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What are the computer requirements for teaching online?
How computer literate do I need to be?
Do I need to be a certified teacher to teach online?
Will my students be able to communicate with me in as rich a way as they do in a face-to-face setting?What do I do if my or my students' Internet access goes down?
Where do students write their tests?
Are there on-line tests? How do you know who is actually doing the test?
What are the computer requirements for teaching online?
To properly teach online you should own (or have access) to a high speed computer with reliable Internet access. In addition your computer should have a sound card and software which allows word-processing (most of your students will be using PCs and Microsoft products). Follow this link for a sample of the minimum computer requirements suggested to students of Athabasca University.
Check with your institution to find out about the suggested hardware and software requirement for your students (you should have as good or better equipment especially if you are developing any course materials).
How computer literate do I need to be?
You need to have basic skills, be able to send and receive e-mail with attachments. Setting up a group list in your e-mail address book for each class makes sending to the class as a whole much easier. It is also valuable to be able to "find your way around" a bulletin board if that is available to your class. In addition, being able to find online resources for both yourself and your students is definitely an asset.
Practice with the technology before you start teaching. Be prepared for glitches and know who to go to for help.
Do
I need to be a certified teacher to teach online?
The answer to this question varies. If you are teaching University transfer courses in a post secondary environment you will most likely require a Master's Degree as a minimum requirement. Teaching other types of courses to adults may require different credentials.
Check with your prospective employer about their requirements.
Will may students be able to communicate with me in as rich a way as they do in a face-to-face setting?
Many experienced face-to-face instructors are reluctant to teach online because they feel they won't be as effective in responding to their students questions. However, with well designed distance learning activities, many find that in fact communication increases and that more (even the normally quiet and shy) students engage in conversation not only with the instructor but with other students.
This is in part possible because of the increased opportunities for asynchronous online discussions using features like discussion boards that allow reluctant students the time to reflect on aspects of the content or learning process. There will still be students who are reluctant to participate but if the instructor is a capable online facilitator even these students can be encouraged to contribute.
Check out our Tips and Strategies pages to get some ideas on how to ensure your students are active participants in your distance courses.
What do I do if my or my students' Internet access goes down?
Students should be given your fax and/or phone number. They can contact you that way if need be. Once you're up (able to connect to the Internet) make sure you contact your students via email ASAP to "reassure " them.
Where do students write their tests?
Students can write their paper-based tests in facilities such as schools and libraries. Have the student make initial contact and then pass on the pertinent information (name of contact person, fax/phone number, etc.) to you. You would then mail/fax tests to the facility at the appropriate time. Usually these facilities do not charge for supervising students writing tests.
Are there on-line tests? How do you know who is actually doing the test?
Yes, some courses do have on-line tests and knowing who is writing the test can sometimes be a problem.
Students can make arrangements ahead with a facility such as a school or library that has Internet access. A
password or URL for the test site can be given to a contact person there to give to the student once their ID has been verified. Because of this difficulty, courses often have projects and assignments for evaluation, although this can still pose the same problem.
What exactly are electronic bulletin boards?
One of the many names (others include conference board and discussion board) where asynchronous text-based online communication can occur. Many bulletin boards provide the ability for users to have threaded discussions about specific topics.
Bulletin boards are widely used in online courses. They can resemble seminars in a face-to-face environment. The online instructor (or any other participant) may pose questions to be discussed, and students can then write responses and post them to the bulletin board. Students can comment on other students' remarks and the discussion can be very lively.
It is worth looking at www.webct.com and www.blackboard.com. Guided tours of these sites will provide you with an in-depth look at how electronic bulletin boards operate. Both WebCT and Blackboard are complete course management systems (CMS).
If all you want to include in your online classroom is a facility for threaded, asynchronous discussions there are many other products (Discus, WWW Board, etc.)
Check with your institution to see which discussion board(s) they support and practice using the tool before you begin teaching your online course.
Check out our Tips and Strategies - Online Communication page to get some ideas on how use a bulletin board to enhance communication and learning in your online classroom.
Have any questions you'd like answered?
Email us your questions and we'll try to find the answers. We will then add them to this list of frequently asked questions.
Email mdde615@home.com
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