Introduction
The manual is meant to help trainees become competent facilitators of distance learning. It takes into account that none of the facilitators have experience in distance learning and therefore, will focus on all the aspects of distance learning.
Part 1: Vital Information in the Facilitator Training
Audience
The program targets individuals already serving in the mentioned capacity of learning instructors. The instructors must also be successful traditional classroom instruction methods. Therefore, the trainees are expected to be knowledgeable in instruction methods, student assessment, course and curriculum design, adult learning among other learning and teaching aspects. Moreover, the trainees must have taught at a diploma or higher level. Also, he should possess skills to use computers in the instruction. That means they can comfortably use e-mails, print course outline, word processors, and even learning technologies such as projectors.
Facilitator Training Program Goals
The program will produce competent distance teaching facilitators, who will use the skills and knowledge taught in both traditional classroom environment and the program, in a distance learning environment. They must transition expertly from traditional classroom instructors to distance or online based trainers.
The training will focus on the following elements of distance education:
a. Visibility – teachers should create a presence, be available for the distance instructing.
b. Organization – the trainees must develop organization and time management skills.
c. Communication – distance educators must communicate with their students regularly, provide meaningful feedback, and use technology (Wiggins, 2012). That way, they will be in touch with their learner, ensuring that the students complete their courses as scheduled.
d. Compassion – that is the openness, fairness, flexibility and honesty that the distance teacher must show to his students. Compassion also ensures that the learning is learner-centered and focused. That way the learner will benefit from distance learning.e. Commitment – the instructor must see the value of engaging in distance instructing and teaching. He must show commitment, be motivated and motivate his learners as well (Palloff & Pratt, 2011 p. 19).
Program Objectives
At the end of the instructor training program, the trainees must:
I. Explain attributes and skills needed by Distance learning instructors (Palloff & Pratt, 2011).
II. Describe the roles of online and distance instructors in higher education institutions.
III. Show understanding of the phases and development of distance and on-line learning as identified in the training program.
IV. Describe at least four strategies for engaging distance learners, and incorporate the strategies in distance teaching.
V. Identify effective mentoring programs for online studies. These will involve establishing a personal relationship between the instructors and the students. The programs will ensure that students and instructors move at a pace that facilitates learning.
VI. Identify the Learning Management System (LMS) used in distance education and explain its uses.
VII. Show competency in using LMS by preparing the instructors’ bio and uploading it on the LMS and upload documents in the LMS.
VIII. Ensure that his learners can upload their assignments on the LMS, access documents, and aids from the instructor.
IX. Identify five challenges associated with distance learning; that affect both the instructors and learners. The trainee must also identify strategies for addressing each problem.
X. Competently identify behavioral challenges faced by instructors and their remedies as suggested by Kelly (2013).
XI. List and explain the seven keys to effective feedback as illustrated by Wiggins (2012).
The Summative Assessment
The trainees will be assessed to determine their ability to meet the program’s objectives as stated above. The instructor will evaluate the trainees through knowledge-testing that will have “yes/no” answers, filling in blanks as well short answer questions and writing essays.
Furthermore, the trainees’ knowledge of distance instruction will also be tested on online platforms, where trainees will demonstrate distance instructing ability and perform tasks asked of them. An experienced online facilitator will carry out the qualitative assessment. Both the test and qualitative assessment will be used to evaluate the success of the program in preparing distance and online instructors.
Part 2: Facilitator Skills and Instructional Materials
Moderators need to possess these skills to ensure that they perform their duty effectively. They must possess the following skills: ability to communicate clearly and precisely the course requirements to their learners, manage online discussions on various online platforms used by the class, assess learners, document student learning achievement outcomes, and design assessment tests including alternative assessments for differently abled students. Furthermore, they must develop and apply grading rubrics on the students’ assignment among other actions demanded from the instructing communities.
The facilitator must ensure that these skills are present in the trainees in the program. That will be done by making sure that the trainees have lessons that focus on the acquirement of the skills, therefore, there will be lessons covering the development of the skills. That is because the interns are supposed to fit into the following roles after the program: learning coach. Group and individual mirror, motivator, and also valve control to limit information overload.
Phases of Development of Distance Learning Facilitators
According to Pallof & Pratt (2010), the trainees will undergo the following stages before they become master facilitators of distance educational training: visitor, novice, apprentice, insider and master.
The visitors are the people develop the idea of integrating technology to ensure that learners in distant areas benefit from the education offered in an institution, distance notwithstanding. These include people who have used e-mails to submit assignments and class related activities. Novices are individuals in the faculty who have never taught online or even taken a distance similar course but have used communication technologies to complement the face-to-face teaching activities.
The difference between an insider and an apprentice is the fact that apprentices have engaged in distance instruction for at least two semesters, and taught at least two courses per semester. They have developed an understanding of how the distance teaching works. Insiders, on the other hand, are people who have taught more than two semesters online and are comfortable in the online environment. A master, on the other hand, has taught multiple semesters online and has developed many online courses, unlike the insider who has developed a few online courses.
Theories of Distance Learning
Behaviorist, Humanist, cognitivist and social-cognitivist, as well as Constructivist, are some of the theories that explain distance learning. Andrews in 2011, attempted to explain that distance learning was developed to enable students access education without having to attend traditional schools. Many are unable to attend schools due to work responsibilities, age or any other factor. Therefore, distance and online education became the way to go.
For example, ensures that students take responsibility for what they learn, where, when and how. The communal method ensures that instructors and students work together to ensure understanding of the material and interact with other learning communities.
For learning to be effective, the tutor and the students must create an online presence. The presence must be credible and well maintained. Then, instructors must build a community of learners. Online teachers have the role in stimulating the creation of learning relationships, between tutors and learners, and ensure students get to know each other. Next, the instructor must ensure that the learning focuses on student engagement, communal learning activities and is intensive to ensure students work hard. Research by Junk, Derringer, & Junk (2011) shows that tutors spend an average of 20 hours per week online, keeping learners engaged.
Part 3 Management and Technology Tools
New facilitators will be assigned more experienced online facilitators to serve in the mentorship capacity. In this respect, the new facilitators will be introduced to the major challenges that they are bound to encounter in their career. Admittedly, they will be shown the perfect tactics to use while offering the teaching services. As a matter of facts, mentorship programs help break down the hierarchical structure, assist in the use of technology and also ensure that technology is individualized for the learners (Pallof & Pratt, 2010, p.65). Mentors must be experienced in the faculty, they must be masters, having taught more than five years, and designed more than fifteen online courses for their classes. Moreover, their classes must have excelled in the courses offered. Therefore, assessment score averages will help decide on the mentors for the trainees.
The following technological tools will be used to facilitate learning; computer programs developed for that purpose, social networks and media, emails, Skype and the use of internet-conferencing facilities. Soft wares like PowerPoint and Flash will also be used to make learning interesting, and encourage critical and creative thinking. Mentors will help in the communication and building of online learning communities, and provide faculty support to the instructors who have completed the facilitator program.
With an adequate understanding of the technology, the facilitators will be able to communicate with the learners in a more efficient way using the communication means like Skype, Facebook and other social media. To add, the schools’ online portals is also effective in making sure that the learners can access the professors at ease. Notes sharing and discussions over the internet is bound to improve the understanding.
LMS
Online facilitators will use the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) as the LMS for all online courses. Moodle offers a range of tools for student instructing and engagement as well as enables the facilitators to: upload both picture and text files, create web pages, organize learning materials, e.g., by week, topic, student and so on. Also, it provides students with a place to upload assignments, read teacher feedback, moderate a class discussion and even populate databases and build wiki pages (Moodle, 2014).
Part 4 – Issues and Classroom Management
Distance Learners
Distance learners include online learners, cultural, and experiential learners. Cultural learners, learn from their peers and those with whom they share a common culture, language, and experiences. Experiential learners learn by doing. Facilitators should build an enabling environment through assessments. Online learners, on the other hand, are older and have families and careers. They have a wealth of experience, and that is an asset in distance learning.
Videos will be uploaded through technologies such as Skype in the synchronous learning experience. Both students and instructors can upload videos. Visuals and info-graphics such as charts, tables and graphs can also be incorporated in the synchronous experience. Wikis and blogs further enrich the distance learning and should be included in the distance learning modules. Wikis, for instance, are excellent for group projects as they can be edited at will. Learners can use the blogs to post ideas, and the learning community provides feedback.
Also, students will need some management to ensure they attend classes as scheduled, complete tasks and partake in class activities. Therefore, the facilitator has the challenge of developing an online program that is acceptable to his or her students, which is stimulating enough to ensure that students do not miss class. Rules and regulations must be set and followed from the beginning of a class that will show that the teacher has excellent classroom control skills. Moreover, there should be penalties for late assignment submissions, absenteeism and other behaviors that undermine learning. Additionally, there should be rewards for good students to motivate them to keep working as they are.
Better use of technology like the tracker and timer which are effective in indicating when and foe how long the student logged in the school website should be used in the grading criteria in order to make sure the learners go through the learning materials provided. Still through the use of technology, the facilitator should be available for some specific hours (office hours) where the student can have one on one communication to clarify on any problem encountered when going through the learning materials and assignments.
Synchronous and Asynchronous Facilitation Skills
Synchronous learning communication allows facilitators to create schedules by the hour, week where all learners are required to attend classes. Asynchronous communication requires that the teacher maintains an online presence and responds to students promptly.
Technology Management Issues
Technology tutorials should be available for both facilitators and students. The Moodle can also be used to solve technology issues. Software programs and lack of familiarity with the applications used are problems that can be addressed using tutorials. Tutorials can be posted on YouTube or Pinterest. Before the actual start of the classes, the student should be given some time to familiarize with the website and the communication means. This can be done through assigning introductory assignments where the learners are meant to learn all the sections of the website.
Challenging Behaviors
Learners should be discouraged from posting inappropriate posts, which may lead to cyber bullying or benefit hackers. The facilitator must be alert for conflict signs and intervene by addressing the conflict directly. Also, ground rules must be established at the beginning of the course; that will ensure learner engagement, and curb cyber bullying before it happens. Also, forums on cyber bullying, and its effects on people must be incorporated with the learning activities to deter its occurrence among learners, as well as provide working solutions to counter it if it happens to one of them.
References
Junk, V. D. (2011). Techniques to engage the online learner. Research in Higher Education Journal, 1-15.
Pallof, R. &. (2011). The excellent online instructor: Strategies for professional development. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
R, H. C. (2011). E-learning theory and practice. Los Angeles: Sage.
Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback, Educational Leadership. New York: Sage.
