eClassroom News - Strong communication key to online learning - 3 views
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Teaching in an online environment isn't the same as teaching in a traditional classroom, and online instructors need special skills and approaches to be successful. For example, communication can pose a challenge in online-learning environments, because online educators can't rely on visual cues as their colleagues can in bricks-and-mortar schools. Now, a new research brief from the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) looks at this challenge in greater detail, examining how successful programs and teachers are ensuring effective communication.
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Teachers must use eMail, frequent telephone conversations, and collaborative tools, such as threaded discussions and synchronous chats, to closely connect with students.
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Effective online teaching practices must include quickly responding to student and parent inquiries.
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Teachers must know, and be skilled at using, web-based technologies that offer students opportunities for collaborative learning.
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Synchronous instruction brings teachers and students together simultaneously in virtual spaces, which "implies that virtual teachers need to become skillful at using chat room and collaborative software," says the report.
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This is the beginning of a report on communication needs for online learners.
