“...Persevering at online learning is also affected by
computer and information literacy, time management, ... online communication
skills. ... Self esteem, feelings of
belongingness in the online program, and the ability to develop interpersonal
relationships with peers...”
Objective
I found this quote interesting because it provides a clear
list of motivators and success factors for the online learning
environment. The quote (and longer list
in the text) provide a great reminder to be sensitive to all students in the
online environment and find ways to help them surpass these hurdles.
Reflective
Providing information and development in a subject may be at
the core of education, but the concept of “life coaching” also plays a
role. Teaching is about helping students
succeed, helping them overcome these personal hurdles, and assisting them
beyond the subject matter if the extraneous factors are inhibiting their
ability to learn.
Interpretive
While helping students overcome their personal hurdles is
important, there must also be limits. If
the course is about online marketing skills and the student is not yet a
competent user of the Internet, or familiar with different social media
outlets, the best route for a teacher may be to recommend the student withdraw
from the course and enrol in one that is more basic. I think that I will have to work to find a
balance between providing help and not over-helping or stepping beyond my role
as a teacher.
Decisional
I have always believed teaching to be quite holistic – not
tied to a subject matter, but encompassing the growth of the entire human. That said, my learning style is very subject
and objective based. It will be a
positive challenge for me to relate to other learning styles, to be able to
identify these personal factors that students may be struggling with, and to
find constructive and effective ways for students to overcome them.
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