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| Managing the Online Learning Environment |  Managing learners in any education situation demands that instructors pay attention to the intellectual, social and emotional factors as well as the overall structural facets of the learning environment. Managing of the online learning environment is challenged by both distance and technology.
There are suggested some tips to help minimize these challenges:
Intellectual
- Assist discussion – present conflicting opinions, or ask open-ended questions.
- Require participation as appropriate and/or request responses.
- Support participation through use of questions and probing.
- Contribute your personal special knowledge in a collaborative fashion – don’t lecture.
- Raise visiting experts – invite knowledge quests.
- Concentrate discussions on critical concepts, principles and skills.
- Build assurance by stating expectations clearly, and don’t expect too much at first.
- Make relevancy into the materials.
- Create online intellectual discourse.
- In advance prepare new students and allow them to set the pace.
- Facilitate students to experience the moderator role for themselves.
Social & Emotional
- Produce a friendly, social environment.
- Encourage participants to introduce themselves.
- Encourage healthy and respectful social interactions.
- Promote private conversations – design activities to foster them.
- Find out and deal with appropriate and inappropriate student input.
- Make available opportunities for establishment of independent groups.
- Maintain a non-authoritarian style.
- Be objective.
- Accept reluctant or timid students – help to draw them comfortably into discussion.
- Use humor and avoid the use of sarcasm.
- Model suitable online behavior.
- To sustain discussions and interactions, create opportunities.
Managerial
• Be well organized in advance.
• Set the schedule and pace; be prepared to adjust according to participant need.
• Set clear goals for the session.
• Provide a general idea of timetable, procedures, expectations and decision-making norms where appropriate.
• Be flexible in schedule to accommodate student direction, need and interest.
• Be quick to respond – remedy issues as they arise, help participants with information overload.
• Be patient, speak slowly and distinctly.
• Learn silence use wisely; give participant time for reflection and response before nudging.
• Use confidential messaging for prompting appropriate contributions.
• Control the flow and direction of discussion without stifling creative opportunity – watch for balance in contribution, particularly the instructor’s!
• End sessions at the posted time.
• Don’t rely on offline materials – bring them into the online environment for discussion.
Technological
• Become recognizable and proficient at the use of the technology – practice in advance.
• Ensure participants are comfortable with the system – hold practice sessions.
• If anything goes wrong, use support– read guides like this one.
• Make the technology transparent.
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