Transformative Teaching: How Faculty Can Elevate Their Teaching Through Online Instruction | Online Education - Faculty Focus

It is safe to say that online instruction may become to the traditional classroom what the telescope is to the naked eye by Tracey-Ann Carter, PhD, and Toni SimsMuhammad, DAH.

Transformative Teaching: How Faculty Can Elevate Their Teaching Through Online Instruction

The future of higher education institutions will be determined by how well they adjust and adapt their classrooms for technological and global social changes now taking place (Penprase, 2018) (Schwab, 2016). COVID-19 has done for teaching in higher education what Boyer’s (1990) model scholarship has done for decades—made us examine and reconsider current educational models and processes.

And, if higher education institutions want to have some success with this change, they must plan immediate effective implementation and utilization of technology to facilitate instruction (Price and Kirkwood, 2014) (Quality Matters, 2020). So, here’s a prediction, in 10 years, we will no longer refer to online teaching as distinct and different from the traditional classroom. 
The traditional face-to-face classroom will not be considered the default or better than online instruction in higher education. Therefore, successful transformation means faculty must be versed in varied and critical strategies for teaching online in ways that accommodate diverse students’ needs. After all, the primary aim, purpose, and objective of faculty teaching is to engage in the most effective means of facilitating meaningful teaching and learning. Faculty must embrace the value of utilizing technology more effectively to engage students.

Some institutions have already shifted degree program and curriculum priorities, identifying technologically trained faculty, offering tiered completion options, and multi-instructional modalities (Penprase, 2018)...

Preparing to teach students of the future When universities quickly closed and sent students home, professors were faced with an unprecedented situation. Like a natural disaster, professors took on a first responders’ role and responded. This response included but was not limited to, (1) assuring students that everything would be okay, and that they would get through this tough, challenging, and traumatic time together; (2) determining the best path to facilitate their courses online and what, if any, modifications to the course should be made; and (3) learning about the learning management system (LMS), how to utilize web conferencing, and troubleshooting for students faced with technology access and usage issues (University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002).

Finally, learning about the learning management system and ways to utilize technology to facilitate online instruction is not just for select faculty. It is for all of us.
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Source: Faculty Focus