Methodologies of the Online Instructor

My current teaching methodologies are quite traditional.  I was trained at a Sacramento area university in a face-to-face cohort.  When I took courses outside my cohort classes, they were in large lecture halls for the most part.  When we worked with technology and computers, the learning tasks were very guided and teacher-paced.  I have learned many of my teaching strategies for direct teaching (such as classroom management, student placement, wait time, lecturing, group work, note-taking) within this context.


However, I am quite determined to deliver the best and most modern teaching I can to my students. So, I take risks. Within my district, I have involved myself in learning about online and blended learning.  I am taking this class currently to learn more (and to interact as a student) about online learning. I am the Webmaster at my site...and signed on as a Tech Liaison at the beginning of last school year. I have taught Basic Computers the last 3 years. I have attended several training workshops on SMART software, as well as for using online tools. I interact with my students on a regular basis using Edmodo, Google Docs, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I am involved in two different teacher groupings - one called CTE (California Teaching Excellence) and another multi-month pod through SCOE for using Flipped Learning for the Common Core Standards. In both, we create, collaborate, and share ideas for using technology to improve our teaching and bolster student achievement. I have created several online content videos for my kids to access.

When I think about how my methodologies need to change in an online or blended learning environment, I do realize that I need to continue to take risks and participate in opportunities for me to grow within the area of technology. I would like to learn more about how to deliver content to students and interact in an online format.

I do see challenges that I hope I can overcome. Although I have access with technology, some of my students do not.  There are elements to online and blended learning that are not conducive to students without means.  But, I can be a self-advocate for my students and keep my eyes open for opportunities or try to raise money for resources.

This coming year, I would like to build on some skills and strategies to boost the amount of blended teaching and learning within my classroom. I will be working on more videos with my students - and especially thinking of ways they can access them more easily if they do not have online access at home. I would like to see other classrooms where teachers are interacting with technology within a rotational model. Lastly, I would like to try introducing my students (and myself) to a virtual online learning portal. It would be nice to expose them to more learning outside the traditional model they are so used to.