RSA #4 Online Learning: More than Curriculum on Computers. Teachers, Get Ready!
According to Palloff and Pratt’s (2007) book, Building Online Learning Communities, online teaching is more that converting a curriculum to an electronic form; it’s a change in teaching methods (p.130). Not unlike most courses, instructors develop a syllabus, establish objectives and encourage student participation (p. 129). However, online teachers also set up the course website, record the presence and interaction of students in the virtual classroom, and help students successfully use the technology. One important distinction of an online course is that it “makes resources and activities available” for students to explore (p. 138). Palloff and Pratt state that online courses should offer students assignment choices, group projects and guidelines for assessment (p. 140).
The most dramatic difference in online teaching may be the shift in the roles that teachers and students play. Teachers function as facilitators in the learning process and become co-learners. Students are more independent than in traditional classes. They are responsible to actively seek solutions to problems and they learn to collaborate with others in the class.
K-12 Online Learning
Much research and data regarding online courses has concentrated on post-secondary online education. In order to study the potential growth and impact of K-12 online learning, a base of data needs to be established. In their study, K-12 Online Learning: A Survey of U.S. School District Administrators, Picciano and Seaman (2007) surveyed public school districts to collect data. This survey asked school districts to respond whether their students participated in online learning or not. The data was sorted in a number of ways: community populations; types of online learning; perceived purposes; barriers; type and number of providers. The results showed that online learning will increase at the K-12 level. The impact of this base data will enable future researchers to study the growth of online learning as well as more specific aspects of online learning. The base data may also impact the U.S. Department of Education’s plans and support of online learning.
24/7 Online Learning: Lessons Learned
When the Auburn Career Center decided to utilize online learning to expand the classroom day for their students, they faced a number of obstacles. In the article, 24/7 Online Learning: Lessons Learned, Jeffrey Butler (2010) describes these barriers and the methods they used to overcome them. Their teachers did not have experience in online teaching. So, the first step was to prepare the teachers by offering in-service training. Teachers were reluctant to adapt to online learning, but changed their perspectives. They recognized the advantages of online learning such as unlimited student access to class content, the ability to customize a course for different learning styles, increased collaboration as well as a teacher’s ability to observe the student’s involvement and offer feedback. The next step was to train students and their parents in a summer orientation.
Through professional development, teachers received ongoing training which included self-reflection and discussion. Teachers made several observations: online teaching requires different teaching skills, their role changed to one of facilitator; students may progress at their own rate; and students who are self-directed have better success. The teachers at the Auburn Career Center learned valuable lessons. They learned that “students can learn in a more self-directed approach, and instructors can develop new skills that better facilitate learning and engaging students” (p. 36).
Final Analysis
If, as Picciano and Seamen (2007) assert, K-12 online learning continues to grow. And, if, as Palloff and Pratt (2007) have stated, teaching methods for online classes are not the same as for face-to-face teaching classes, then teachers must either adapt or be trained for their eventual participation in online learning. Generally, educators care very much about their profession and their students’ academic success. And, as lifelong learners, teachers model their own learning by participating in professional development in-service programs or graduate classes to learn the skills necessary to help their students achieve success (Butler, 2010).
References
Butler, J. W. (2010, September). 24/7 online learning: lessons learned. Techniques: connecting education & careers, 85(6), Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=d40674d9-95a9-4e23-a6df-86214546f35a%40sessionmgr11&vid=2&hid=18
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Picciano, A. G., & Seaman, J. (2007). K-12 online learning: a survey of U.S. school district administrators. Proceedings of the Sloan Consortium, http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/pdf/K-12_Online_Learning.pdf
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