Effective Online Educators

A foundational strategy of all instruction, especially online instruction, is the idea that in order to hold students accountable for their actions, teachers must first clearly explain their expectations and provide support to their learners to meet those expectations. If teachers cannot adequately explain what their students are supposed to do and help them do it, then they cannot blame their students for not meeting those ambiguous goals.

As is often the case, this is easier said than done. Sometimes teachers fall into the trap of assuming that students already know how to behave and act in class, but explicit instruction on expectations and behavior is necessary, and not just in the first days of school. This article, Fun Ways to Teach Classroom Expectations, from the staff at Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, states, “Behavior inside and out of the classroom can be consistently positive when you devote time to teaching expectations.”

Teachers cannot make assumptions about students’ prior knowledge. As Kelly Goodrich points out in this NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) blog, The Importance of Setting Classroom and Student Expectations, “In many instances, students have incorrect conceptions of what they are learning, why they are learning it, and what quality work looks like.” The clearer teachers can be with students about what success looks like, the easier it will be to get them there.

In any learning environment, especially virtual learning environments, students should be taught what mastery looks like in both quantity and quality. When a teacher has quantity expectations, students should be told how much work they are required to complete or how much time they are expected to be logged in to meet their goals. With quality expectations, students should be shown what acceptable resources look like and what constitutes quality effort.

When setting clear expectations, it is best for teachers to choose goals for which students can keep track. Dashboard data inside SchoolsPLP helps teachers set realistic goals and aids students in tracking progress towards those goals. Helpful student dashboard data includes time spent working per day or per week (login sessions or minutes worked), the number of lessons successfully completed or mastered on the first attempt, average scores, pacing information, pace dates, and the frequency of two-way communication between students and teachers.

The idea that students can be dropped into an online course with little to no direction and then figure out how to succeed may work for some learners, but it is by no means the most effective approach. Each teacher must develop his or her own expectations for what success looks like in the digital learning environment and clearly communicate those expectations to students while providing adequate support; only then can students be held accountable.

A final thought about clear expectations from Ben Brearley of Thoughtful Leader in his article, Can’t Hold People Accountable? Here’s Why , “If you never tell your people what you expect, then expect to be disappointed.”

A common pitfall in online instruction is the belief that students who participate in online learning have less need for teacher contact than other learning methods. Expecting an English teacher to teach students Algebra in the traditional classroom is not an idea most educators would call a best practice. In the same way, we should not expect a teacher who does not have course content knowledge to teach students in an online environment. The current state of education (specifically the teacher shortage) means that many schools must find creative ways to make do. This is certainly understandable; however, when given a choice, educators should make their best effort to ensure students have the most knowledgeable instructor to present new information and supervise their learning.

While part of any online learning program is independent learning, that is still only one part of the learning process. Students still need exposure to highly qualified content experts who can assess and personalize each student’s learning. In this NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) news bulletin, Knowing What We Teach and Teaching What We Know, Glenda Lappan states that not only does a teacher’s content knowledge “...[affect] how we interpret the content goals we are expected to reach with our students,” but also “... our ability to explain clearly and to ask good questions.”

Previewing SchoolsPLP course content is a great way to build familiarity with the subject matter. Many SchoolsPLP courses include Course Resource folders containing items like teacher guides, pacing guides, and suggested answer keys. Reviewing these resources is a great way to enhance content knowledge.

To share a related anecdote, I have a memory from high school of a teacher who lacked both content knowledge and clear expectations. Ms. Wilkenson was our women’s swim coach who was drafted to take over our teacherless computer programming class. It was obvious she knew nothing about computer programming so her “teaching” was reading the programming exercises directly from the textbook while students stumbled along on the computer. My friends and I figured out we could work from the book faster than she could read aloud, so we forged ahead until we got caught. Instead of supporting our small group of self-starters she scolded us. I spoke up, so she sent me to the office.

In retrospect, the issue was not so much her lack of content knowledge, as it was her lack of expectations. While I have more empathy for her today after being in the classroom myself, it still isn’t clear to me what she expected. I had expectations to learn computer programming with help from my teacher, and I assume she had expectations about what she wanted her students to do. Since those expectations were not clearly conveyed in either direction, the learning environment was not effective for either of us.

Just as with content knowledge, strong technical knowledge, or the willingness to gain that knowledge, is also imperative. This may include learning simple topics like how to log in and how to find usernames or passwords or more advanced topics like helping students understand their dashboard data or how to navigate through courses and submit assignments. In an article entitled, A Balancing Act Part I: Technical Support and the Online Instructor, Jennifer Shamsy points out many of the ways a student might ask a teacher for technical support, and then follows with a rhetorical question: “Is any of this really my responsibility?” The simple answer is, yes! Shamsy states this more elaborately: “By reducing technical difficulties and barriers through support mechanisms, learners are free to fully participate in the online educational experience and focus their efforts on the tasks of engaging, collaborating, and learning.”

SchoolsPLP offers several ways for teachers to increase their technical knowledge. A comprehensive knowledge base is accessible and filled with how-to articles, helpful videos, and step-by-step guides to tackle simple FAQ’s as well as advanced features. Monthly PLC webinars are conducted live with a rotating menu of topics and are recorded for teachers to view at a later date. There are also a variety of opportunities for one-on-one, small group, or large group trainings. Whether it’s a new user training or a quick chat, the dedicated and knowledgeable SchoolsPLP support and training staff, who are all former educators, can help any teacher navigate the increasing demands of modern digital learning.

In summary, setting clear expectations and increasing our content and technological knowledge translates into increased success in our virtual classrooms. Taking time to consider how we can develop these traits and implement small steps to improve them can push us further towards becoming more effective online educators.

Watch the video: Clear Expectations & Gaining Knowledge.
Then take the quiz for the PD certificate here!