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Teaching online classes is the new hype for K-12 educators, as of late. Many believe they can teach at their leisure in their pajamas, but author Richard Rose says the "grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the network connection" (2012). Teaching online classes requires a different skill set than teaching in the classroom and not everyone may be cut out for the job. The first tip Rose talks about is to forget constant validation. "Online teaching actually requires a much higher level of emotional security and confidence in one's own professional competence" (Rose, 2012). Teachers of online classes need to work extra hard to make sure their approach is humanized. The second tip is to "know thy students" (Rose, 2012). It is harder for teachers to get to know their students in an online class, so it is important not to make judgments about students right from the start. The third tip is to "lose complete control" (Rose). Teaching online classes require the teacher to let go of all control and trust the students in the class. The fourth thing Rose touches on is "collaboration resistance" (2012). Collaboration is a great thing when everyone works together and gets along, but this does not always happen in a larger group. Rose states, "The challenges of collaboration are multiplied in the less controllable environment of online" (2012). The next idea is to be sure all teaching is 100% accurate right from the start. In a classroom, teachers can make adjustments to their teaching approach while a lesson is being taught. In an online class, however, it is not possible to made changes at the time students are "in class." Many times all coursework and assignments need to be planned and created ahead of time, as well. The last thing Rose talks about is online teaching being a lifestyle. Without having a set work day, many online teachers find they have trouble setting boundaries, especially when students are online at different times during the day or night.
This article was very interesting for me because it touched upon ideas that I haven't thought about before in relation to online teaching. When you think about it, it sounds like it should be simple because you can teach right from home. However, after reading and thinking about these 6 tips from Rose, I'm not sure I would make the best online educator!
This is great article. It really caught my attention because with all the educational changes going on in NJ, I have been looking into the possibility of teaching online courses. I already have all my classroom classes setup in an online setting so I figured the transition wouldn't be to difficult. This areticle gave me a lot to think about.
ReplyDeleteI am interested to see which direction online learning takes. It seems it is a huge buzz word right now. I even see the signs on my drive to work for online learning. It makes me think for sure.
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