A guide to the best practices for asynchronous delivery of online education

Best Practices #2: Instructor as Facilitator
 

The role of the instructor is as facilitator, not lecturer, as exemplified by the following best practices:

 

Prepares Students

As demonstrated by: Posts a welcome note and sends out email prior to start of class; lists clear expectations; establishes goals and objectives for classroom. Provides overview of the entire course and information on navigating through the online environment.

 

Offers Guidance and Support

As demonstrated by: Creates a roadmap that presents students with a visual representation of all the elements they have to put together, including the course documents that they should look at, the assignments they have to complete, and the discussion topics they have to respond to. Includes links to additional resources online. Offers several means of contacting instructor with expected response time.

 

Gives Feedback

As demonstrated by: Provides timely responses. Responds to student postings and assignments with positive commentary and recommendations for additional discussion. Posts supportive information and documents. Creates a non-threatening forum for publicly posted questions or private inquiries.

 

Promotes Active Learning

As demonstrated by: Constructs activities to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills including collaborative exercises, discussions that encourage qualitative feedback from other students. Keep learners actively engaged.

 

Models Behavior Expected from Students

As demonstrated by: Posts instructor biographical information to begin the introduction assignment. Joins in discussion board postings with thoughtful comments and stimulating questions to further the dialogue. Provides questions to encourage, stimulate and direct student discussion. Supplies individual document sharing. Is present in discussion forum minimum of 5 of 7 days without missing two days in a row.

 

Stimulates Interaction

As demonstrated by: Encourages communication between students and students and teacher and students through creation of numerous discussion boards, listing of email addresses, main chatrooms, private group areas, journals, dropboxes, and linksharing areas.

 

Connects Course Content with Real-World Experiences

As demonstrated by: Assignments tailored to applicable student backgrounds. Ensures that the course material is relevant and projects relate to student experiences. Allows for presentation of opposing perspectives. Provides choices in culminating projects taking advantage of different student areas of strengths such as writing, designing, and researching.

 

Teaches Through Facilitation, Not Lecture

As demonstrated by: Introduces students to a variety of multimedia sources including web links, textbooks, articles, research sources, PowerPoint, virtual chatroom presentations, discussion board postings, videos, audios, and documents. 		 
 
Introduction

Best Practice #1
Best Practice #2
Best Practice #3
Conclusion
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