Teaching in a conventional learning environment is different from teaching online. Here is the role of the teacher in the online classroom:
A proper guide
An online teacher needs to play the role of guiding students through one or more online learning experiences. After all, different online learners prefer different learning styles and modes. So, online teachers need to change their mode of teaching accordingly to provide personalized education.
Such learning experiences are usually designed and planned long before the course starts. This way the teacher can devote more time to guiding the students and less time to prepare lessons. The teacher makes sure to channelize the focus of learners toward key concepts and ideas.
Motivator
It is not hidden that online learners need to remain motivated throughout their online course. Online learning is hard work. Studying online can feel isolating and discouraging without a proper dose of motivation and encouragement. Thus, an effective online teacher needs to make good efforts to communicate specific encouraging messages to individual learners.
Most importantly, they need to provide constructive feedback. The teacher needs to find a feasible way to promote positive messages along with necessary criticism. Maintaining overall positive morale in the class is very important. They cannot be harsh or lose their cool at the time of providing negative feedback. Pointing out the weak areas of any student, they should educate the student as to how they can better himself in that area. There are times when the learner may fall into negative comments about themselves. At such times, the cheerleader needs to find ways to listen well. They should help the student overcome their fears or worries by providing relevant solutions.
Role model
This is an essential role of the online teacher. There are many people who focus on the role of the teacher as a role model. This is necessary. A teacher is no God. However, they can be massive support systems for students, especially online students. Most importantly, they need to help the online learners develop high levels of confidence. They need to remain positive no matter what. No matter how much stress a student is going through, they need to bring him back to light and help him focus back on his subjects of interest. Usually, applied projects and papers work well for this. It usually gives the teacher an opportunity to be a good mentor.
Individual Mirror
Providing feedback is an important duty of online teachers. For instance, online teachers at an accredited online school in Cambodia have provided genuine feedbacks in a timely fashion so as to contribute to the academic as well as personal development of a child. When online learners get proper feedback, it helps them to get better and work on their weaknesses and identify their actual strengths. They strive to get closer to meeting their learning objectives. Thus, the online teachers act as mirrors, showing the students their actual selves.
Co-learner
Online teachers need to be good learners themselves. This is because the online teaching techniques change pretty often. So, they need to train themselves first before taking any online classes. Thus, they need to be lifelong learners. They can model that learning for their students in multiple ways in the virtual classroom. The teacher can be an active participant in online discussions. They need to share what they are learning about the subject. They might also have to complete all or parts of some assignments, sharing their work with the students. This clearly forms a healthy and nurturing online learning community.
Effective communicator
Teacher-to-student and student-to-student communication play a vital role in an online learning environment. Often students are asked to complete an Orientation before starting their online course. This session usually stresses the importance of ongoing communication with the instructor. It also provides tips for communicating effectively online. In fact, the first activity in an online course is to demonstrate communication with the teacher. It is required for online students to email the teachers, share information about themselves and bring questions forward. Usually, instructors make use of this activity to guarantee that students know how to contact them to ask questions. This helps in building an engaging community of the online classroom.
Online students are taught that communication is the key to student success. The online teachers are trained in various techniques for maintaining student engagement in the learning process at all costs. Thus, teachers are trained to be effective communicators. It is truly required since communication in an online learning environment needs to be really effective and strategic to bring out the best version of every student.
Apart from the above qualities, there are certain other roles an online teacher might have to play. They need to be good collaborators. Online students need to be given the opportunities to collaborate on assignments and projects. The collaborative activities help online students strengthen the online learning community.
Also, online teachers need to be creative and innovative. They need to come up with effective ideas to facilitate online school students further. Online instructors make sure to promote creativity in much the same way as classroom teachers do. They offer their students different options when it comes to assignments and projects and bringing fresh ideas to the table. There are plenty of multi-media options at the time of demonstrating knowledge.
Online teachers usually bring forth fun interactive presentations for class projects. After all, the online teacher knows that the engaged learner is the successful learner.
Thus, being highly valued for their subject areas, the virtual instructors need to be valued for the fostering of the students. After all, they gather skills needed for success in this new age of learning. Online teachers need to be reliable and lead their students forward in life towards college and career.
Online teachers need to teach various life skills to their students as well. They can incorporate many such fun activities to teach the importance of self-discipline, sense of responsibility and ownership to children. Thus, online teachers need to be all-rounders!