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UOPX CUR 532 Effective Facilitators
- 1. Effective Facilitators CUR/532 January16, 2017 JamesStephens Sr. Instructor: Melinda Medina
- 2. Effective Distance LearningFacilitator The effective distance learning facilitator understands the differences between face-to-face and online teaching and possess key elements or skills that will define the excellence of their teaching. Commitment Presence Highly Motivated Builds a Community Collaborative Communication Discussion Constructive Feedback (Palloff & Pratt, 2011) (Pelletier, EdD, 2013)
- 3. Most Important Skills Ofthe eight skills previously shown, the ones of Presence and Communication are the most import to possess by an effective distance learning facilitator. These skills often incorporate some of the other skills as subsets to be most efficient and effective. Presence – Requires Commitment and High Motivation and takes up more of the facilitators time than a traditional “ground learning course does. It must occur and be seen by the students at the very beginning of the course and will help establish Community within the classroom. Communication - Both a key and critical skill that helps establish Discussion, Community, and interaction between student and facilitator as well among students themselves. An essential ingredient of good Constructive Feedback
- 4. Presence Takes muchmore of the online facilitators time than traditional on ground learning. Requires continuous interaction between facilitator and students throughout the week. Presence is not required on a specific day or time but on a continuous basis to keep the online learners challenged and engaged. Find creative ways to enthuse the student to participate in the learning environment daily. Lead by example and model the type of behavior that is desired by all students to keep them in the online learning environment Does not happen automatically. It is a learned and practiced skill (Pelletier, EdD, 2013)
- 5. Communication In theonline environment, communication is the key. The effect of the communication is not always what is written in black and white. Requires attention to detail and a reiteration of what the student has stated or asked. Use many different avenues of communication such as email, text, telephone and social media. Avenues of communication have no effect if you do not respond. Post your information and office hours in a highly visible place within the Learning Management System (LMS). You must consider your words very carefully and think about how the student will perceive the words. Avoid using slang or any comments that might be misconstrued. Use positive words and tone to develop a trusting student/teacher relationship. (Pelletier, EdD, 2013)
- 6. Development Phases There arefive distinct development phases the effective distance learning facilitator will go through to achieve mastery of both the Presence and Communication skills. Visitor – A phase of non commitment and curiosity about the possibilities of teaching online. Novice – Have not taught online but have some experience in using online technologies to aid their face-to-face teaching. Apprentice – Have actually taught an online course for one or two semesters, have an understanding for and are developing their skills. Insider – Have taught more than one course and more than two semesters online. Understand the needed skills and have developed proficiency in course management technology. Master – Have taught online for multiple terms as well as designed online course. They have master the required online technology and feel comfortable with their skills (Palloff & Pratt, 2011)
- 7. Training to SupportSkills There are four areas of concentration that training must occur for any distance learning educator regardless of which developmental phase they are currently in. Personal Pedagogy Content Technology The phase of development will determine in which order the training emphasis should occur. (Palloff & Pratt, 2011)
- 8. Phases of OnlineFaculty Development (Pecansky-Brouck, 2015)
- 9. Key Training Points Somekey points to keep in mind when training faculty are: Use a flexible schedule and a variety of topics that will engage all faculty regardless of their teaching experience level Training should be based on current and relevant adult learning theories Be mindful of both experienced or master faculty in your audience Use established best practices in all training offered Offer training in cycles that incorporate a learning phase, a practice phase and a reflection phase
- 10. References Palloff, R. M.,& Pratt, K. (2011). The excellent online instructor: strategies for professional development. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Pecansky-Brouck (2015). Phases of Online Faculty Development Digital Image. Improving Faculty Attitudes about Online Teaching. Retrieved from http://brocansky.com/2015/01/improving-faculty-attitudes-about-online- teaching.html Pelletier, EdD, P. (2013). Faculty Focus. Retrieved from http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/what-online-teachers- need-to-know
Editor's Notes
- #3 The effective distance learning facilitator understands the differences between face-to-face and online teaching and possess key elements or skills that will define the excellence of their teaching (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 13). Commitment – Is committed to this form of teaching and uses the online environment to their advantage as a delivery modality (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 13). Presence – Must be established at the beginning of the course to engage students as well as encourage their own presence as well. Highly Motivated – Being highly motivated and letting students observe this motivation will hopefully in turn be a good motivator for themselves Builds a Community – A sense of belonging must be established and is important that this occur at the start of the course. Presence, commitment and high motivation are tied into this element. Collaborative – Collaborative work and assignments fosters positive interaction between both students and facilitator alike. Communication - In the online environment, communication is the key and the use of various types of communication technology should be utilized to engage all student in the online classroom. Discussion – Interactivity between students can be promoted through the “development of good discussion questions that engage them and encourage them to seek response material on their own” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 14). Constructive Feedback – Must be timely and preferably within an established time period. Constructive feedback both positive and negative informs the student of how they are doing, if they are on track with course learning objectives and helps establish both presence and student engagement
- #4 Of the eight skills previously shown, the ones of Presence and Communication are the most import to possess by an effective distance learning facilitator. These skills often incorporate some of the other skills as subsets to be most efficient and effective. Presence – Requires Commitment and High Motivation and takes up more of the facilitators time than a traditional “ground learning course does. It must occur and be seen by the students at the very beginning of the course and will help establish Community within the classroom. Communication - Both a key and critical skill that helps establish Discussion, Community, and interaction between student and facilitator as well among students themselves. An essential ingredient of good Constructive Feedback.
- #5 The Pelletier, EdD (2013), Takes much more of the online facilitators time than traditional on ground learning. The Pelletier, EdD (2013), Requires continuous interaction between facilitator and students throughout the week. The Pelletier, EdD (2013), Presence is not required on a specific day or time but on a continuous basis to keep the online learners challenged and engaged. The Pelletier, EdD (2013), Find creative ways to enthuse the student to participate in the learning environment daily. The Pelletier, EdD (2013), Lead by example and model the type of behavior that is desired by all students to keep them in the online learning environment Does not happen automatically. It is a learned and practiced skill that must be constantly honed from one class to the next
- #6 The Pelletier, EdD (2013), In the online environment, communication is the key. The effect of the communication is not always what is written in black and white. Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Good communication requires attention to detail and a reiteration of what the student has stated or asked. This helps you understand the communication and provides effective communication with the student” (What Online Teachers Need to Know). Use many different avenues of communication such as email, text, telephone and social media. Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Exceptional facilitators are open to many different avenues of communication. This is not limited to email and could include text, Skype, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and telephone contact information” (What Online Teachers Need to Know). Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Avenues of communication have no effect if you do not respond. Respond to all communication within a 24-hour period” (What Online Teachers Need to Know). Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Post your information and office hours in a highly visible place within the Learning Management System (LMS) so students know when and how they can reach you if they need a question answered” (What Online Teachers Need to Know). Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Students do not have the benefit of your nonverbal communication. You must consider your words very carefully and think about how the student will perceive the words” (What Online Teachers Need to Know). Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Avoid using slang or any comments that might be misconstrued” (What Online Teachers Need to Know). Pelletier, EdD (2013), “Use positive words and tone to develop a trusting student/teacher relationship” (What Online Teachers Need to Know).
- #7 There are five distinct development phases the effective distance learning facilitator will go through to achieve mastery of both the Presence and Communication skills. Visitor – A phase of non commitment and curiosity about the possibilities of teaching online. “They are concerned about their knowledge of technology and tend to use those elements of course management systems or communication technologies with which they feel most comfortable (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 22). They are still skeptical of online teaching and require both faculty coaching and mentoring to successfully proceed forward Novice – Have not taught online but have some experience in using online technologies to aid their face-to-face teaching. They have a desire to move beyond the visitor phase but are still unsure of how to set up a class, as well as how to deliver it and not really sure of what questions to ask in order to get started (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 24). They use there Learning Management System (LMS) to post a course syllabus and assignments, but do not make use of other communication features such as discussion boards and blogs (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 24). Apprentice – Have actually taught an online course for one or two semesters, have an understanding for and are developing their skills. They “have overcome the initial fears of the online learning environment and how to connect with student but may be encountering new fears as they begin to understand what they don’t know about teaching online” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 25). Insider – Have taught more than one course and more than two semesters online. Understand the needed skills and have developed proficiency in course management technology. “They “have the need of reviewing and reinforcing skills while also moving forward toward more advanced skill development” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 26). They also “have developed more confidence in the delivery of materials in their content areas but continue to benefit from participation in communities of practice to support that work (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 26). Master – Have taught online for multiple terms as well as designed online course. They have master the required online technology and feel comfortable with their skills. They have vast and significant experience with online teaching and are willing to experiment with new techniques for course development and delivery as well as provide support for, coach and mentor their faculty colleagues who are at earlier stages in the development phase process (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 27). Some at this level even do advanced research on their practice and publish their findings.
- #8 There are four areas of concentration that training must occur for any distance learning educator regardless of which developmental phase they are currently in. Personal – “Focuses on the instructor as a person and includes such elements as establishing presence and developing confidence in one's ability to teach online” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 21). Pedagogy – “Focuses on the skills and techniques involved with teaching online and on online scholarship, including an understanding of the theories that undergird online teaching and the ability to develop an online learning community” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 21). Content – “Focuses on the discipline the faculty member represents and how that content is best disseminated online” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 21). Technology – “Focuses on the development of skill with the course management system in use, choosing technologies that meet learning objectives, as well as adjunct technologies that might be incorporated into the development of an online course as well as teaching” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 21). The phase of development will determine in which order the training emphasis should occur.
- #9 Training needs for visitors include “Personal: Break down skepticism and demonstrate that technology use can enhance student learning; provide examples and models; personalize training by providing workshops, seminars, and individual instruction in topics of interest to this group” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 23). “Pedagogy: Show direct links between technology use and learning outcomes through models and examples, as well as through review of syllabi, to determine appropriate use of technology within face-to-face instruction and online means” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 23). “Content: Demonstrate use of technology within the discipline, that is, how can media-rich presentations enhance instruction in math, biology, languages, history, and so forth (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 23). “Technology: Focus only on technology that might enhance face-to-face instruction and addresses learning objectives as a start while increasing familiarity with online options” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 23). Training needs for novice faculty include “Personal: Reassure and help overcome any fears about online teaching; help gain confidence through training experiences that provide a transition from learner to instructor; assist with establishing presence online; explore personal teaching style and support any transitions needed for good online teaching” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 25). “Pedagogy: Explore the theoretical underpinnings of online teaching and learning; explore beginning techniques to support best practices in online teaching; support and critique the development of the instructor's first online course; help them to surface the questions they need to ask in order to begin teaching online; offer ongoing support through training and mentoring as they embark on their first course experience” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 25). “Content: Explore appropriate teaching techniques for the discipline; support alternatives to traditional teaching methods in the discipline so as to develop techniques other than lecture for delivering content” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 25). “Technology: Gain mastery of the course management system (CMS) in use; master appropriate use of e-mail and chat; support the development of the use of word processing and presentation technologies such as Word and PowerPoint; introduce the use of authoring tools for course and lesson development” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 25). Training needs for apprentice faculty include “Personal: Continue to gain confidence by reviewing and reinforcing online teaching experiences; continue to reinforce a sense of presence online; reassure by surfacing and addressing questions and concerns and reinforce successes” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 26). “Pedagogy: Use course and student feedback for course and facilitation improvement; focus on the integration of collaborative teaching and skills to build an online learning community; continue to explore theoretical foundations of online teaching” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 26). “Content: Content concerns are greater at this phase of development and added focus on alternative techniques for facilitating content exploration is important; encourage involvement in communities of practice centered around the discipline” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 26). “Technology: Begin the exploration of adjunct technologies to support course development, collaboration, and to increase student participation, such as beginning use of wikis, blogs, synchronous technologies, and social networking technologies; continue to develop skill in the use of authoring tools” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 26). Training needs for insider faculty include “Personal: Continued reinforcement of presence; support of growing confidence in online teaching abilities (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 27). “Pedagogy: Support for techniques in the development of an online learning community; techniques for empowering learners; exploration of more advanced topics in online teaching, including collaborative means of content delivery (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 27). “Content: Continue to support participation with those in the discipline to explore best practices in delivering content online (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 27). “Technology: Advanced training in adjunct technologies to support course development and facilitation, such as course authoring tools, wikis, blogs, synchronous media, and social networking tools (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 27). Training needs for master faculty include “Personal: Support for leadership development and expertise in online teaching; presentation to their peers and at conferences; support for publication” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, pgs. 27-28). “Pedagogy: Support for exploration and study of advanced facilitation techniques; encourage development for peer training (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, pgs. 27-28). “Content: Support continued exploration of best practices for online teaching within the discipline and encourage research into the outcomes of such practices” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, pgs. 27-28). “Technology: Support for development and inclusion of new technologies and new approaches in the use of technology in online teaching” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, pgs. 27-28).
- #10 Some key points to keep in mind when training faculty are: Use a flexible schedule and a variety of topics that will engage all faculty regardless of their teaching experience level Training should be based on current and relevant adult learning theories. “Active approaches that combine individual and collaborative engagement work best” ” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 44) Be mindful of both experienced or master faculty in your audience. Tailor the training to the development phase of the audience Use established best practices in all training offered. “Model those practices so that faculty can incorporate them into their own courses seamlessly” ” (Palloff & Pratt, 2011, p. 44) Offer training in cycles that incorporate a learning phase, a practice phase and a reflection phase