10 Things I've Learned About Teaching Online

This article written by Michelle Everson, titled 10 Things I've Learned About Teaching Online was very informative and educational. Most of the "10 things" she wrote about I had already discussed in past classes within this certificate program, however, they are great things to remember throughout the course of a teaching career. Here is the list of the 10 things she has learned about online teaching:

1. Teaching online is a lot of work.

2. Students appreciate regular communication and timely feedback on their progress.

3. Many great tools exist but aren't always necessary.

4. Assignments and activities take more time online.

5. Students need extrinsic motivation.

6. Give deadlines.

7. Online courses are not right for all students.

8. Ask students what works and what doesn't.

9. Share ideas, collaborate, and commiserate about the online teaching experience.

10. Teaching online can inform what you do in the classroom if you have opportunities to teach both online and classroom-based courses.

Of that list, I feel very strongly about #6 - Give deadlines, and #9 - Share ideas, collaborate, and commiserate about the online teaching experience.

I believe that an online course without deadlines is a sure way to set your students up for failure. Maybe many in the course would not need this type of "hand holding" but some do. Procrastination in a course without deadlines could become an issue that some students could not bring themselves back from. Given a few deadlines each week helps the student to stay with the rest of the students which helps in many ways. One is to keep them current with discussions. Another way is that it helps them to stay current with the assignments. This can be important should they have questions. They can ask other students about the assignments or readings without having those student have to work backwards.

The next item I believe is crucial is the thought about sharing with peers. Collaborating with others is a great way to better understand what works and what doesn't. Everyone has different experiences which means everyone has different suggestions and ideas. This, I believe, is true whatever profession you might be in. Collaboration, in my mind, is the best professional development, one can partake in.

Another good article comes from the International Journal of Instructional Technology & Distance Learning. This article is very well titled: Tips and Tricks for Teaching Online: How to Teach Like a Pro! The authors discuss everything from how to treat students to information about the syllabus.