-A guest post by Ken Myers
Teaching an online writing course has its benefits but the
one thing that instructors often run into is their ability to make time to
really sit down and work on the course. Other courses and life seem to get in
the way, so here are some tips to help you make the time:
Prepare:
Before
you sit down to log onto your online course make sure that you are prepared
mentally and that you have all the right tools to complete your tasks as the
instructor. Chances are you are juggling other courses and when you log on you
need to be sure that you have set a large window block to work. Keep your door
closed and do not schedule any appointments during this time. Because your
course is online and you do not have students to interact with, it’s easy to
get off course.
Treat
it like a normal class: Approach your online course like it’s an on
campus class with students. Keep your rules, teaching methods, grading
assignments all the same. Keeping it similar and treating as a normal on campus
class will help you get in the right mind focus when it comes to sitting down
and working. If you change up your methods this could make motivation
difficult.
Group
Chats: To keep your students inspired and interacting, assign
different dates to have a group chat or forum, this will connect you and give
you a reason to sign on when you know that students are relying on you. During
these group chats keep them short and allow them to ask questions about the
course and help them through it. Be there as a guide.
One
student at a time: It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of
emails you can receive from your students. Students tend to over communicate
during online writing courses, so take your time and work with the mind set to
work with one student at a time. If you see that your students are asking
similar questions over and over again, address as a whole via email or message
boards. This will cut back the time you spend on answering individual emails.
When it comes to managing your time for your online class
you need to first make the time as you would with any other class. Minimize
your amount of communication by setting group chat dates and addressing
students as a whole. With online courses becoming more and more popular it’s a
teaching method that teachers should be comfortable and well versed in. Happy
teaching!
About the Author:
Ken Myers is an expert adviser on in-home care
& related family safety issues to many websites and groups. He is a regular
contributor to www.gonannies.com. You can get in touch with him at kmyers.ceo@gmail.com.
Image from MS Free Images
