e-Learning Teacher

e-Learning Teacher

1. Shifts teachers from supplier of knowledge to facilitator

   • No longer at the front of the class
   • Work hard to keep topics on track
   • Guide learners to learn in ways that work best for them

2. Issues

   • When teachers try to replicate face-to-face interactions
   • Challenges expectations and roles (learner/teacher)
   • Teacher can feel like they are losing their identity
   • Oppose technology integration
     • lack of training
     • lack of support
     • lack of time
   • what works in a traditional classroom may not work online

3. The environment created is learner-centered

   • Focus on constructivist approaches
   • Causes changes in
     • presence
       • instructional design
       • discourse
       • direct instruction
     • rules
     • responsibilites
     • technology use
     • relationships

4. Practices

   • Work load changes. Can be more demanding
   • Should move from teacher lead discussion to student lead
   • Engagement
     • invite students back to discourse
     • open ended questions
     • promotes high order thinking
     • Educators aknowledge and reinforce student input
   • Introduce less content to foster deeper understanding

5. Effective e-learning teachers

   • Facilitate discussions on online forums
   • Can manage class discussion and activities
   • Can design, facilitate and asses students using appropriate pedagogical approaches
   • have specific content knowledge
   • Can support social and emotional well being
   • Have the required technical skills

6. Perspectives

   • Have more flexibility
     • have access to a wider range of materials
     • choose how they interacted
   • let go of old ways "lecture" and find new ways to engage students
   • Educators still have to be present on online forums
   • there has to be a shift so online is not treated as a repository of work but a teaching space
   • Let students lead discussion not teacher lead
   • Online teaching can be more demanding
   • Have to be mindful of the online learning experiences