Basic Skills to Be Online Teachers

Basic Skills to Be Online Teachers

Online instructors do not have to be computer experts, but should have some basic technical skills to be successful. Susan Ko and Steve Rossen explain in their book, Teaching Online that techies do not necessarily make the best online instructors. An interest in pedagogy should come first, technology second. Basic familiarity with computers and the internet will suffice.

Teachers should know how to do the following, set up folders in directories on a hard drive, use word processing software properly, including cut, paste, copy, minimize, maximize windows, save files, handle emailed communications including attachments. Teacher should use a browser to access the world wide, wide web.

Important Terms:

Asynchronous Learning:

It means working independently. A student generally studies asynchronously on his or her own time, at his or her own pace. It is also a term used for instruction that is not constrained by geography or time. Examples of asynchronous learning include, viewing lesson material, and participating in threaded discussions at any time of day, not a scheduled time. With electronic bulletin board, often messages are posted at one time and read another.

Chat:

Real time text conversation between users over the internet. A chat area can be part of a synchronous session. Or it can be a standalone system used for synchronous meetings or communication. Private chats like instant messaging and group chats, like chat-rooms are also examples.

Open Source: Open source is the term used for the code of software or program that is made available to the public to use without cost. It enables anyone to copy, modify, and use the code without paying.

Synchronous learning: Opposite of asynchronous learning. Learning in real time via the virtual classroom webcasts, seminars or telephone. Many virtual schools offer or require attendance in a synchronous class taught online. This allows the student and teacher to engage in interactive demonstrations, lectures, one on one tutoring sessions and school assemblies, even in which students from multiple states can attend all at once. Instruction is led by a facilitator in real time. Synchronous learning refers to learning and communication activities that are simultaneous, or at the same time but not necessarily the same location. Participants connect at the same time to the same system using technology. 

The Virtual Classroom:  This is a place for instructors and students to interact and collaborate in real time. Using webcams and a class discussion features, it resembles the traditional classroom except all participants are accessing it remotely over the Internet. Lessons can be recorded and added to an e-library to complete the learning experience. Using the archived E-library students can access and replay the teacher's lectures as many times as necessary to master the material. 

Webinar: A webinar is the term used for a web based seminar, or a synchronous discussion that takes place over the Internet. Common platform for synchronous live sessions are WebEx, Adobe Connect and Blackboard Collaborate.