The Online Classroom – A Teacher’s Perspective

In a recent commentary in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Gena Grecco, an English professor with both on-campus and online experience, explains the differences and nuances between the two, and how the online classroom can be just as rewarding—and in some ways even more so—than the traditional classroom.

The students
In online classes, students tend to be older, multicultural, and have work and family commitments. Many are in the military or have a spouse enlisted. Many are single mothers. Some see an online degree as the only format that allows them to achieve their goal of a higher education.

Far apart, yet close
In an online class, students and professors can literally be hundreds of miles away from each other. It’s important to establish a common ground and supportive arena early on. Students need to feel comfortable not just with the professor but with the other students in the class as well. A sense of community is an important component in successful online learning.

Choosing words carefully
Without the benefit of tone, facial expression, and body language, communication takes on a whole new light and can be challenging at times.

- Give careful consideration to word choice so that meanings aren’t misinterpreted and when in doubt, use parentheses for clarity. “It is amazing how even an emoticon like ‘:)’ at the end of an e-mail message can defuse a tense situation,” says Grecco.

- Online conversation, particularly in live chats or discussion forums, doesn’t necessarily have to be proper, and in fact sometimes the most engaging conversations occur when you write the way you speak. Use bold, italics, and even online lingo like “LOL” to relate the feelings behind your words.

Getting personal
In order to parallel the support one might find on campus, it helps when students and professors share aspects of their lives that are not class-related but that may affect their success in class.

Read more of Grecco's insights here:
Teaching Online: 2 Perspectives - A Reaffirmation of Why I Became an Educator (Subscription Required)

Comments

[writing a dissertation]

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[Sanket Panchal]

Ya these are the main advantages of the online study & so today is is became favorable among the students..