Your new post is loading...
If you have taught an online course you know firsthand what it is like to teach in a virtual environment, along with the challenges which are inherent for working and interacting in this type of classroom. Online teaching is viewed by some instructors as a function that must be managed, and others see the true potential it holds and how it is a process to be nurtured. If instructors are going to create conditions that are conducive to learning they must do more than manage a class, they must be active, present, and available for students. This requires the development of a virtual presence, one that sustains social interactions, while never being able to actually meet students face-to-face.
Students who attend a traditional classroom have the benefit of visually observing the instructor and their involvement in the class, which provides important clues and feedback about the learning process. The nature of those visual observations change with an online classroom environment and students look for other indicators that let them know their instructor is actively present and engaged in the class. Students develop perceptions not only about their instructor, but the school as well, based upon how the course is designed and the level of involvement by the instructor.
Via Edumorfosis
