Reflection on Methods for Online Teaching and Learning

Credit: A. Sahid

What a whorl-wind it has been!!! My journey through EDU-654 was a positive one. There is so much information that I have picked up on and so much information I have already applied to my online courses I teach now. Here is a short post on some of the things I have learned through my jouney in "Methods for Online Teaching and Learning".

What were key concepts and skills I learned?

One of the things I learned during the semester was the importance of instructor presence in the online setting. During one of my assignments, I was tasked (with other group members) to create a "Module" on "Keys to Exceptional Online Teaching". Through the creation of this module, I learned the key importance of online presence in the classroom. I already knew that I needed to be present in the course, but until I created that module, I did not realize the importance of being present in ALL aspects of a course. This means being present in discussions, the material, the feedback, and even in the announcements. It is essential that the online instructor go above and beyond in the online classroom in order to show the students that they are supported. I found this so important... that I have already started being more present in the courses I teach now. I have made sure to make feedback more personal and to "show" myself in announcements and lessons more often. While I have not done everything I wanted to do, I am adding more and more to my classes as the term progresses. This is something I think will serve me and my students in the online classes I teach.

Another thing I learned, and this is probably the most important thing I have learned, is that there is not one correct way to approach online teaching and learning. There are so many ways to develop a course, an assignment, an announcement, etc. This means that I must remember to keep learning techniques and keep providing new ways of learning for my students. I cannot get into a "rut" and keep doing the same thing, semester after semester. It is essential that I keep learning, adapting, and moving forward. It is the best thing for me and for my students.

How Does My Learning Apply to my Current Work?  

As a stated above, my current work is benefiting from all of the skills that I have developed during the semester. I have been actively working to improve my courses to create better outcomes for my students. I have been prepping for adding even more tools to courses I teach in the coming semesters. I think that I have been able to actively apply tools I have learned in the course in order to improve the learning experiences for all of my students.

Wrap Up

While I have a ways to go in becoming an excellent online instructor, I think that this course has provided a lot of tools to give me a wonderful jump start on the process. I have learned a lot of information that I am happy to take on through to my courses in my professional setting and I am looking forward to gaining even more tools as I continue on through my program. I am so happy to be learning so many new things in this wonderful program.