The events of the past year have made it necessary for most classrooms to operate virtually for at least a portion of the year. Teachers who had never taught online were forced to learn new skills overnight. University of Phoenix applauds the tenacity of grade school, high school and college teachers throughout the United States. In support, our own online faculty wanted to offer a few tips about online teaching to help these newly virtual teachers hone their skills. After all, University of Phoenix has been offering online programs and virtual classes for over 30 years and wants to add to the conversation to support online teachers.
Tips for effective online teaching
1. Decide on a format
There are a number of ways to go about teaching online. You can have a live class where students see the teacher and interact in real time. You can also offer a pre-recorded class that presents lessons via video. Another approach is to have a mixture of the two where students see a recorded class video and then participate in a live question and answer session.
Pre-recorded classes are typically best for older students since they allow students to review the class content on their own schedule. Generally, students are required to view the class by a specific date, but they have the freedom to watch it whenever they want before that date. Pre-recorded classes also offer a greater degree of flexibility for instructors. They don’t have to be live at a specific time, and they can upload a series of lectures all at once.
2. Hone your online teaching skills
Online teaching skills differ significantly from in-person teaching skills. What works in the classroom may not translate very well to the virtual environment. At University of Phoenix, we’ve learned that for effective online learning, teachers need to design effective online experiences and strategically foster student engagement and enjoyment in the classroom. In addition, they need to be able to provide the same level of support for students through distance learning and have a fundamental knowledge of the latest online tools to aid student success. Admittedly, this can be challenging especially for teachers of younger students.
Read More: Here Is How You Can Get Teaching Certificate Online
3. Enroll in Foundations in Virtual Teaching at University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix has created a non-credit, professional development course based on the faculty’s experience in online instruction. The course is designed for teachers looking to quickly ramp up their online teaching skills. According to the official course catalog, content focuses on “developing and improving educators’ teaching tools, style and grasp of 21st-century technology, so they are better equipped to head out into the world (or just home, with their webcam) and become a valued, in-demand online teacher. Additional course topics include:
- Strategies for transitioning to online learning
- Virtual facilitation strategies
- Evaluation of technology-mediated assessment
- Building online community
The total time commitment for the program is 30 hours of class instruction. Students have access to the lectures for an entire year so they can study at their own pace and revisit them as they practice what they’ve learned.
University of Phoenix also offers graduate degree programs in education including a Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training, Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction and Doctor of Education. For more information, visit the University of Phoenix website.
Benefits of Online Learning
University of Phoenix believes that online learning takes away a lot of the stress inherent with traditional in-person learning. Students can listen to lectures on their own schedule, leaving time for family, work and community obligations. In addition, there’s no time and resources wasted commuting to class. Instructors also enjoy greater flexibility to balance their work and family lives.
About University of Phoenix
Founded in 1976, University of Phoenix offers a variety of business undergraduate and graduate degrees across fields of study. The University has 22 campuses and service centers for in-person learning and support, and is available online to students worldwide. More than a million students have earned degrees or certificates from University of Phoenix.
University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission . The University has an open enrollment policy, accepting all students who have earned a high school diploma, GED or equivalent. All students need is a reliable internet connection. The University offers fixed, affordable tuition and career services support for life in conjunction with online class programming.
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