Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:3190] training online teachers
From: Brent Muirhead (bmuirhead@email.uophx.edu)
Date: Wed 17 Apr 2002 - 01:51:21 MEST
From: "Brent Muirhead" <bmuirhead@email.uophx.edu> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:3190] training online teachers Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 19:51:21 -0400
I have enjoyed reading the posts on our current IFETS discussion on best
practices with Mark Nichols.
Peter Isackson stated that "my basic point is that the history of pedagogy
reveals many, many best practices* that can now be applied and developed
further and possibly applied more efficiently." This is an excellent point
that highlights that the best online teachers are able to use a diversity of
strategies to meet the needs of their students. The challenge with today's
distance education schools is to devote adequate resources to effectively
train their teachers for working in a dynamic online environment.
As facilitator who trains and mentors new online instructors at the
University of Phoenix, I find that this has been excellent opportunity for
me to make a positive difference in the teaching and learning process.
Mentoring offers a format to deal with relevant issues that today's
instructors face in their classes. As a mentor, I am able to work
individually with teachers to prepare them for their first class. Now, there
is a real need for more mentors in distance education. This is an issue that
distance educators must address to maintain high academic standards in their
degree programs.
I want to close with comments from Collis (1998) who offers practical
insights into the educational process.
Collis (1998) shares the following six vital instructional principles that
should characterize adult education:
1. Both the learner and educator play an active and unique role in the
educational process.
2. The process of creatively acquiring knowledge involves human
interaction and learner competence that are developed and evaluated within a
communication-oriented educational model.
3. Contemporary models of learning support learner-centered instruction
that encourages self-assessment, personal reflection, and elicits learner
articulation of their ideas.
4. The learning environment should maximize meaningful and reflective
interactions while providing a variety of opportunities for feedback.
5. Creating instruction that promotes learner self-regulation and
individual responsibility is the product of educators who are academically
well prepared and monitor the quality of student work.
6. Adult educators recognize that 'students want to move efficiently
through their studies, in both time and energy; students do not
automatically have good study skills, discipline, or motivation.' (p. 375)"
Reference
Collis, B. (1998). New didactics for university instruction: Why and how?
Computers & Education, 31, 4, 373-393.
Brent Muirhead D.Min., Ph.D.
Area Chair, MAED Curriculum & Technology
University of Phoenix Online
bmuirhead@email.uophx.edu
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