Top 6 Blunders of Online Instructors

Have you ever given a thought about the job of an Online Instructor? By no mean it is easy; it requires your time, commitment besides complete dedication. Just like campus college teachers these online teachers need to plan their lectures and other paraphernalia beforehand. However we have created a list of blunders some online instructors tend to make with the hope of improving teaching experience for themselves & for their online students.

1. Not presenting an introduction to the course on the first day of class

Students and even potential students who are interested in the course should be able to access an overview of the introduction to the online course on the first day of class or before enrolling. It also gives students the opportunity to communicate with the instructor if something is unclear such as, course content, computer skills requirements, prerequisites, etc.

2. Not providing a course syllabus at the first class meeting

Online students need to know what to expect from the class, so the sooner they have the course syllabus the better. The syllabus should include some of the following:

• Instructor’s name, e-mail address and other contact information
• Instructor’s working hours
• Title and number of course
• Start date and length of course
• Materials needed for the course, including text books
• An evaluation plan
• Schedule of projects, quizzes and exam
• Student participation and instructor expectations regarding participation
• An attendance sheet listing all students in the class

3. Not giving special care and attention to each student

Because this is an online format, instructor should pay special attention to each and every student and make sure that all their online classroom needs are bfeing met.

4. No rules or discipline in the online classroom

Without adequate discipline in the online course, students will procrastinate; others will just lose interest and drop the course all together. At the same time the students who are more disciplined and can go at a quicker pace may start discussions with the class material that most of the students may have not yet gotten too. The best online classroom is when the class as a whole is roughly together in the course.

5. Course material are not easy to understand and compatible with a number of learning styles

In a classroom there can be a variety of learning styles such as visual learners, auditory learners, and tactile learners. When designing a course material all three learning styles need to be taken into consideration.

6. Not keeping it fun and interesting

There is a time and place for everything, but there is nothing wrong with keeping the classroom interested and fun. This can be done by avoiding too much text without a break, vary activities up a bit; include video clips, animations and interesting anecdotes.

These are some blunders online instructors make. If you would like to add a few blunders of your own to this list, please do so in the comments below, thanks!