From traditional student to online teacher
Technology has significantly changed teaching and learning in the last decade. From mobile devices to MOOCs, we’re experiencing unprecedented levels of access to information, knowledge, and expertise.
Most of my education has been of the traditional kind: students and educators convening in a physical classroom multiple times a week for a set number of minutes. I spent seven years teaching a freshman seminar that was similarly old school (pun intended) except for some updates to the classroom technology, such as switching from VCRs to DVD players, from chalkboards to smart boards, from printed handouts to posted PDFs.
In 2013, I took Higher Ed Experts’ Web Writing for Higher Ed Course online and learned a lot about writing for the web, as well as about making the most of digital learning; I’m now fortunate to be one of the course’s instructors. During the last several years I’ve also taken other online classes—for my professional development and personal edification—through Coursera and FutureLearn.
If you haven’t taken a class online yet, chances are you will at some point in your education, career, or personal life. With that in mind, I offer some first-hand advice for making the most of a virtual learning environment.
Comment early (and often)
As an introvert, I’ve struggled with participating in class, both in person and online. I came upon a simple solution in graduate school, where some classes comprised only a handful of us in a seminar room with a professor. My strategy? Be the first to contribute to the conversation.
Taking this kind of initiative has benefits. As the first person to speak, you say something original and ensure your participation. Your classmates will appreciate you getting the ball rolling, but so will your instructor. Because a professor’s comments can sometimes eclipse a discussion, I encourage my students to chime in with their thoughts and feedback first. That way I also get to see the course material from their fresh perspectives.
Overcoming that initial participation hurdle makes it easier to continue dialoguing with your classmates. Keep the conversations going by responding to others’ comments and input, even if it’s a simple acknowledgement and thanks.
Ask questions
Asking and answering questions is crucial to teaching and learning (right, Socrates?).
Are you having trouble understanding a particular topic, making sense of an assignment, or figuring out how to use a particular tool? Odds are you’re not the only one! Do yourself (and others) a favor by asking for help or clarification.
The web writing course I teach has a private “Ask the Prof” feature. I’m always stoked when students message me for guidance or help because I want to ensure they get the most out of the course materials. Then, with the student’s permission, I’ll post part or all of our conversation to the class’ discussion forum, so everyone can benefit.
The student’s classmates inevitably chime in with words of support or their own solutions, recommedations, and answers. That online collaboration is a terrific perk of taking a class with others who bring their own experience and expertise to bear on the subject at hand.
Stay positive
Taking an online class is a marathon, not a sprint.
Higher Ed Experts’ online certificate programs range from four to eight weeks in length, while some MOOCs (massive open online courses) require months to complete. The latter also have a significant attrition rate, with a majority of enrolled students never completing a course.
You need perseverance, especially if you’re taking an online course in addition to your personal commitments and professional responsibilities. Fortunately, online classes offer a degree of flexibility: You study when it’s convenient for you as long as you meet the weekly deadlines for discussions and assignments. The goal is to keep moving toward successful completion of the course.
Instructors, meanwhile, are a combination of coaches and cheerleaders. We do our best to make sure you’re learning the material, but we also try to keep the energy and enthusiasm high for the duration of the class. We want you to succeed, and we’ll do what we can to make it happen!
Bonus: Use real, actual content for assignments (if possible)
This final piece of advice applies specifically to the course on web writing that I’ve taught for a year and a half now.
My students never cease to impress me with their hard work and dedication. Some have even submitted supremely creative assignments as part of their online coursework. Yet I’ve noticed that my best students generally use real, actual content from their home institutions for their assignments.
I recognize that’s not always possible. For example, some of my students don’t create email appeals or social media posts (types of content we cover in the course) as part of their higher education jobs. But if and when it is possible, using real content makes the coursework—and feedback you receive—that much more meaningful and relevant.
Your Turn
Have you taken or taught an online class? If so, what did you think? Do you have any tips or advice for online learners or instructors?
Let me know in the comments!
Meet the Faculty: Sofia Tokar
Higher Ed Experts is a professional online school for digital professionals working in universities and colleges.
When you take a professional certificate course with us, you get a chance to upgrade your skills by working on your projects, interacting with classmates just like you and getting detailed personalized feedback from your instructor.
Sofia Tokar Sofia is the web writer and communications officer for Arts, Sciences and Engineering at the University of Rochester. As part of the web team, her work includes creating, editing, and curating content for the university’s homepage and top-level pages, departmental web pages, and social media accounts. She regularly co-hosts on-campus presentations and workshops about strategic and tactical web communications.
Sofia earned her master’s degree in English language and literature from Queen’s University in Canada. She is currently pursuing her master’s in online teaching and learning at UR. She is also a graduate of the Higher Ed Experts web writing certificate program.
Sofia teaches Higher Ed Expert’s 4-week online course on Web Writing for Higher Education.
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