PREPARING TEACHERS

TO TEACH ONLINE

Gregory C. Sales, Ph.D.

2nd e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East Forum

January 2009

Overview

Define Online Teaching

Present the Advantages

Review the History of Teacher Technology Training

Describe the Roles of Online Teachers

Present a Model for Preparing Teachers to Teach

Online:

• Accepting Change

• Being Comfortable

• Core Competencies Development

Summarize

Definition

What is online teaching?

Synchronous and/or asynchronous

delivery of instruction using ICT,

also know as:

• e-Learning

• Online learning

• Distributed learning

• Online distance education

Advantages

Why teach online?

The primary reasons is to reach

a new level of efficiency:

• Teaching more students

over a wider area

• Teaching topics not usually

available to students

• Reaching students when

they are available

• Providing consistent quality

• Generating more revenue

Historically

What help does the evolution of teacher ICT training

offer?

The evolution of training provides insights into what

teachers need to know to be effective online educators.

• 1970s and 1980s – competent computer users;

keeping the equipment running and using

productivity tools

• 1980s and 1990s – users of instruction strategies

• 1990s and early 2000s – using the Web as a

learning environment; students become

researchers and problem-solvers

• Today – creating learning opportunities; facilitation

and integrating Web 2.0/social media capabilities

into learning

Teacher Roles

What do teachers need to do to teach online?

In addition to strong institutional support, teacher need

to have competencies related to courses:

1. Development – working with the standards for

course design, development, and delivery

2. Teaching/Learning – facilitating learning by

creating a “close apparent distance”

3. Structure – communicating requirements to

learners (both technology and performance)

4. Collaboration – working with support services to

create, deliver, and maintain quality online

courses

A Model for Preparing Teachers

How can a model help?

A model and be used in the

development of training that:

•Assesses and adjusts to

teachers’ concerns

•Builds teachers’ appreciation

for online instruction

•Develops teacher

competencies in critical areas

Change

How do teachers’ concerns relate to their readiness

for online teaching?

Teachers move through stages of concern. As concerns

lessen, teachers are able to redirect their efforts toward

more productive teaching.

Typical Expressions of Concern about an Innovation

Stages of Concern Expression of Concern

6. Refocusing I have some ideas about something that would work even better.

5. Collaboration How can I relate what I am doing to what others are doing?

4. Consequence How is my use affecting learners? How can I refine it to have more

impact?

3. Management I seem to be spending all my time getting materials ready.

2. Personal How will using it affect me?

1. Informational I would like to know more about it.

0. Awareness I am not concerned about it.

[from Loucks-Horsley (1996)]

Comfort

What helps teachers become comfortable with

teaching online?

Wilson and his colleague have modified the STORC

approach to adopting innovation in answer to this

question.

Category Characteristic

S Simplicity Is the innovation easy to understand, maintain, and use? Can it be

easily explained to others?

T Trialability Can the innovation be tried out on a limited basis? Can the decision to

adopt be revised?

O Observability Are the results of the innovation visible to others, so that they can see

how it works and observe the consequences?

R Relative

Advantage

Is the innovation seen as better than that which it replaces? Is the

innovation more economical, more socially prestigious, more

convenient, [and/or] more satisfying?

C Compatibility Is the innovation consistent with the values, past experience, and

needs of the potential adopters?

S Support Is there enough support to do this? Is there enough time, energy,

money, and resources to ensure the project’s success? Is there also

administrative and political support for the project?

An Adaptation of the Extended STORC Approach

[as presented by Wilson, et. al.(2001)]

Competencies

What competencies do online teachers need?

The four core competencies for online teaching are

presented in the model, however, specific skills are

uniquely associated with the environment in which the

teacher will be working.

Competencies of Skilled Online Teachers

Competency Descriptions

Design Instructional design is the process of planning for the development and

delivery of effective education and training materials. (This assumes

subject matter expertise is available.)

Development The actual production of the software version or elements of an online

course and the supporting instructional materials. (The instructional

environment can drastically influence the skills needed.)

Facilitation Course management that promotes online communication with students

and the creation of online learning environments that require or encourage

communications between students

Legal and Ethical A range of issues including copyright, acceptable use, plagiarism, piracy,

and ownership of the newly created course materials.

Summary

Teacher Preparation

Legal and Ethical Issues – laws, rules,

regulations, policies, procedures, and associated

consequences

Facilitation – instructor skills and behaviors,

and strategies and techniques for course delivery

Development – creation of the media to

support the content, production of the software, and

more

Design – analysis, instructional design, creative

design, and more

Comfort with Online Technologies –teachers’ beliefs about their own ability to use it

Readiness for Change – the types of

questions or concerns they express