Online teaching strategies
Certain teaching strategies are associated with effective online courses:
- student-centered activities
- facilitation and moderating
- problem-based learning
- collaborative learning
- peer evaluation.
Some may be familiar with, and use these methods in their classroom teaching already. Facilitation (i.e., getting students to interact with each other and the content) is probably the most important strategy that online teachers need to employ (Collison et al, 2000; Salmon, 2000).
Online teaching effectiveness
The following behaviors are associated with effective online teaching:
- providing timely and meaningful feedback
- creating learning activities that engage students
- keeping students interested and motivated
- ensuring students interact with each other
- encouraging students to be critical and reflective.
These behaviors constitute criteria for evaluation of online teaching. For each behavior there needs to be a definition of minimal acceptable performance as well as exemplary performance.
Resources
Collison, G. et al., (2000). Facilitating Online Learning: Effective Strategies for Moderators. Madison, WI: Atwood Publishing Co.
Kearsley, G. and Blomeyer, R. (2004) Preparing K-12 Teachers to Teach Online Educational Technology magazine, Jan/Feb.
Salmon, G. (2000). E-moderating: The Key to Teaching and Learning Online. London: Kogan Page.
For more information, see: A Practical Guide To Developing Effective Web-based Learning
David A Cook, MD and Denise M Dupras, MD, PhD
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1492389
