This week, I got the opportunity to see what it feels like to be the facilitator and reporter of an online class. It was intense yet enjoyable to take the role as the teacher in the online class setting. I learned that you have to be on your feet and know how to direct the class and keep them interested. I also discovered the importance of asking open ended questions that can get a dialague going.
As a class, we also looked into some of the facilitation skills that are necessary to carry out a successful class. I will make sure that I include as many students as possible in a web conference. It is important to get various viewpoints shared and it helps the class open up when you have many opinions to work off of.
Another important point to remember is the vvalue of a proper initial contact. When starting an online class, I will always make an email invitation that is clear, precise, and provides a warm welcome to the class.
Overall, this week seemed to be of real value to me. I'm not sure if I will every teach an online class, but the tools provided the past week have helped me feel I could do it if it is something I do end up doing during my career.
I enjoyed facilitating an online discussion. I am interested to see how the facilitation assignment will be in the later weeks when we lead a larger discussion. I imagine that it will really take some time to plan out what you want to accomplish and the questions that you want to ask ahead of time.
ReplyDeleteI also found the initial contact letter to be valuable. It is nice to know that I have something available in case I ever do start teaching online.
I originally thought that online learning was rather impersonable. After working in this course, I am realizing that it can be quite personable. It really depends on the amount of communication the instructor has with his students. Online learning is really individualized for each student. My biggest concern is managing 200 students and still maintaining that contact and personalized learning. What are your impressions?