New to Online Teaching….

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

(a.k.a. Shifting from the Physical

to the Virtual Classroom)

Connie Boros – Online Teacher - TR Leger School

Shifting from Education to Learning

Shifting from Consumption of Information to Participation & Production

Shifting from Institutions to Networks

Re-Imagining Learning in the 21st Century(McArthur Foundation)

mitpress.mit.edu/books/full_pdfs/hanging_out.pdf

It’s not just about the technology….it’s about the learning, which…

…is self directed …is with both peers and

adults …engages the student’s

passions & interests …enables the

development of skills and competencies students need to become life-long learners.

(a.k.a. Shifting from the Physical

to the Virtual Classroom)

Connie Boros – Online Teacher - TR Leger School

#1-Realize the possibilities of online teaching and embrace the SHIFT

New to Online Teaching….

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

• Schedule• Location• Tools (board,

seating, books…)

The Traditional Classroom

• Protocol (Teacher/Student)

• Clearly defined roles & responsibilities

The Virtual Classroom

• No set schedule or defined timeframe

• No physical location• Tools are the LMS &

technology• Roles are challenged since

online we can “appear” equal

• Teacher is left on their own to define what is “successful learning”

Remember the “Chaos Theory” as applied to “New Learning”

#2-Remember that change takes time

and practice. Don’t expect to have all

the answers, to know everything, or to

do it all, right away!

Can Anyone Teach Online?• Online presence• Time• One-on-one interaction• Flexibility• Convenience• Comfort with

technology• Lifelong, online learner

…but the “Flipside” is…

Time…#3-Try not to let time control you!

• Establish boundaries, but keep your social presence• Take a break• Simplify, simplify, simplify…• Don’t try to do everything at once• Plan your assignments with time in mind• Develop healthy time tricks

Don’t let the termites run amok-or the entire structure will come crashing down!

#4-Take Advantage of Supports

• Find out what’s available in your board!–Who does What?–Who to Contact

• Example: UCDSB’s Online Teacher Handbook

Online Teacher Handbook

From a VPs Perspective…

– Contact with parents/home and home school

– Develop a positive relationship

– Home schools play important roles in the success of students too!

CollaborationStay in contact with other online

teachers in your board – see what’s available and what structure your board has in place

UCDSB holds virtual eTeacher meetings

Stay in contact and share your experiences with subject based teachers

Face-to-Face meetings, PD Days

Don’t be afraid to call D2L!

Find the person in your Board who can facilitate training and answer questions

Questions, Comments….

Your New Role as Online Teacher(research-based tool developed at Humboldt State University)

• Pedagogical• Managerial• Social• Technical Assessing Online Facilitation InstrumentA 2007 TIGERS Project Sponsored by CSU

Center for Distributed Learning

http://www.humboldt.edu/aof

Organization of this presentation…

• PEDAGOGICAL• MANAGERIAL• SOCIAL• TECHNICAL

• Cool Tools for Online Teachers• Useful Links• References• Summary-video• Time for Questions

PEDAGOGICAL

• Course content / curriculum

• Course expectations

• LMS courses

#5-Have confidence in yourself and

your abilities as a teacher, you can

make the LMS course can work for

you!

MANAGERIAL

• Review the course• Prepare a checklist for yourself

and for your students• Use news items/announcement

as your main communication tool with the class (First news item =most important)

• Consider your audience

THE “NOTEBOOK”

• Keep track of errors, oversights, and changes that need to be made to the course

MANAGERIAL cont’d

• Limit student access to the course• Insist that student go

through the Orientation Unit• Welcome-Establish

boundaries• First Week of the Course =

“Low Stakes”

MANAGERIAL cont’d

• Manage the drops and adds• Keep up with attendance• Progress Tool • Change Roles• Make a point of being present &

check all discussion posts• Get list of Guidance contact and

Home contact for each student• Be ready for the un-expected!

#6-Get Yourself Really Organized

SOCIALStudent Engagement and Retention?

#7 Establish your “Teaching Persona”

Create a more “affective” diverse environment/online community

Make use of online material with emotional content…

www.ted.org

SOCIAL cont’d• Welcome phone call or welcome audio

message…(“post audio” now part of LMS)

• (www.yackpack.com www.voicethread.com)

• Host a welcome discussion “Virtual Party”

• Encourage side conversations (in the appropriate venue)

• Survey your students with a “Get to Know Me” intro assignment

SOCIAL cont’dErrol Craig Sull in Distance Learning Administration,

Online Education (Faculty Focus)

• Surveyed 300 online students about online course “pet peeves”

• One item, of the 40+ mentioned, was cited by 68% of students….

“Poor Instructor Feedback”

#8-Make feedback an important part of your

course!

“God uses fire and brimstone…”

Check email at least 3x dailySet reminders Keep generic postings to a minimumAnswer every email sent to youMake your presence regularly known

in discussions and chatsOffer detailed and constructive comments in

assignmentsOccasionally, use humourNote student-specific information for a more

personalized approach

TECHNOLOGICALDon’t re-invent

(YouTube, www.merlot.org) Know the LMSSeek technology assistanceBe creative and flexibleMake it a goal to learn one new Web Tool per

semester, and implement it into your course

#9-Take up the challenge and learn about the various technological tools around you!

TECHNOLOGICAL cont’d

www.srebonlineteachers.org/Cool_Tools_For_Teaching_Online.pdf

www.onlinecollegecourses.com/2009/09/13/100-best-blogs-for-tech-savvy-teachers/

www.freetech4teachers.com/

http://elearningtech.blogspot.com/2010/10/teaching-online-courses-60-great.html

Other sites I found useful…http://itdl.org/journal/oct_04/article04.htm

 www.slideshare.net search for:” online teaching tools”

http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/index.html?tab=1

 www.lutazz.com/blog/page/3/ www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education

 

In Summary….• #1-Realize the possibilities of online teaching and embrace the SHIFT

• #2-Remember that change takes time and practice. Don’t expect to have all

the answers, to know everything, or to do it all, right away!

• #3-Don’t let time control you!

• #4-Take advantage of supports

• #5-Have confidence in yourself and your abilities as a teacher, you can make the LMS course

• #6-Get Yourself Really Organized

• #7 Establish your “Teaching Persona”

• #8-Make feedback an important part of your course!

• #9-Take up the challenge and learn about the various technological tools around you!

• #10-Enjoy the experience!Connie Boros – Online Teacher - TR Leger

School

Parting thoughts…

A SHIFT is happening...going from teaching to learning…and this

learning includes teachers

We are “digital immigrants” in this world of Social Media, our students

are “digital natives”!Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Marc Prensky (2001)

http://www.twitchspeed.com/site/Prensky-DigitalNatives,DigitalImmigrants-Part1.htm

Connie Boros – Online Teacher - TR Leger School

Engage Me! (by NCSL & Robin Hood School,

Birmingham)

Questions, Comments….