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Online classes—like traditional courses—are deadline-driven. Once you log in and hit the ground running, you may find yourself stumbling from time to time to keep up. Your first line of contact should be your instructor, but organized instructors will set up the course platform so that you can easily find the answers to your questions.
Here are 7 key qualities that successful online college faculty should demonstrate:
1. They set high expectations. One of the complaints about online courses is that in less-than-qualified hands, the instruction of the course can be “watered down” to skew completion rates. Online instructors should maintain the same standards that they expect in traditional classrooms and encourage students to be proactive in their learning, including asking questions, helping other students understand key concepts, and meeting course deadlines.
2. They have an open-door policy for students. One of the key elements for gaining trust in the virtual learning environment is to make it a safe one in which to communicate. Online instructors who encourage participation and feedback will most often yield higher success rates in their courses.
3. They emphasize deadlines. Some students mistakenly view online courses as correspondence courses. In other words, they mistake “flexibility” for “get the work in when it’s convenient.” Not so. Flexible learning options in an online environment means that students can study any time of day or night, as long as they meet the course competencies and due dates. Instructors who emphasize due dates keep students on task, enabling them to complete the coursework in a timely manner.
4. They encourage an interactive community. Just as traditional courses thrive on building a community of learners, the same holds true for online learning environments. When encouraged to engage in discussions and to help each other, students become partners in the learning process and make the online classroom more dynamic and more interesting. Good online instructors must demonstrate enthusiasm in the classroom by encouraging and rewarding student feedback.
5. They give timely feedback. Instructors who respond to e-mails, discussions, and assignments in a timely manner create a sense of trust in the classroom. Students should expect a response to their questions within two business days, although many instructors choose to answer questions on a daily basis. Most assignments should be graded and returned within one week to enable the students to see where they’ve succeeded and where they need to strengthen their skills (while the material is still fresh in their minds).
6. They respect and encourage diverse thinking. Good online instructors encourage students to express their diverse views about the topics at hand. They allow students to come to their own conclusions through discovery, diversity of thought, and communication among their peers. The instructor acts as a catalyst for learning by facilitating ongoing thought and discussion.
7. They make materials easily accessible. Because online learning requires active participation to read and digest materials, good instructors make these materials available from the beginning of the semester. Good online instructors will also take calculated risks to enhance learning outcomes.
