Essentials of Online Teaching

Margaret Foley McCabe works with universities and other institutions to provide quality online programs through her consulting company, GoodTeachingOnline.com. She launched her first online faculty development program for The New School in 1994.Patricia González-Flores promotes teaching innovation at the Department of Educational Development and Curriculum Innovation of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. For more than 25 years, she has participated in distance education initiatives in both corporate and academic contexts.

"With the exhilarating yet confusing rush of virtual learning possibilities, educators at all levels need a fresh understanding of the online environment to make strategic choices for their students. Any professional crafting an online learning experience will improve the quality of their teaching and ensure powerful results with their learners by reading this masterwork by McCabe and Gonzalez-Flores. They have laid out a practical menu of options for decision-making, addressing teaching standards, meaningful assessments, use of synchronous and asynchronous time, online interactions, and the monitoring of learner progress. This book will provide essential support for the contemporary educator."--Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Ed.D., Author, President, Curriculum Designers, Inc. "This book provides a clear and thorough guide to all aspects of online teaching, including course design, student engagement, support, collaboration, and assessment. Novice and expert alike will benefit from the synthesis of research knowledge and practical experience presented here. Meticulously researched with many practical examples from across a range of content areas and pedagogical approaches, Essentials of Online Teaching makes a compelling case that the principles of good teaching--suitably integrated into the online environment--can provide for powerful educational experiences. This guide shows you how."--Robert V. Steiner, Ph.D., Director, Online Teacher Education Programs, American Museum of Natural History, USA.

• Foreword, About the Authors, Introduction to this Guide i.1 The Distinction Between Course Design and Teachingi.2 A Unique Guide for Online Teaching1.3 Who Will Benefit from this Guide? i.4 A Standards-Based Approachi.5 Organization of the Booki.6 Chapter Featuresi.7 Terminology1. Orientation to Online Teaching 1.1 Evolution of Online Education1.2 A Spectrum of Online Course Models1.3 The Online Environment1.4 Attributes of Online Teaching and Learning1.5 Online Teaching Responsibilities1.6 Example: Overview of a Week Online1.7 Time Expectation for Teachers1.8 Summary and Standards 2. Factors that Influence Online Teaching2.1 Online Teaching2.2 Online Learners2.3 Course Content and Learning Objectives2.4 The Online Environment and the Tools Used2.5 The Mission and Priorities of the Host Institution2.6 Influences in Action: Sample Course2.7 Summary and Standards3. Teaching with Digital Tools and Resources3.1 Supporting Learning with Digital Resources and Tools 3.2 Communicating with Students3.3 Sharing Resources with Students 3.4 Assessing and Grading Student Learning3.5 Creating Collaborative Resources3.6 Beyond the LMS3.7 Summary and Standards4. Preparing to Teach Online4.1 Planning Your Teaching4.2 Defining the Course’s Timeframe4.3 Setting the Stage for Interaction4.4 Preparing Course Materials4.5 Establish Procedures for Technical failures4.6 Summary and StandardsReferences and Further Reading5. The Beginning Weeks: Launching an Online Course5.1 Helping Students to Work in the Environment5.2 Encouraging Communication5.3 Building Self-Directed Learning Skills5.4 Reflective Teaching: Learning as You Go5.5 Summary and Standards6. The Middle Weeks: Facilitating Online Learning6.1 Guiding Students Through the Plan6.2 Humanizing the Online Environment6.3 Gathering Information About Your Students’ Progress6.4 Improving Your Course6.5 Example of the Course Improvement Strategy in Action6.6 Summary and Standards7. The Ending Weeks: Synthesizing and Extending Learning 7.1 Helping Students to Reach the Finish Line7.2 Promoting Self-directed Learning7.3 Reviewing and Synthesizing Learning7.4 Concluding the Course7.5 Summary and Standards8. Online Collaboration8.1 Weighing the Benefits and Drawback of Collaboration 8.2 What Makes a Good Collaborative Discussion?8.3 What Makes Successful Group Work?8.4 Summary and Standards9. Online Assessment9.1 Communicate a Clear Assessment Plan9.2 Gather a Variety of Information about Students’ Learning9.4 Provide Ongoing Feedback9.5 Share Responsibility for Providing Feedback9.6 Guard Against Cheating and Plagiarism9.7 Summary and Standards10. Pulling It All Together: An Online Teacher in Action10.1 The Teacher and the Course 10.2 Factors that Influence Online Teaching 10.3 Digital Tools and Resources10.4 Preparing to Teach Online 10.5 The Beginning Weeks10.6 The Middle Weeks10.7 The Final Weeks10.8 The Essentials of Online Teaching10.9 Summary and StandardsAppendix A: Using the Standards Checklist, Index