignments. On
the other hand, a self-paced course is called an independent study when
courses do not have a start and end date.
Here are some basics of online learning before getting an idea how instructors go about teaching an online course:
Class time. There are no class times, but students
take turns sending messages back and forth with the instructor. In
self-paced courses, you can simply just follow your own schedule.
Classmates. Enrollment for each online class is usually limited to twenty students, and they can come from all over the world.
Hardware. An online learning environment needs the use of a computer with an Internet connection. For an idea, click here.
Software. Online courses usually provide the
necessary software for free. These software programs are designed for
online learning, so that anyone with basic computer skills can easily
set them up and run them.
School year. Most online courses have a start date
and end date. But the schedule of coursework, assignments and deadlines
depends on the instructor or by you.
Fees and credits. There are the usual enrollment
fees to be paid, but if you decide after a few days that a course you
enrolled in is not for you, refunds are usually given. Short online
courses are independent of larger classroom courses, but you can get
college credits for some, which can be applied when studying for a
degree.
To give you an idea how instructors in online learning courses
handle their classes, OnlineLearning.net interviewed one of its
instructors, Dr. Sue Pritchard, who teaches “Integrating Technology
into the Math Curriculum” and “Planning for Effective Instruction”,
among others.
Dr. Pritchard’s teaching philosophy is to spread knowledge
everywhere, and she makes an effort to customize her courses to the
students’ needs. She sends out a private survey at the beginning of the
course to know where her students live, what subjects they teach, and
what their goals and extent of computer skills are. The data garnered
from these make her courses as personal as possible.
Online three to six times a day, she makes it a point to answer
questions within a span of 30 hours, and to keep track of grades and
student work every week. Scores are also sent out promptly, with
personal reminders or messages on how to maximize points and accomplish
goals.
According to her, she requires two to four discussion threads a
week, and responses to two class members’ comments. This way, students
learn to correspond with each other. She also carefully selects texts
to match her instruction, and assigns textbooks whose authors are whom
she personally knows. Math online courses, though, have no textbooks.
Students can also simultaneously engage in chats, but for those who
cannot participate during the scheduled time, the chats are archived so
those who missed them can read and report later. Dr. Pritchard also
requires year-long plans for the subjects they teach as their final
project.
With students coming from all over the US, and even Germany and
Saipan, she says she is fortunate to meet and reach out to teachers she
wouldn’t normally get to meet. It has opened her eyes to the different
needs of teachers everywhere, and the various joys gained from
educators learning from each other.
Sources:
“How Online Learning Works.” Retrieved May 12, 2009 from
http://www.onlinelearning.net/ole/Index.html?s=127.v060v290a.085f316g30
“Instructor Profile: Sue Pritchard.” Retrieved May 12, 2009 from
http://www.onlinelearning.net/CommunitiesofStudy/InstructorInterviews/Sue_Pritchard.cfm?s=127.v060v290a.085f316g30
(Published 25 May 2009, Smart Communications Inc.)
