Teaching with Technology

One of our challenges in supporting the development and introduction of more online courses is the time spent working with each faculty member one-on-one after they initiate contact and express interest in learning about the process. Despite attempts to organize group sessions, it seems impossible to do so and I eventually devote several hours to each faculty member going through identical tutoring sessions.

After considering the problems, another school administrator and I discussed using the technology itself to teach faculty how to use it. I will use screen capture and recording software to develop short tutorials to step the faculty through the material that I cover in my sessions. Concepts to be covered include configuration and basic use of Blackboard, asynchronous and synchronous delivery models, course development for each model, methods for engaging students and evaluating such engagement, the use of technology to enhance the active learning process, available resources, and other questions identified as the project evolves.

As the entire project will consist of self-paced tutorials, I think this project should meet several requirements, both articulated and implied, for this course. The use of the technology to deliver the material will force its use, development of the material will serve a real business need, and use of this technology will allow the students in our course to engage in the peer teaching independently, eliminating the need to use more class time. This in itself will reinforce the time and place independent nature of distance learning.

Jonathan