OTAN News

What Online Teachers Have Learned from Teaching Online

Online teaching has been around for a while now, stretching back to the 1990s. Given the first 20 or so years of online teaching, what are the lessons learned for others in the field who are looking to get started, still relatively new, or interested in getting better?

In an article from Inside Higher Ed, veteran instructors were asked to provide their thoughts on what has and has not worked over the years teaching online. Here are some of their insights:

• Course design should allow for flexibility, to allow faster students to work through the material quicker and other learners who run into life’s challenges to still be able to complete the work.
• Also, for students who need more assistance, produce short screencasts to target gaps in instruction and host webinars, but allow students to view them synchronously or asynchronously
• Connect student goals and interests to the course content
• Weave OER (open educational resources) into the online course, saving students money on textbooks and other course materials
• Incorporate video and voice interactions in the course to make the course less text-based
• Understand that there is a range of tech skills ability and access to devices in the course, and make adjustments to accommodate all learners while also developing digital literacy skills
• Build a solid communications system in the course that encourages interaction and keeps the instructor connected to the students

These insights and more are available in the original article. Contact us if you would like more information or training on getting started with online teaching and learning.

Source: What Online Teachers Have Learned From Teaching Online