Online Instructor - Is it for You?

By : Mark Stricklett, MBA

The computer and internet age has pushed the envelope of traditional educational formats. Just a few years ago, Online education was a second thought, maybe not a thought at all, in the minds of traditional brick and mortar schools. Today, if an educational institution does not have online programs – they are missing thousands of opportunities and dollars from traditional and non-traditional students.

With some extra time on my hands, I thought I would explore the world of online educators – some easy extra money – Right?

Wrong! Boy, did I have a lot to learn.

Let me share my journey to becoming an Online Instructor.

To begin the journey, I set criteria for selection – 1. Must be an accredited school, regionally and national accreditation – no diploma mills! 2. Offer degrees that match my skill and experience areas. 3. User friendly online education format. 4. Good record of accomplishment in online education – good reviews from students/peers. 5. A quality training and/or orientation program for new instructors.

From these starting points, I performed web searches and identified six potential schools. By visiting their web sites, I discovered a wealth of information regarding the schools, accreditation and online degrees offered. Next, searches included using the schools name and various criteria e.g. satisfaction, alumni, etc. These queries revealed web sites and blogs dedicated to specific topics on the subject of the school. Some were positive sites; others were dissatisfied students with an axe to grind.

The next step involved telephone contacts. Making contact with the schools online experts was a challenge – most referrals were to a website or email account. At two schools, I actually spoke to a live person! (This added some points to their score!)

With information assembled – I was now ready to move forward to the application process. The information packages requested were very similar in nature for each school. They included, a detailed educational history, including submission of college and graduate school transcripts, detailed work history resume and any experiences in teaching/training of adult learners. Three references, preferably from academics were the expected norm. (It’s been so long for me, most of my professors are retired or no longer with us!)

Two schools rejected me off-hand. Their criteria for online instructors included an earned doctorate. My MBA did not fit with their instructional criteria, for graduate or undergrad instruction. Two schools requested that I develop a course – prior to any reimbursement. They required their instructors to select a textbook from their lists, develop a curriculum and all instructional supports for an online course. These schools failed my selection criteria both in terms of instructor support and remuneration. The final two schools both had good records of accomplishment in online instruction, user-friendly learning environments and good matches for my skill areas.

The final decision key- training and orientation for new instructors. School 1 presented an online manual for instructor’s preparation. Study the manual, take an online test, pass, and you were ready to go. School 2 presented a different approach – one that set it apart from all the others.

For School 2 , I was enrolled in an online instructors training course. A month long course in which I became the student/learner. All of the requirements expected of students applied to the potential instructors. Weekly assignments were graded, participation and discussion expectations were set, and methods of instruction were tested. The course was facilitated by an experienced online faculty member – one who was dedicated to quality education and setting the bar for future expectations.

A few of the class members washed out after a week – they did not realize the instructor commitments of 16-20 hours per week were the norm – not the exception.

After passing the instructors training course, I was offered the opportunity to team teach a course. This process involved working with a mentor – an experienced online facilitator. The facilitator provided a systematic process for setting up the class. The then reviewed each instructional component prior to my posting in the classroom environment. Constructive feedback on work products was frequent and appreciated. The mentor monitored all components of instruction; feedback to students, individual and team work assignments, grading of assignments and instructor online interactions.

Weekly performance evaluations were provided by the mentor. These documents provided feedback for needed improvement areas or kudos for a job well done. The students provided formal evaluations of the instructor/mentee at week three and the conclusion of the course during week six. These anonymous evaluations shared some excellent insight into my performance as an instructor. Since the majority of the students are practicing professionals – they are experienced in providing feedback for performance appraisals.

The final step included an evaluation by the Universities online faculty committee. This evaluation included all the steps in preparation for the course work, mentor evaluations and student feedback. Having successfully passed all the requirements, I was promptly offered a position to provide instruction for future classes.

The Online instruction format is not for everyone. Students must be dedicated to a level of professionalism that has not been expected in the typical classroom. Time management is crucial for success in the online environment. Both individual and teamwork skills are tested – the experience is not just an individual effort. Working in teams to solve challenges in today’s work world is critical for the success of the organization.

For instructors, the same criteria hold true. To approach this instructional methodology is not an easy task. It requires dedication to the model and a true enthusiasm for sharing your acquired skills and experience. Personally, I have found my online instructional experience both rewarding and challenging. A vocation I look forward to enjoying for many years to come.

How To Receive An Education And Training Online

By: Mark Woodcock

It is not unusual for a person to grow apathetic toward his or her current job. Lack of stimulating work, low pay, and limited growth potential within an organization are all excellent reasons to seek out a way to make a change. One of the best, and easiest, ways to achieve this is to explore furthering your education and training online. This innovative and exciting method of personal and professional improvement has the benefit of allowing you to enhance your career opportunities by either earning a degree or by taking advantage of continuing education options. This is also an ideal option for you if you want to change your career entirely. Education and training can be sought online without interfering with work and family commitments.

In order to get that promotion you’ve been working so hard for, it’s often necessary to further your education and training. Doing so online allows you do achieve your full career potential at your own pace, without interfering with work. In many professions, such as pharmacy, it’s often required to stay up to date with new technologies and pertinent information. A convenient way to do this is to take your continuing education courses online. Some employers are even willing to pay for a portion or all tuition and fees. After all, investing money in their employees can provide long-term benefits for employers.

There are many advantages of choosing an online education and training facility if you wish to further your education and training. There is no need to live near or commute to a school or training facility when all classes can be attended and all coursework submitted online. Attending school online is a great option for those who might have misgivings about going to college as an older student or returning after many years. Furthering your education and training at an online school can make it easier to ease into the routine of class work and projects, an can reduce the stress of feeling the need to fit in with younger college students. Further, the course availability is often convenient for those who work full time and/or care for a family. Frequently, institutions offer evening and weekend sections of courses. It is also very appealing to “go to school” from the comforts of home.

The type of education and training available online is seemingly limitless. The entire spectrum of college degrees is available to a student, including Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and PhD degrees, as well as professional certificates. These degrees are available in many different fields, including Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Mathematics, Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and Healthcare programs. In addition to college diplomas, continuing education for professionals is available in many areas, including Healthcare programs, Business, and Information Technology.

Affording to further your education and training online is no different from doing so in a traditional face-to-face institution. Often, financial aid is available to students in the form of grants, loans, and scholarships. It is important to check with the individual institution of interest for requirements and guidelines. Also, many employers may be willing to pay for part or all of an employee’s continuing education. Investing in an employee’s future is also investing in the employer’s future.

The misconception of continuing your education and training online is that the experience might not be as enriching or legitimate as attending face-to-face classes at a traditional college or training facility. Programs offered online present the same opportunities for group work, independent study, and interpersonal communications as their traditional counterparts. In fact, continuing your education online might help to facilitate the learning process as well as develop time management and self-motivation skills. With the prevalence of the Internet and advancements such as teleconferencing in both education and the business world today, it is possible to come away from the experience not only with a degree, but also with greater knowledge and comfort with technology. Continuing your education and training online is a valuable, convenient, and flexible way to broaden your career opportunities.

Life Experience and Online Learning

by Nancy Lambert

Many online programs now offer college credit for life experience. What does this mean? Basically, you can use skills you’ve learned in your life through work, the military, or other experiences and turn them into life experience credits. These credits will reduce the amount of time needed to complete your online courses.

Different universities offer different life experience college credit, so it’s worth searching several programs to determine which one will benefit you the most. It’s also important to ensure that it’s a fully accredited program that can give you a proper degree or certificate and not a scam.

Demonstrating Knowledge for Life Experience Credit

You will have to prove that you have sufficient knowledge to get this life credit, but there are a variety of means to do this. Sometimes it will mean taking an exam, or providing a reference letter from a previous employer, military supervisor, or community service organization.

Any previously obtained certificates might count, as may books or articles you’ve published. It’s worth checking with your individual program to discuss what in your past qualifies you for credit for life experience.

All of this removes one major problem adults find when seeking to continue their education – the amount of time involved.

Now that reputable universities and institutions have begun offering life experience credit it can significantly reduce the amount of time you must spend on your studies. And it may allow you to bypass beginner-level courses teaching skills you’ve already learned in life.

Not all education occurs in a university setting. Giving college credit for life experience recognizes this fact and greatly aids adult learners in continuing their formal education.

http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/credit-for-life-experience.htm

Smart School

'Smart School' has now become a buzzword among educator, parents and students. The smart schools are schools that are well-equipped with suitable resources including instructional media such as the computer and Internet facilities which can be utilised by the teaching staff who incorporate appropriate instructional methods to facilitate and maximise developement such as high order thinking skills, multiple intelligences etc. in the learning of the subject matter in their students. What is new in the syllabus is perhaps the elements of information technnology, which has to be cleverly integrated into the teaching and learning process of different subject areas across the curiculum.

There are seven key principles in a Smart School.

1. Generative knowledge. Schools must examine carefully what disciplinary and interdisciplinary content will most benefit students. Identifying and structuring content which has the greatest potential for students' development is an important starting point for the Smart Schools model.
   
2. Learnable intelligence. Contrary to a psychological tradition that tends to view intelligence as a fixed quantity, much of the research of Project Zero and others' indicates that students can and do learn ways of thinking that can boost their performance. The integration of the teaching of higher order thinking into subject matter instruction and the creation of a school culture that champions and scaffolds such thinking can have a significant effect on students' own views of their abilities and on their learning.
   
3. Focus on understanding. While there are many legitimate goals for students, often a focus on deep understanding gets lost in the day-to-day life of the school. In the Smart Schools model, we place an emphasis on student work that builds and demonstrates deep understanding in contrast to rote or narrowly defined outcomes.
   
4. Teaching for mastery and transfer. A simple but powerful maxim of education is that students learn much of what they have a reasonable opportunity and motivation to learn. Teaching techniques that explicitly model, scaffold, motivate, and help students to bridge what they learn to new contexts (i.e., transfer) greatly enhance the likelihood that students will learn well and actively use what they learn.
   
5. Learning-centered assessment. Assessment at its best functions as a reflective and evaluative tool for learning. It involves students as well as teachers and creates a dynamic in which students take on the ultimate responsibility for the quality of their work and their learning.
   
6. Embracing complexity. Insightful thinking and deep understanding require students to be able to deal with and even thrive on complex situations and problems. The Smart Schools model involves learning situations that help students build skills and tolerance for complexity and begin to develop a sense of excitement in the face of intriguing and difficult problems. It also supports teachers in managing the complexities of new viewpoints and practices.
   
7. The school as a learning organization. Just as schools are places of growth for children, they should be places of growth for faculty and administrators - places where the pursuit of intellectual interests and professional collaborations are supported and encouraged. In addition, the successful learning organization institutes structures that enable all members of the school community to collaborate in the processes of direction-setting and self-monitoring, creating a dynamic system that changes as the needs and the vision of the community changes.