Managing Distance Learning-New Challenges for Faculty
Lisa Kimball
This article caught my eye because it discusses some
aspects of online learning that I have often questioned myself like how to get from the traditional mindset of teacher to teaching a non-traditional class online. It talked about
how usually it is the technology that gets the most attention when talking
about online learning, but what is important is the teaching style and quality
that impacts the quantity of learning that takes place in a virtual classroom . It states that effective faculty start
with a completely new mind set about where technology fits into the
equation. Many institutes
introducing distance learning spend a large amount of their resources on
training faculty to manage the new technical and administrative aspect of the
distance learning. When the
faculty really needs to be learning how to expand the new available tools to
create new learning dynamics aligned with the best thinking.
I agree it is up to the teacher to create an effective virtual world for learning. If we are going to introduce technology and learning online in and out of the classroom, we really need to add this to required professional development. There are so many teaching styles and many teachers are still not comfortable using online learning. The problem is they aren't keeping up with the kids, but we expect them to keep up with the class.
ReplyDeleteAs we have learned from our previous classes, it is normally teachers' professional development that is pushed by the wayside. I am not surprised to read about it happening with online classes as well. Teachers should know how to use the technology, but if they aren't a quality teacher then it doesn't matter. High quality teachers are effective with or without technology and continually professional development is beneficial and important for all teachers.
ReplyDelete