Reflection 2.2
Methodologies of the Online Instructor

 

2.2 Reflection: Methodologies of the Online Instructor

Moving from a face-to-face teacher to a blended or online teacher has many major considerations to think about.  Do all of my students have access to the Internet?  Which students will be motivated to work on assignments outside of the school setting?  What Web 2.0 tools will I need to teach before the students can attempt to use them on their own?  How can the technology be incorporated into my teaching?

These are sometimes overwhelming questions in light of all of the other mandated things teachers are asked to fit into their school day.

Everything starts with the planning.  No longer are we just planning daily or weekly lessons, but long-term projects and collaborative assignments.  Tackling one tool and one lesson at a time is the only way, I personally, can get started.  Once teachers are comfortable with a particular Web 2.0 tool, they can then begin to see all the possibilities for incorporating this tool into a lesson.  For example, setting up a class in Edmodo and posting a question for the students was a good way to start.  After a lesson on Matter and Energy, a question was posted to the Edmodo site and that night for homework, students were given a chance to respond to the question.  Other students can then respond to their classmates and make suggestions or comments on the responses.

In an online only class, everything for the class must be made accessible online before the course starts.  This takes a more in-depth look at the planning of content.  Students in a online setting must be given access to all materials at once and allowed to work at their own pace while also having access to the instructor for clarification and questions. In turn, the instructor must be available and accessible to the online student.  Online classes require the self-discipline of the learner to meet deadlines and set aside time to work on assignments.  It is not a format that works well for everyone, but it is a great tool for those willing to learn in this format.

Currently, I am working on a blended classroom approach.  In math, my students view a technology incorporated lesson (Envision Math) with the use of a projector, an overhead camera, and an Ipad allowing the teacher to circulate the room during the lesson.  Students engage in guided practice and individual practice with teacher support.  As homework, students access their textbook online and are required to complete the homework and additional practice each night.  The teacher can then access the computer data base to check for understanding and assign remediation or enrichment as necessary.  The teacher then finds other online methods of practice for each standard and the students have a specific time-frame to practice these skills.  All tests are taken online and the results can be emailed to the parents with suggestions for improvement or opportunities to expand on their leaning.  This is working great so far, but is a work in progress.