Effective Ways to Facilitate Learning in the Online College Classroom
If you had to name the most difficult professor you have ever had, who would roll off your tongue? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤬🤬🤬 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Okay…I’m back! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Now, let me be clear. I am not referring to that professor who made you earn your grade, had very high standards, and pushed you out of your comfort zone. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I am talking about that professor who delighted in being the horror story on campus, the one who seemingly enjoyed making students squirm, toss and turn, drop and roll for a passing grade. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Strangely, that professor probably patted himself or herself on the back after each class not realizing that he or she had missed the mark. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The goal of anyone who instructs should be to become a “master facilitator”…period. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To facilitate means to make an action or process easy or easier. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The litmus test of a REAL educator, trainer, instructor, or coach is how well he or she can visualize a concept, action, or process and then break it down so that one with less experience, less knowledge, less expertise can understand it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As you teach online courses, you will have to work harder to be a master facilitator but you can do it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Examine these four areas of your course: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1️⃣ Mode of Delivery ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2️⃣ Instructional Elements ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3️⃣ Guidance Practices ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 4️⃣ Community Connections ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Focus on how you can make learning online less difficult and you will find yourself “facilitating.” ⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remember, teaching is a service profession so when you give to your students in this way, you will receive warm fuzzies that compel you to get better and better. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The better you are, the better they shall be.😊
Watch this mini-workshop to learn the multiple facets of becoming a master facilitator online. Share any tips that were really helpful for you in the comments. Do you have any questions for me? Post them as well.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
