As I mentioned
in part one of my blog, I have learned a great deal of what the expectations
are of a virtual instructor by seeking employment for an online teaching
position. After reading the articles I found the article that detailed the
various eschooling for the various states to be highly informative. Michigan Virtual University is a state
funded virtual school. When I interviewed with them, I was surprised that they
had their own curriculum for instructors to follow. After reading the article I can now see why
that is a good thing, because then they can determine if state standards are
being met. I also learned how funding works for many online schools.
The
reading suggested that some subjects, such as math, can be challenging when
taught online. However, after reading
the articles I believe the success rates for this subject could also depend on
the student. Some students could watch
videos of how to do a problem and learn from it. Other students, just as in a traditional
setting, may need to watch the video several times before they get it. This is synonymous with asking a teacher in a
classroom setting questions on how they got the correct answer. Additionally, a trait of a successful online
student is motivation. An online student
has to be motivated to complete assignments and ask questions via the
appropriate medium in order to be successful in the online learning
environment.
Another
factor regarding online learning is the teaching staff. Online classes are not easy to set up. The teacher has to have a solid plan on how
to deliver a lesson so that learning takes place. Online teachers cannot deliver a lesson as if
they were in a traditional classroom. I
believe there is a lot of scaffolding that needs to take place in order for the
student to not get lost in the online class. Barbour points out the differences
between virtual school and cyber school with virtual school being district
based, a consortium, or offered to all students in a state. Cyber school, on
the other hand, is mostly offered through charter schools.
As all
the articles mention virtual schooling has been around for a long time. With the advent of digital natives, however,
it is becoming more popular and is expected to grow.
Hello Monica,
ReplyDeleteI was also surprised to learn that online schools have their own curriculum as well. It does ensure that students are receiving the same information from a traditional school setting though, which is great.
Math is hard to teach online, especially for students who struggle and need to ask questions. If a class is only video tutorials and answering questions, it doesn't give students the time or the opportunity to have their questions answered. For this, a synchronous-modeled class would probably be most helpful.
On the other hand though, video tutorials would give students the opportunity to rewind, pause and replay a lesson as many times as needed, which is a great tool to be able to have.
I can only imagine how much work goes into preparing and teaching online courses. Proper training should be given to teachers since it is very different from traditional settings. Clear procedures are a must in any online class so students can navigate through the class independently. I completely agree though that motivation is one of the most important factors for success in one of these classes.
Motivation is the key to being successful in online classes. The students that are self motivated will do very well, but how do you help the other students that struggle to stay motivated in an online environment?
DeleteI was also thinking with a synchronous classroom setting you can have the best of both settings even though instructions is given live the instructors can also post a video of the same instruction so students can review it at a later time.
Being highly motivated is a key attribute for those attending online classes, as well as being highly disciplined and organized.
DeleteI have friends who attended college (all online), however, as they progressed towards the upper level classes they all agreed that they would have liked to have attended face to face classes. They felt that classes which required more intellect, so to speak, the material would have been more beneficial if delivered face to face.
DeleteMotivation is a hard thing to "teach." A lot of it is internal and I think teachers will always be struggling to find different ways to motivate their students, whether it's in-person or online. We all know passing and failing grades don't motivate all students. Connecting with them on a personal level and finding interests that can be included in the curriculum would be a great place to start!
DeleteThe interesting thing about Sabrina's comment is that by far math is the subject with the most online support (think of all the YouTube videos out there on math, not to mention IXL or Khan Academy).
DeleteHello Monica,
ReplyDeleteIt's great that online schools/classes are held to the same standards as traditional classess, but its also important that the teacher is onboard and fully prepared to teach an online class. What I mean by this is that an online teacher must be organized, have a plan as to how the online class would be carried out and how students would connect to one another and the teacher. I believe that if the class/material is prepared properly and students know that their teacaher is there for them, despite the fact that they maybe in another city or state, then students will have a better time learning and will be motivated to learn as much as they can.
One thing I thought of when reading your section about setting up the course is feedback from other teachers. When I began my first teaching position, feedback, advice, and support from other teachers in the building was SOO valuable to me. I feel like with an online course you're kind of your own little teacher island with far less support than a teacher in a traditional role might receive. When you interviewed from the online teaching position, did they mention anything about what sort of support system would be available to you?
ReplyDeleteFeedback is VERY important from all involved parties. One way I have noticed instructors are getting feedback from students is mid semester surveys. I feel that this is a way to pinpoint if there are any way of any issues that need to be addressed. I also am starting to love google hangouts as a way to communicate without being in the same space.
ReplyDelete