Before you make up your mind about teaching online, consider this...

This past Spring semester of 2020 was the first time many educators taught online. While it was not the introduction to online education I would have wanted for them, it was necessary and unavailable due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is still currently sweeping across the world. I am thrilled to know that some people were actually pleasantly surprised with their teaching online experiences. While it was not easy, it was not as difficult as they thought it would be. Some people had been so averse to teaching online that without a strong impetus to try it, they may have never ventured to learn more about it. On the other hand, there is an overwhelmingly larger percentage of people I know who had a terrible experience and have used that experience to give credence to their already held beliefs that online education is difficult, cumbersome and ineffective. If you are one of those people, I'd love for you to consider a few things before you make up your mind about teaching online.

First, it is important to note that there is a difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Many faculty members who were made to "move their course online" in a hurry were engaging in emergency remote instruction and did not have the time, resources or support necessary to engage in genuine online instruction. If this was your first time teaching online, know that this is not the typical process for delivering a course online. For obvious reasons, the appropriate infrastructure needed to deliver a quality online course was not afforded to us this past semester, but that does not mean that we can not move forward in a positive way. By following the basics of course design, course delivery and course management you can develop a quality online course that is enjoyable for both you and your students. 

Second, students and faculty walking into an online course from the beginning of the semester have a very different outlook and frame of mind for what to expect. When both parties, however, expected to engage in a face-to-face course and then are confronted with a change to those expectations, various levels of vulnerability arise. Students are no longer confident in their abilities to adapt and learn and faculty are equally unconfident in their abilities to adapt and teach in this new mode of instruction. The focus is not only on the content but on communication and delivery barriers that might exist. Concerns about academic integrity and assessment strategies must also be addressed. These types of challenges can sour any experience and should not be used to make a sweeping determination about the effectiveness of online education.

Thirdly, we must remember the underlying cause of this disruption which led to the need for the move to online instruction. The COVID-19 pandemic took us all by surprise and not only were there disruptions in work and school schedules but there were financial, medical and psychological consequences as well. The ability to focus on anything other than the rising number of cases, the rising death toll and the rising unemployment rate was near impossible. The concerns around having enough food, household supplies and access to care became a priority over preparing a well written paper or a well-designed lesson plan. 

I know that all of these factors were out of our control, but one thing that is within our control is what we can do moving forward. If you had a bad experience teaching online this semester, don't use that as an excuse to write off online education completely. Explore different opportunities for professional development and learn why so many of us (present company included!) LOVE the world of online education!

If you would like to learn more about how you can develop a successful online course join me for my  UPCOMING FREE MASTERCLASS

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