This document summarizes a webinar on keys to successful online and blended learning facilitation. It provides 10 tips for effective online facilitation, including making all participants feel welcome, establishing clear goals and expectations, providing behind-the-scenes support, fostering communication between participants, modeling participation techniques, keeping discussion alive and on topic, guiding participants through content, ensuring audience and content are in sync, and bringing closure to each topic before moving on. The webinar encouraged continuing the conversation on these facilitation tips online at an EdTech Leaders Online forum.

1. EdTech Leaders Online’s:
Keys to Successful Online and
Blended Learning
August 28, 2012
Ten Tips for Effective Online Facilitation
Presented by
Barbara Treacy, Erin Earnst and Alex Dreier
Sponsored by
Join the “Keys to Successful Online and
Blended Learning” community www.edweb.net/
@edtechleaders @edwebnet

2. Thank you to our co-hosts
Barbara Treacy, Erin Earnst and Alex Dreier
and to our sponsor

3. Webinar Tips
• For better audio/video, close any other
applications (like Skype) that use bandwidth.
• Use the text chat! Post comments, ask
questions, get support.
• If you want to speak, you must have a headset,
and select the “I have a question" status on the
feedback menu. The moderator will then enable you
to “Broadcast” (speak) when you select that button.
• To maximize your screen for a larger view, use
the link in the upper right corner.
• A link to the recording of this webinar and your
CE certificate will be sent to you the day after
the webinar.

4. About EdTech Leaders Online
Goal: Build capacity to use online learning to meet
educational goals
• Based at EDC (education non-profit) since 1999
• For states, districts, regional centers, universities,
other educational organizations
• Over 4500 online facilitators trained in 36 states
• Online facilitator & course design programs
• 70+ online courses, including for Common Core
• Custom course development
• Learning Community, facilitated model

5. Quick Poll
Have you ever facilitated
an online community?

6. How many online
communities do participate in
on a regular basis?

7. How many of the online
communities that you
participate in on a regular
basis are education
communities?

8. Today’s Focus
• How do we create and sustain vibrant online
communities?
• What is the role of the online community facilitator?
• What are successful facilitation strategies and
techniques?

9. General Lessons
• Online facilitation takes time and care: “building it” is
not enough to expect “they will come” or stay
• Tone and voice matter
• Opportunities for feedback and dynamic development
are important
• Technology must support but not overwhelm your
community
• Online facilitation requires specific strategies: training
and practice in the online environment are critical!

10. Ten Tips for Effective
Online Facilitation
http://go.edc.org/tips

11. 1. Make everyone feel
welcome and heard;
create a comfortable
environment

12. 2. Establish clear goals
and expectations at
the outset

13. 3. Provide behind-the-
scenes support via
email

14. 4. Foster
communication
between participants

15. 5. Model participation
and discussion
techniques for
participants

16. http://go.edc.org/discussion

17. 6. Keep the discussion
alive; prevent
stagnancy

18. 7. Keep the discussion
on-topic

19. 8. Guide participants
through the content

20. 9. Make sure the
audience and the
content are in sync

21. 10. Bring closure to
each topic before
moving on

22. Let’s continue the conversation online…
What does it take to be an effective online facilitator?
Visit our edWeb forum at http://www.edweb.net/etlo
to share your own tips for effective online facilitation.

23. QUESTIONS?

24. Continue the conversation and
view the webinar recordings…
Join the edWeb.net community at:
www.edweb.net/
All attendees will be emailed a link to the recording
and a CEU certificate for participating in today’s webinar.
The webinar recording, the PowerPoint slides, and a CE quiz
(for those who watch the recorded version) are available in
the community at www.edweb.net/ .

25. Join us for the next webinar
September 24
4:00 PM Eastern
Supporting Online Learning with Both
Synchronous and Asynchronous Tools
Sponsored by
Bookmark this link for all future webinars:
www.instantpresenter.com/edweb

26. Thank you to our co-hosts
Barbara Treacy btreacy@edc.org
Erin Earnsteearnst@edc.org
Alex Dreier adreier@edc.org
and to our sponsor