Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Methodologies of the Online Instructor


1. Reflecting on the information covered in this module so far, how might your instructional methodologies need to change in an online or blended learning environment?

Good instruction is good instruction.  No matter how you cut it, dice it, or slice it.  Whether in a blended, fully online, or face-to-face course, a teacher with a good handle on pedagogy and the way students learn is an invaluable asset.

Methodology is defined as:

A body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline : a particular procedure or set of procedures.  The analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a particular field -  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methodology

I don't think that an online teacher's methodology will have to change that much.  All that you have to consider is how the delivery of the curriculum will change.  for instance, if you engage students in a dialogue or conversation in class, you can set-up a discussion forum in a LMS to accomplish the same task.  In many ways, it's more advantageous to do so because this requires students who are normally uncomfortable in a face-to-face setting to interact with their peers and engage in conversation.

In a sense, utilizing the Blended Model can be more difficult because you are constantly having to make a decision about what activity will be most useful, in what setting.
2. What skills and strategies might you improve or expand upon in order to best support student learning in a blended or online environment?

I think the best strategy a teacher can use is being resourceful.  There are tons of excellent materials, videos, images, etc that a teacher can utilize to enhance their online instructional program.  The trick is being savvy enough to use in appropriate ways.

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