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Online Instructor Staff Guide

Staff Guide Information

Contents
This guide provides detailed documentation of the expectations of the district online program concerning online instructors roles and responsibilities.

1: Role of the Instructor

Competencies Forming Relationships Challenges 3 4 5

2. Guidelines for Communication

Setting Norms Norm Activity Example Faculty Response to Students Student Response to Faculty Inquire Faculty Feedback Regarding Assignments 6 7 8 8 8

3. Syllabus Expectations
Introduction Requirements and Expectations Expectations for Grade Reporting 9 10 12

4. Resources to Support Students

Online Resources 13

5. References

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Role of the Instructor

Top Ten Competencies for Development for an Online Instructor
1. Effective Syllabus 2. Develop Community 3. Teach how to be an Online Student 4. Incorporate Students Lives into the Course 5. Give Power and Control to the Learner Become a Facilitator of Knowledge Development 6. Prompt Feedback and Communication 7. Translate Content to Online Delivery 8. Be Informed Concerning Technological Advances, Trends and Issues. 9. Use Best Practices in Online Learning 10. Provide Opportunities for Reflection, Critical Analysis and Student Feedback

Competencies
Instructors and distance learning programs in higher education must truly understand the learner's needs, understand how they learn, and be willing to embrace critical competencies of the online instructor. Instructors must focus on relationship building and forming a sense of community, engaging the students not only with the course content but with their peers as well, and challenging their students to take part in a community building process (Paloff &Pratt, 2009). Competency is defined for the purpose of distance education instructors, as: involves a related set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable a person to effectively perform the activities of a given occupation or function in such a way that meets or exceeds the standards expected in a particular profession or work setting (Richey, et. al, 2001). There is tremendous growth in studies related to online instructor competencies for distance teaching (Abdulla, 2004). The search for the reasons why the high attrition and dropout rate of online learners is encouraging such research (Paloff & Pratt, 2004). Connors (n.d.) supports the concept of relationship building as a key factor of online instructor competencies and states that good mentors are enthusiastic and takes the time to interact with their students; share personal experiences and relate to the learner in a flexible way.

Role of the Instructor

Helpful Hints for Building Relationships
Instructors of these online classes need to have means to create a welcome learning environment and foster positive relationships. Understanding the learners skills with technology is imperative to avoiding unnecessary frustration and assisting the learners to navigate successfully within the online environment (Conrad & Donaldson, 2004). Palloff and Pratt (2003) establish seven key components of distance learning that instructors can foster and focus on. These consist of: access to skills, openness to share personally, communication skills, commitment, collaboration, reflection, and flexibility (2003). Levine (2005) suggests that there are several responsibilities of the person hosting the learning. Whether they are referred as learner facilitator, mentor, teacher, or educator, this person has the responsibility to be an active participant within the distance learners process. These responsibilities include: knowing who your students are, asserting a level of control of the class, and balancing out the learning environment between educational opportunities and technology (2005). Varvel (2001) identify six skills to develop within the distance learner to increase success and they are: time management skills, discipline and motivation, sense of community, communication, technology skills, and access, either due to technical issues or through disability accessibility conditions.

Positive Relationships 1. Send a Welcome Email reach out to the learner 2. Encourage sharing of personal experiences 3. Determine the learners technology competency 4. Offer Resources to struggling students 5. Have an Open Digital Door policy

Role of the Instructor

Challenges
Initial challenges for both the instructor and the student of an e-learning classroom are how to engage each other through a technology-based medium. Setting up norms and appropriate methods of communication is a foundation of forming that sense of belonging and community where participants, both instructors and pupils, feel welcome, appreciated and open to learn together (Conrad & Donaldson, 2004). How to set this up successfully takes work from the instructor and a commitment from the students. Collaborative learning through technology is a process of appropriation, which is defined as a process where both students and teacher have an active role in creating the learning environment with their earlier knowledge and ideas (Vesisenaho, Valtonen, Kukkonen, Havu-Nuutinen, Harikainen, &Karkkainen, 2010, p. 273). Because of this, the opening week of a class is critical to get to know each other quickly, know the rules of engagement and expectations. Ice Breaker activities are a good method to crack open the means of cold communication that technology often fosters and allow the participants to have bonding experiences with each other. These activities can also allow the participants to recognize they are no longer in a regional learning environment but a part of a global learning community. Authentic learning at a global level allows the distance learner to make connections to their own lives.

Ice Breakers Breaking Through for form Connections

Personal Emails Audio files Skype Discussion Thread Activities Phone Meetings Students Introduce Each other Discussion of Geographic locations By any means, communicate, communicate, and communicate!

Guidelines for Communication

Having students participate in Setting Norms for Communication
As stressed earlier in this guide, relationships are the foundation for successful interaction and may even help in the retention of online students as current statistics show that the dropout rates can be 10-20% higher in online programs than their traditional counterparts (Lewis, 2010). The users may be in large cities, remote villages, in restrictive countries, the need to address cultural barriers or concerns while constructing the learning is evident . Certain countries political beliefs and control may pose barriers for students from their areas to successfully interact with the course (Sadykova & Dautermann, 2009). Kurubacak (2011) suggests that culture then, can be more of a source of conflict than synergy and educational institutions should have more of a focus of the idea of pluralism and this should be recognized during norm development. Pluralism in e-Learning can be defined as a class with participants from diverse ethnic, racial, religious and social groups maintain participation in and development of their traditions and special interests while working together with other students toward the completion and understanding of course materials. Institutions then should construct courses which the background and circumstances of learners can be determined and the class norms can reflect the need of diverse

group norm formation can create buy-in and a sense of ownership...try a wordle!

The authors of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University (2009) stated that pluralism is the:

Energetic engagement with diversity Active seeking of understanding across lines of difference Encounter of commitments Based on dialogue

With these four components in mind, institutions can form learning communities that share their commonalities and differences and work together for a global understanding of materials and cultures. Institutions should address the online program from a needs standpoint when looking at fee structures and out of state tuition to ensure fairness between traditional and online learners who are at a distance (Paloff & Pratt, 2003). Institutions should reflect on their online program effectiveness through complete evaluations of the program which includes educational measurement, assessment, and evaluation (Levine, 2005).
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students and instructors.

Guidelines for Communication

Example Norm Activity:

The group will develop norms that they agree upon to complete high-level collaborative work later in the class. The groups will be from 6-8 participants and they will participate both synchronously and asynchronously to complete the assignment. The group will individually list a few suggestions of group norms and post them in a threaded discussion. Each person is required to add the group learning moment through the discussions. The group will read the thread and in a synchronous discussion, they will then pick five key norms for their team to focus on and set these rules of engagement. Goals/Objectives: Students will set groups norms for communication in the group collaborative activities in an online setting. Collaborative Learning: Small Group Interaction. Recommended Experience Level Learner Beginner and up Facilitator- Moderate and up Mode: Synchronous and Asynchronous Time Required: Two to four days for full evolution. Materials: Team threaded discussion board or full-class discussion board depending on size. E-mail access learner to facilitator/facilitator to learner for questions and final submission. Process: Learners will receive there group assignments and instructions for the activity. Learners will post in the threaded discussion area, five key ideas about norms for the team and appropriate rules of engagement for the collaborative activity. In a synchronous team activity, the group will decide on five key norms they will submit for final admission to the facilitator. Facilitator Notes: Facilitators make and assign groups for this activity. Facilitators provide the threaded discussion area.
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Guidelines for Communication

It is Your Responsibility Faculty Response to Students
All communications must be responded to within 24 hours. If additional research or time is needed for a resolution, this should be put in the response. Regardless of the initiator, other staff member, administration, student, outside vender, a response is required within 24 hours and a resolution should be given within 72 hours of initial contact. If the instructor not available, a secondary support staff should be made available and the appropriate out of office notification with details of the return is also expected.

to initiate communication, respond in an appropriate time, contact students who you are concerned with,

Students Response to Faculty

A standard 24 hour response time is part of our norms at this institutions. Students and other faculty members should adhere to this policy.

Feedback for Assignments

Each faculty member is responsible for making initial contact with their learners before the class begins and should include this expectation in the email. Due dates are set by the pacing and planning for the course and should be followed. Communications of late assignments from the students should be saved as with all communications with students. It is left to instructor discretion for urgent situations. Feedback on assignments is also covered in detail under Syllabus Expectations within this guide.

maintain the well-being of the class including monitoring discussions and discipline, communicate all expectations, objectives, values and resources for your course.

Syllabus Expectations

Introduction
It is required that the online instructor reads the institutions enrollment and student expectations to ensure that they know what is expected of the student. With this in mind the instructor must use the template for the course provided by the institution. The instructor should keep in mind the five key questions when developing a syllabus to make sure that the course is student centered and the instructor is in the facilitator of knowledge, not a keeper of the knowledge mode of interacting. The institution has resources for students to access the online library, grading systems, and technical support. It is helpful to echo these practices within your syllabus as support to the students. When developing the syllabus, consider that high quality instruction means that each faculty member is aware of the complexities of the online adult learner and is familiar with the institutions mission and vision. The online faculty member must know the importance of the creation of community and relationship building within their course and work to understand the online learner as an individual (Schwiebert, 2008). The online learner has many complexities and the more the faculty member interacts to understand the learner and their motivations become clear, the better the chance of success for the learner (Styer, 2007).

Five Key Questions to Ask Yourself When Developing a Syllabus 1. What do people need to learn? 2. What is the best way for them to learn this: informal, self-paced, leader-led, performance support or blended? 3. How will I effectively communicate with the learner? 4. What are the potential pitfalls using technology? 5. How will the I evaluate success?
Adapted from (Broadbent, 2002, p. 90)

Syllabus Expectations

Requirements and Expectations

It is required that the online instructor follows the institution syllabus template provided at the instructor orientation. The following is required to be on the syllabus: Course Description Complete overview of broad-scope topics of the course with implications for the content area of study, global impact, and critical success factors for the course. Learning ObjectivesUsing the modified Blooms Taxonomy for the 21st century learner, http://www.schrockguide.net/bloominapps.html Focus on higher level concepts and how traditional learning objectives can be adapted to the online environment. Schrock (2012), has many helpful online suggestions on her site. The objectives will tie to each activity and target instruction. Key Course ConceptsCourse concepts will give a high-level overview of the activities that contribute to the overall grade of the course. Resources, Materials and Supplies A complete list of text books, linked resources, materials and consumable supplies must be made available to the student before the class begins.

Five Key Questions to Ask Yourself When Developing a Syllabus 1. What do people need to learn? 2. What is the best way for them to learn this: informal, self-paced, leader-led, performance support or blended? 3. How will I effectively communicate with the learner? 4. What are the potential pitfalls using technology? 5. How will the I evaluate success?
Adapted from (Broadbent, 2002, p. 90)

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Syllabus Expectations

Detailed Activity Descriptions The expanded details of each activity, associated objective, and requirements must be provided at the beginning of the course. If threaded discussions, group discussions are in the design, these should be set up before the course begins to avoid technical issues. General Course Requirements The following will be provided by the institutions and will consist of pre-formatted information regarding: Course Credit Participation Requirements Technology Survey, Pre-, and Post Assignment Submission Schedules Schedule for course Academic PolicyIncluding Academic Dishonesty Protocol Associated Course Grading Rubric Additional Institution Information Library Tour Technical Support Academic Advisor Resources Counseling Resources Informational Support Student Orientation It is also a requirement that you incorporate a student orientation or summary of expectations for the course within the first week. This can take may forms and should be a prerequisite for the student to begin the first graded activity. This will spiral the concepts and resources the institution has.
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Syllabus Expectations

Expectations for Grade Reporting

Student feedback on assignments should be giving within 72 hours for asynchronous projects. Synchronous activities should be posted in the grading area within 48 hours upon completion of the activity. Uploading final grades needs to be completed within 48 hours from the final course closing date to ensure appropriate posting through the transcript system. The value of online learning comes from quality feedback from the instructor that is timely (Berg, 2008). Providing timely feedback is a critical success factor of online instructors (Abdous, 2010). This engagement often motivates and engages the students, especially when given in a friendly and conventional tone (2010). Specific feedback reinforces the demands, goals, and expectations of the course and allows the students to reflect and make proper adjustments for future assignments. Abdous (2010) states that it is important for the instructor to reach out to the students and get feedback from them concerning the course and appropriately and promptly address any concerns. Williams (2006) reported that providing grades and feedback were essential with online instruction.

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Resources for Online Instructors

Resources for Online Instructors

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/07/07/open-online-resources-for -online-instructors/

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/07/07/open-online-resources-for-online-instructors/

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/07/07/open-online-resources-for-online-instructors/

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/CUOnline/FacultyResources/additionalResources/Handbook/ Pages/Handbook2009.aspx

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/CUOnline/FacultyResources/additionalResources/Handbook/ Pages/Handbook2009.aspx

http://www.diigo.com/list/wiredinstructor/online-intructor-toolkit

http://www.uis.edu/colrs/learning/gettingstarted/copy.html

http://www.dmoz.org/Reference/Education/Distance_Learning/ Online_Teaching_and_Learning/Instructors_Resources/

http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/index.page

http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/index.page
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References

References
Abdous, M. (2011). A process-oriented framework for acquiring online teaching competencies. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 23(1), 60-77. doi: 10.1007/s12528-010-9040-5 Abdulla, A. G. (2004). Distance learning students' perceptions of the online instructor roles and competencies. The Florida State University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 166 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/305185937?accountid=28180 Boling, E. C., Hough, M. M., Krinsky, H. H., Saleem, H. H., & Stevens, M. M. (2012). Cutting the distance I n distance education: Perspectives on what promotes positive, online learning experiences. Internet & Higher Education, 15(2), 118-126. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.11.006 Berge, Z. L. (2008). Changing instructor's roles in virtual worlds. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 9(4), 407-414. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/231200340? accountid=28180 Broadbent, B. (2002). ABCs of e-Learning: reaping the benefits and avoiding the pitfalls. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer. Connors, S. (n.d.). Assessing mentor characteristics in an online course. Retrieved from 4AssessingOnlineCharacteristics.pdf Northcentral University at http://learners.ncu.edu/CourseRoom/Default.aspx?course_code=EL7004&learner_course_id=213818 Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2004). Engaging the online learner: activities and resources for creative instruction. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass. Jackson, L. C., Jones, S. J., & Rodriguez, R. C. (2010). Faculty actions that result in student satisfaction in online courses. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14(4), 78-96. Retrieved from http:// ehis.ebscohost.com Kurubacak, G. (2011). eLearning for Pluralism: The Culture of eLearning in Building a Society. International Journal on E-Learning, 10(2), 145-167. Knowledge

Levine, S. J. (2005). Making distance education work: understanding learning and learners at a distance. Okemos, Mich.: LearnerAssociates.net. Lewis, G. S. (2010). I would have had more success if . . . : Student reflections on their performance in online and blended courses. American Journal of Business Education, 3(11), 13-21. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/818558735?accountid=28180 Liu, J. (2012). Schema Theory and Its Instructional Applications on EFL. US-China Foreign Language, 10 (2), 915-920.
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References

References (continued)
Maeroff, G. I. (2003). A classroom of one: how online learning is changing our schools and colleges. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Oliver, R. ( (n.d.)). Developing online learning environments that support knowledge construction. Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2003). The virtual student: a profile and guide to working with online learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Reeves, T., Herrington, J., & Oliver, R (2004). Authentic activities and online learning HERDSA Richey, R. C., Fields, D. C., & Foxon, M. (with Roberts, R. C., Spannaus, T. & Spector, J. M.) (2001). "Instructional design competencies: The standards" (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology. Sadykova, G., & Dautermann, J. (2009). Crossing Cultures and Borders in International Online Distance Higher Education. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 13(2), 89-114. Schwiebert, R. L. (2008). The impact of a community-building component on student performance, learning depth, and student satisfaction in online courses. Western Carolina University. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/89205790? accountid=28180 Schrock, K. (2012). Kathy Schrocks guide to everything, Blooms revised taxonomy. Retrieved from http:// www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html Smith, T. (2005). Fifty-one competencies for online instruction. Retrieved from 451ComptetenciesOnline.pdf http://learners.ncu.edu/CourseRoom/ Default.aspx?course_code=EL7004&learner_course_id=213818 Styer, A. J. (2007). A grounded meta-analysis of adult learner motivation in online learning from the perspective of the learner. Capella University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 147 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304723729?accountid=28180

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References

References (continued)
Varvel, V. (2001, March/April). Facilitating every student in an online course. Retrieved March 15, 2012 from http://learners.ncu.edu/CourseRoom/Default.aspx? course_code=EL7004&learner_course_id=213818 Vesisenaho, M., Valtonen, T., Kukkonen, J., Havu-Nuutinen, S., Harikainen, A., & Karkkainen, S. (2010). Blended learning with everyday technologies to activate students' collaborative learning. Science Education International, 21(4), pp. 272-283. Retrieved August 24, 2011, from http:// www.eric.ed.gov/ Watkins, R. (2005). 75 e-learning activities: making online learning interactive. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Williams, F. D. (2006). An examination of competencies, roles, and professional development needs of community college distance educators who teach mathematics. University of Central Florida). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 208 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/ docview/304942913?accountid=28180 Wilson, J. (2008). Reflecting on the future: a chronological consideration of reflective practice. Reflective Practice, 9(2), 177-184.

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