1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. General Overview

The purpose of the handbook is to provide distance learning faculty members with strategies and best practices for teaching on the Internet. The organization adopts an instructor-centered approach; sections reflect different instructional goals: from delivering information, to learning and understanding information, and finally to processing and analyzing course content.

Additional sections offers suggestions for administering tests, tips for the day-to-day running of classes as well as a nuts and bolts overview to course managements systems, the software used for online instruction.

Terms shown in a bold font are defined in the Glossary, §11.8.

This is intended to be a “living” document. Please send suggestions and revisions to ben.worth@kctcs.edu.

1.2. Is Distance Ed for You?

Distance learning offers instructors rewarding challenges, but it is not for everyone. Teaching in an online environment does require substantive changes in how instructors conduct the business of teaching and learning.

One common misconception is that online instruction requires less time than traditional classroom instruction. This is false; web instructors report that their online classes require just as much, if not more, time and attention than the traditional classroom.

Teaching online means making significant changes in how instructors interact with students, plan lessons, and deliver content. Before deciding to become an online teacher, read through this section carefully to determine whether or not distance education is really for you.

1.2.1. Organization

Distance education classes work best when the entire class is available online before the beginning of the semester. This means that instructors need to have their entire course planned out before the first day of class.

Good organization is essential in keeping up with student assignments and records. While the course management system (CMS) offers a variety of tools for the instructor to assist with organization, the CMS alone cannot replace good organization skills.

1.2.2. Communication

Many faculty are accustomed only to seeing their students in class or during set office hours. Online instructors must be much more flexible with their time.

CHECK EMAIL OFTEN. Because online faculty and students rarely—if ever—see one another face-to-face, faculty need to work much harder keeping lines of communication open with their students. This means checking and responding to student email frequently—at least every day if not multiple times per day. Many instructors find themselves checking email on evenings and weekends as well.

RESPOND TO VOICEMAIL. Answer voicemail promptly. Many faculty also provide home telephone and cell phone numbers to their students. Faculty should be willing to schedule telephone interviews at times outside traditional office hours.

PROMPT GRADING. Because online students do not have the instant feedback that occurs in a traditional classroom, online faculty need to respond to student work as soon as possible. Waiting two weeks to return assignments without any feedback is too long. Likewise other practices, such as acknowledging receipt of assignments and offering detailed assessment of work, are necessary.

FOLLOW STUDENT PROGRESS. In a traditional classroom, a quick word or two is sufficient to remind students of missing work. In an online class, this takes greater effort. Because it is easy for students to get lost in the shuffle, online instructors need to go to greater lengths to contact students.

1.2.3. Technology Skills

Online faculty should be comfortable using common desktop computer applications such as word processors, web browsers and email programs. Instructors will also have to complete training for the CMS used in the course. They should also be willing to do some limited troubleshooting for students who are new to online classes. For that matter, being a fast typist helps. Likewise, faculty will have to become accustomed to spending considerably more time in front of a computer monitor than they may be accustomed.

1.2.4. New and Different Assignments

Instructors cannot simply upload notes to a website and hope to teach a successful Internet class. Teaching online means making substantial changes in how instruction is delivered. This does not mean that instructors dismiss course objectives, but they actively search for new and creative ways of fulfilling them.

1.3. Why Teach Online?

Teaching via the Internet does come with its rewards. First, it offers faculty considerable flexibility with their hours; while it does not curtail the amount of time devoted to instruction, it does change when that instruction occurs. Professors can set aside time to work on their classes in the mornings, evenings or weekends—for that matter, these schedules are flexible and can be changed week to week.

By choosing to become an online instructor, you are also providing a valuable service to students. Distance learning allows students to attend college who, because of commitments to family and work, would never be able to attend otherwise.

Distance learning also offers an exciting intellectual challenge. Online classes force faculty to think through not only how to deliver course content in different ways, but how that content fulfills larger class objectives.

Lastly, while teaching online absolutely requires faculty to change how they teach, the challenges to becoming an online instructor are not insurmountable. The web interfaces used to teach online are no more difficult to learn than an Internet web browser. Converting documents from Word or PowerPoint can be done easily. In short, don’t let the technological hurdles prevent you from becoming a distance education instructor.

1.4. Acknowledgements

I would like to take a moment to thank the many individuals who provided me with assistance in writing this handbook. My work could not have been completed without the generous help from the many BCTC distance education instructors who took time out of their busy schedules to share with me the many wonderful things they have been doing in their electronic classrooms. I would also like to thank Connie Rine, in Information and Technology Services, and Bill Davis, Assistant Dean for Distance Learning. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge Academic Dean Sandra Carey and President Jim Kerley for providing me with course release necessary to produce this document.