Nichole Scheutzow

Teaching Online Courses

Spring 2017
Online Teaching Style

My teaching style most closely relates to the roles of Facilitator and Personal Model
based on my teaching experience and the results of the Teaching Style Survey. I model art
techniques often during my Studio art classes and expect my AP Art History students to play an
active role in the learning process by allowing them to research and discover information
through flipped instruction. I have found that these approaches facilitate active student learning
and engage students more in the learning process, which leads to greater retention of
information and techniques than simply listening to a daily lecture and taking notes.

Top5TipsfortheOnlineFacilitator&PersonalModelInstructor
1.)Relationshipsbetweenstudentsandinstructors
Good relationships between students and the instructor are important in a classroom in
order to create a more nurturing supportive environment. It is important to develop relationships
in a classroom by allowing students the opportunities to interact. (Headly, 2005) Students are
more receptive and open to learning when they can connect with other students and with the
instructor. When the instructor is approachable, students feel more comfortable asking
questions and confiding in them when they need help. In my actual classroom, I have an open
door policy and offer help to students after school and during study halls. I also encourage
students to email me frequently to ask questions. In the online environment as a
facilitator/model instructor, I would introduce myself through a class discussion and encourage
students to do the same to set the tone for a supportive classroom environment. I would offer
support and encouragement and actively respond to emails throughout the semester.

2.)ClassDiscussions

The facilitator should encourage the participants to introduce themselves, to help build
the sense of community. Reinforcing and modeling good discussant behaviors, such as by
saying, "Thank You" to students who respond effectively online, can be helpful to encourage
courtesy and interaction. (Berge, 2005) Class discussions foster an environment of active
student learning. In order to have a good discussion, students need to feel like their opinion is
valued so that they feel comfortable participating in an open forum. Posting engaging weekly
discussion topics and clear expectations about participation keep students held accountable but
also helps to include the class in the conversation. Facilitator Instructors should engage in the
discussion and model good posts for students to see. They can also post feedback and
encouraging advice to students throughout the online discussion process.
3.)Feedback&Communication
Giving students feedback in a timely manner is an important part of any class to keep
students motivated and moving in the right direction. Instructors can foster communication by
giving timely feedback on completed assignments, responding to written questions,
communicating requirements, and informing students when they will be away. (Bailey & Card,
2009) Online, it is especially important for an instructor to provide feedback to students because
they do not receive face to face interaction. Giving feedback as a facilitator could include giving
advice for an online assignment and also making suggestions for things the student could add
or do differently. Posting announcements for an online or face to face class helps students feel
more connected to the instructor. I post things on Google Classroom daily to give my students
reminders about assignments or just to encourage and compliment them for all their hard work.
Posting announcements and communicating with students in a timely manner would facilitate a
healthy online classroom environment.

4.)StudentCenteredLearning
Online courses are unique in the way that the role of the teacher changes into a more
coaching and mentoring role. This results in a bottom-up knowledge student led approach that
is similar to flipped instruction in the classroom. (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010) When students are
personally invested in the learning process, they become better learners. My AP Art History
students tell me they retain information so much better in my class because I dont lecture or
talk at them, I include them in the discussion and talk with them. I facilitate and model flipped
instruction in my face to face teaching, where I have students do the homework/research for the
artworks we are going to talk about the night before we discuss them in class. For the online
instructor, this method could take many forms. Students could post discussion responses
based on scholarly articles or responses to artworks. Students could participate in a blog
posting their research based opinions. Often, I will have students work together in groups on a
topic and create a Google Slides presentation with their findings.

5.)SetthePace
Expect more and you will get more. Expecting students to perform well becomes a
self-fulfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions hold high expectations for themselves and
make extra efforts. (Chickering & Gamson, 1989 ) Part of having high expectations means
setting the pace early on in the course and creating guidelines and a schedule for students to
meet. In my AP Art History class, I give students a weekly schedule with daily activities,
homework, art topics of discussion, and deadlines for assignments. As an online instructor, I
would create a weekly schedule to facilitate students and help them stay on track. As an online
student, it is also nice to see a course overview in the syllabus briefly describing the projects.
This helps students feel more organized and accomplished as they complete each task.
 References

Bailey, C. J., & Card, K. A. (2009). Effective pedagogical practices for online teaching:
Perception of experienced instructors. The Internet and Higher Education, 12(3-4), 152-155.
doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.08.002

Berge, Z.L. (1995). Facilitating Computer Conferencing: Recommendations From the Field.
Educational Technology. 35(1) 22-30

Boettcher, J.V. and Conrad R.M. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide. Jossey-Bass.
San-Francisco, CA.

Chickering, A. W. and Gamson, Z. F. (1989), Seven principles for good practice in

undergraduate education. Biochem. Educ., 17: 140141. doi:10.1016/0307-4412(89)90094-0

Headley, S. 2005. Five roles I play in online courses. Innovate 2 (1).

http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=78 (accessed March 13, 2017)

King, A. (1993). From Sage on the Stage to Guide on the Side. College Teaching, 41(1), 30-35.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27558571