Many of the strategies for great teaching are the same for traditional and online, sometimes called distance, learning settings. This article will discuss some of the most important aspects of great instruction for adult learners and the intricacies of applying these aspects to the online learning setting.
Building Rapport with Online Students
Adult learners, new students in particular, may be worried, not only about returning to school, but about the logistical and technical aspects of online learning. The facilitator should make it a point to respond to all students who express any apprehension, and let them know that he or she is there to give them all the support they need to be successful. Students should not hesitate to contact the facilitator with any difficulties, technical or other, before spending too much time seeking a solution. Also, facilitators should provide students with contact information for any technical support that is available from the university.
Student introductions are a good practice for any online course. They offer an opportunity to start the course on a positive note and build rapport with students. It is important for instructors to take every opportunity to show students that they are compassionate individuals who truly want to help them be successful. Start by posting a friendly introduction and by responding warmly to each student’s introduction.
Communicating Course Requirements and Expectations Clearly
It is not only important to set students up for success with clear course requirements, but to remind them each week of what is coming up and to give them weekly feedback on all facets of their performance. The course syllabus is the instructor's first opportunity to set expectations for the course. Consider placing a bold reminder at the top of the course syllabus: "Please read this carefully! It will set you up for success in this course and save you time." Follow this with clear and detailed information on everything students will need to know about course requirements, assignments and expectations.
Incorporating Some flexibility Into Course Discussion and Assignments
While each course has important objectives that must be met, adult learners enjoy some flexibility to concentrate on areas of study that are most important to them. This flexibility can involve class discussion and formal assignments, but needs to be carefully defined so that students still know what is expected of them. Provide students flexibility by allowing them to participate in areas of the discussion where they have the most interest. University policies permitting, a facilitator may wish to let students petition to propose personal modifications to any formal assignment to more closely relate to their employment or interests, as long as they can show that it still meets the stated objectives for the assignment.
Fostering Online Peer Interaction
In the online environment some students can get caught up in the multitude of tasks that must be performed, and not take advantage of valuable peer interaction opportunities. In addition to discussions relating to formal course questions, provide an opportunity for students to post a topic-related discussion idea of their own if they like. The instructor can act as a conduit to connect student ideas and find ways to encourage students to ask others for help in solving problems and connecting the course material to their working lives.
Being Actively Involved in Keeping Discussion Directed Toward Learning Course Objectives
Use Socratic questioning to lead students to higher levels of thinking on the course topics. Much of the learning in online courses comes from class discussion. Look for opportunities to complement students on the value they add to the discussion while challenging them to take their thinking on the topic to a higher level. Positive feedback can be followed with specific pointed questions which help new students to more fully develop their arguments, provide support for their assertions and connect concepts to their work.
Helping Students to Resolve Individual and Team Problems
The facilitator can help individual students and teams (if they are part of the class structure) to learn to solve their own problems by coaching them in the use of direct and non-threatening communication. When approached by a student with a problem, it is helpful to start by asking him what steps he has taken to resolve the issue, before getting directly involved. Often students have not taken adequate steps and with some help in this regard, direct intervention may not be necessary.
Providing Clear and Detailed Feedback on Discussion and Formal Assignments
All students benefit from being reassured of their value and complimented on their positive contributions to the class. It is important to give constructive feedback on the first assignments without being overly punitive. Let students know that what you are looking for is improvement from one assignment to the next.
Debrief class activities and discussion so students know the purpose and understand the concepts. It is important to help connect the course objectives by continually letting students know what has been covered so far, and what is yet to be covered and how it all fits together. Most facilitators tend to do well with this in traditional teaching environments, but often get so involved in the fast moving online environment, that debriefing gets short changed. It is important for online instructors to make a conscious effort to include this important activity, particularly for entry point courses.
Application of the above strategies will help any teacher of adult students to successfully make the transition from the traditional classroom to distance learning platforms.
Christopher J. Kline - Dr. Christopher J. Kline has enjoyed freelance writing on a variety of topics and interests for many years. Chris holds degrees including ...
