Learning to Teach Online

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/teach-online

Introduction

### Course Review: Learning to Teach Online In today’s educational landscape, the shift towards online learning has become more pronounced than ever before. Whether you're a seasoned educator looking to enhance your digital skills or a newcomer to the world of online teaching, the **Learning to Teach Online (LTTO)** course offered on Coursera is a pivotal resource that can significantly enhance your teaching methodologies. #### Overview of the Course The **Learning to Teach Online** MOOC is specifically designed for educators who wish to better understand how to effectively use educational technology in fully online or blended contexts. This course stands out due to its practical insights from seasoned professionals who have extensive real-world experience with online teaching technologies. It is structured into several modules, each focusing on critical aspects of online teaching, ranging from foundational theories to specific strategies and tools. #### Course Structure and Content The course is meticulously structured into eight comprehensive modules: 1. **Why is Online Teaching Important + Open and Institutionally Supported Technologies**: This module sets the stage, addressing the relevance of online teaching and the array of technologies available to educators. It encourages reflection on the unique challenges and opportunities faced in various teaching contexts. 2. **Planning Online Learning + Online Learning Activities**: Participants learn to plan their online courses not from a technology-centered approach but from a pedagogical perspective. It emphasizes the importance of careful planning and constructing learning experiences that align with student needs while introducing engaging online activities. 3. **Online Assessment Strategies + Online Resources**: This segment focuses on assessment methodologies in an online environment, covering formative and summative strategies, and dives into the use of open educational resources (OER) and their licensing aspects. 4. **Engaging and Motivating Students + Evaluation Strategies**: The final modules address strategies for student engagement and motivation, as well as the evaluation of teaching practices. This focuses on continuous improvement—essential for any educator striving for excellence in their teaching. 5. **Question and Answers**: The course also offers a valuable Q&A section where previous participants' queries are addressed, providing insight into common misconceptions and practical advice to facilitate learning. #### Key Highlights - **Expertise of Instructors**: The course is led by experienced instructors Simon and Negin, who have a wealth of knowledge in online teaching methodologies. Their insights throughout the modules are both practical and grounded in real-world application. - **Practical Application**: Rather than merely teaching theoretical concepts, the LTTO course emphasizes the practical application of knowledge. This is crucial for educators looking to implement what they learn in their own teaching contexts right away. - **Community and Support**: Enrolling in this MOOC gives you access to a community of fellow educators. Engaging with peers to share experiences, challenges, and successes enriches the learning experience. #### Recommendations I highly recommend the **Learning to Teach Online** course for educators at any level. Whether you are a K-12 teacher, a university lecturer, or an adult educator, this course will provide you with insights into the effective use of online tools and strategies that enhance student learning. By the end of the course, participants will not only have a deeper understanding of online teaching practices but will also be equipped to execute those strategies effectively. This course is an essential investment in your professional development that will prepare you not just for current teaching demands but future challenges as well. In conclusion, if you're committed to improving your online teaching skills and are eager to embrace the dynamic landscape of educational technology, **Learning to Teach Online** is a course worth exploring. Enroll today to embark on your journey to becoming an adept online educator.

Syllabus

Why is Online Teaching Important + Open and Institutionally Supported Technologies

'Module 1: Why is Online Teaching Important' is about understanding where you are in the current educational landscape, and determining where you want to be. We will explore why online teaching is relevant to your teaching practice, and you’ll have an opportunity to reflect upon the opportunities and challenges you face in your own context. 'Module 2: Open and Institutionally Supported Technologies' focuses on helping you understand the benefits and restrictions of both broad categories of technologies. We’re all familiar with different social media technologies, and many of us will be aware of larger institutional online learning systems. In this module we will ask you to think about the reasons why you might want to use freely available online tools for your teaching - or your institution's learning management system. Important considerations such as which types of technologies are suitable for a range of different activities will also be explored.

'Module 3: Planning Online Learning' will explore the importance of planning online learning from a pedagogical perspective rather than a technology driven one. Careful planning is one of the most important aspects of teaching online, and success often depends upon taking the time to consider all of the different aspects of the online learning experience before you begin. The content and activities will explore the concepts of constructive alignment, choosing which aspects of a class are best done online or face-to-face, building digital literacy capabilities within your students, and examining your own motivations for wanting to teach online in the first place. 'Module 4: Online Learning Activities' will identify important considerations you need to keep in mind when developing online learning activities for your students. We will offer advice about how to plan an online activity, and help you think about which may be appropriate for your own students. When you are new to the process, understanding which online technology best supports different learning activities can be daunting. This module, along with a range of case studies, and activities, will explore the relationship between different technologies and specific activities in more depth.

'Module 5: Online Assessment Strategies' discusses the notions of formative and summative assessment in online contexts. We will also explore benefits and considerations that you'll need to keep in mind if you're considering adopting an online assessment strategy in your own teaching, and how using technology can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the assessment process. 'Module 6: Online Resources' discusses the benefits of using open educational resources (OER), and other online resources in your classes. We will also identify issues to be aware of when using resources that you discover, in terms of licensing and Creative Commons. You will be given the chance to explore several examples of online resources via the activities and associated resources for the module. How to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of resources you find online is also explored.

'Module 7: Engaging and Motivating Students' explores various strategies for engaging and motivating your students in a range of different online learning scenarios. It discusses the important roles that curriculum design, activity structure, the relevance of the chosen technology, and effective time management play in creating an enthusiasm for learning in your students. 'Module 8: Evaluation Strategies' examines the importance of evaluating your online teaching practice to ensure that it is effective, and to give you an opportunity to constantly improve. This is especially important when you are first developing an online teaching practice, or when you are trying something new for the first time. We will explore an evaluation strategy based upon four reflective angles: self reflection, peer observations, student feedback, and theory. The module also introduces the concept of learning analytics as an informative tool to enable up to the minute evaluation of your online class.

Simon and Negin answered the top questions asked of them in previously run versions of this course via video. Although from previous courses, the questions raised and the discussions that follow, are very relevant, and they may answer some questions that you have about the course. In the videos Simon and Negin, did reference learners' names and the week in the course, but this is not important in this version of the course. These Q&A videos have been collated according to their relevance to the Modules of the course.