Important Skills for the Important Skills for the Online FacilitatorOnline Facilitator

CUR 532CUR 532June 13, 2015June 13, 2015

LaTosha WilsonLaTosha WilsonProfessor M. MedinaProfessor M. Medina

Establishing PresenceEstablishing Presence and and

Constructive FeedbackConstructive Feedback

Facilitating an Online ClassFacilitating an Online ClassAs a learning leader, it is important that As a learning leader, it is important that

the instructor connects with the learner to the instructor connects with the learner to ensure a successful learning experience. While ensure a successful learning experience. While there are several characteristics an online there are several characteristics an online facilitator must possess, two important skills are facilitator must possess, two important skills are establishing your presence in the classroom establishing your presence in the classroom and providing constructive feedback to the and providing constructive feedback to the learner. Both skills if executed properly results learner. Both skills if executed properly results in an engaging learning environment that is in an engaging learning environment that is rewarding for both the learner and class rewarding for both the learner and class facilitator. facilitator.

Two Important Skills of the Two Important Skills of the Online FacilitatorOnline Facilitator

Online Presence- Online Presence- Presence in the online Presence in the online classroom experience can be defined as classroom experience can be defined as “Being there and being together.” (Samuel, “Being there and being together.” (Samuel, 2014)2014)

Constructive Feedback- Constructive Feedback- Constructive Constructive

feedback from the instructor are comments feedback from the instructor are comments to the students that lead to improvement to the students that lead to improvement

and motivation.and motivation.

Online Faculty PresenceOnline Faculty Presence

Online faculty presence is important for the Online faculty presence is important for the online facilitator. The task of the learning online facilitator. The task of the learning leader is to bring life to the online class and leader is to bring life to the online class and bridge gaps between learners. As an online bridge gaps between learners. As an online adult learner, this skill is important as the adult learner, this skill is important as the instructor engages, motivates and connects instructor engages, motivates and connects learners to enhance the learning experience. learners to enhance the learning experience. “If you want your students to be engaged, you “If you want your students to be engaged, you must model the type of behavior you seek” must model the type of behavior you seek” (Pelletier, 2013).(Pelletier, 2013).

Constructive FeedbackConstructive Feedback

The concept of constructive feedback can be The concept of constructive feedback can be summarized as the instructor reaching out to follow up summarized as the instructor reaching out to follow up and to encourage improvement. This concept is and to encourage improvement. This concept is important in the online classroom as students blossom important in the online classroom as students blossom in an environment where they are guided, and are in an environment where they are guided, and are provided an opportunity to grow and learn from errors.provided an opportunity to grow and learn from errors.

‘‘The component of teaching presence known as “direct The component of teaching presence known as “direct

instruction” includes assessment of the effectiveness of the instruction” includes assessment of the effectiveness of the learning process and provision of constructive, critical learning process and provision of constructive, critical explanatory feedback that allows students to understand their explanatory feedback that allows students to understand their mistakes and clarify and expand their ideas, not only within mistakes and clarify and expand their ideas, not only within the conference discourses of the class community but also the conference discourses of the class community but also through individualized feedback between instructor and through individualized feedback between instructor and learner” learner” (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000; Arbaugh & (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000; Arbaugh & Hwang, 2006). Hwang, 2006).

Three Developmental PhasesThree Developmental Phases

Self AssessmentSelf Assessment

The faculty will explore and identify current The faculty will explore and identify current skills and knowledge required to succeed at the online skills and knowledge required to succeed at the online teaching process. “Like the classroom instructor , the teaching process. “Like the classroom instructor , the online instructor needs a training approach that online instructor needs a training approach that addresses where, he or she is n the process of addresses where, he or she is n the process of developing skills for online teaching-one size does not developing skills for online teaching-one size does not fit all” (Palloff and Pratt, 2011). fit all” (Palloff and Pratt, 2011).

Adequate Faculty TrainingAdequate Faculty Training

Continuous process improvement is the key to Continuous process improvement is the key to organizational success. Sufficient training for online organizational success. Sufficient training for online faculty will ease tension and allow faculty to become faculty will ease tension and allow faculty to become comfortable teaching their way. “One of the goals of comfortable teaching their way. “One of the goals of training for online teaching should be to model the training for online teaching should be to model the types of teaching techniques that a faculty might use types of teaching techniques that a faculty might use in their own classes. Active, collaborative means of in their own classes. Active, collaborative means of training faculty will help promote the development of training faculty will help promote the development of a faculty learning community that can continue to a faculty learning community that can continue to serve as a support as faculty begin to teach online” serve as a support as faculty begin to teach online” (Palloff, et. al., 2011)(Palloff, et. al., 2011)

Establish a Faculty Mentoring Establish a Faculty Mentoring ProgramProgram

Develop a program permitting experienced Develop a program permitting experienced online faculty to mentor, train and prepare new faculty online faculty to mentor, train and prepare new faculty through the online teaching process. “By working through the online teaching process. “By working within a learning community focused on online within a learning community focused on online learning, faculty members can experience the benefits learning, faculty members can experience the benefits of online work and can translate those into their online of online work and can translate those into their online teaching” (Palloff, et al., 2011). Faculty who commit to teaching” (Palloff, et al., 2011). Faculty who commit to mentor new faculty empower leaning leaders, and mentor new faculty empower leaning leaders, and develop their own skills all at the same time. Iron will develop their own skills all at the same time. Iron will sharpen iron which results in a durable online program. sharpen iron which results in a durable online program.

Training to Support Online Training to Support Online Teaching SkillsTeaching Skills

To ensure faculty are fully prepared to excel in To ensure faculty are fully prepared to excel in the online teaching experience two the online teaching experience two essential concepts must be provided:essential concepts must be provided:

1) 1) Various Training Various Training Opportunities in Multiple Opportunities in Multiple facets. Organizations must provide facets. Organizations must provide “flexible” sufficient training that will allow “flexible” sufficient training that will allow growth and enhancement for all faculty. growth and enhancement for all faculty.

2) The Development of 2) The Development of Faculty Mentoring Faculty Mentoring Programs- Implement a program to Programs- Implement a program to promote faculty relationships that increase promote faculty relationships that increase trust and support to motivate faculty trust and support to motivate faculty enhancement.enhancement.

Patricia Pelletier quotes in Patricia Pelletier quotes in What Online What Online Teachers Need to KnowTeachers Need to Know "One of the most "One of the most effective types training I have found is to effective types training I have found is to enroll in an online course yourself. this will enroll in an online course yourself. this will give you the opportunity to experience what it give you the opportunity to experience what it feels like to be the learner..." ( 2013). feels like to be the learner..." ( 2013). Perfection is the result of practice, the more Perfection is the result of practice, the more an online facilitator participate in the process an online facilitator participate in the process the better they facilitate. The more you teach, the better they facilitate. The more you teach, establishing presence and constructive establishing presence and constructive feedback will be developed. Continue to sign feedback will be developed. Continue to sign on!on!

ReferencesReferences

Garrison, D., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Garrison, D., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based Critical inquiry in a text-based

environment: Computer conferencing in higher educationenvironment: Computer conferencing in higher education. Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), . Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3),

87-105.Grandzol, J., 87-105.Grandzol, J.,

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2011). The Excellent Online Instructor. Strategies for

Professional Development.. Retrieved from

https://newclassroom3.phoenix.edu/Classroom/#/contextid/OSIRIS:49045299/context/co/view/

activityDetails/activity/7178e3c2-0405-4138-998c-990c96fffd75/expanded/False.

Pelletier, P. (2013, September). What Online Teachers Need to Know. Faculty

Focus, (), . Retrieved from http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/what-online-

teachers-need-to-know/

Samuel, A. (2014) HOW DO FACULTY CREATE PRESENCE IN THE ONLINE LEARNING Samuel, A. (2014) HOW DO FACULTY CREATE PRESENCE IN THE ONLINE LEARNING

ENVIRONMENT?ENVIRONMENT? [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from AAACE Conference Retrieved from AAACE Conference

http://www.aaace.org/assets/2014/Conference-Presenter-Materials/anita%20samuel.pdfhttp://www.aaace.org/assets/2014/Conference-Presenter-Materials/anita%20samuel.pdf