Instructor as Coach in a Learner-Centered Environment

1. Instructor as Coach in a Learner-Centered Environment (What’s our role in this game?) ALN 11/10/02

2. The Questions • What is the role of the instructor in the learner-centered environment? • How can we translate face-to-face (FTF) skills to the computer-mediated communications (CMC) setting? • What do learners expect and how do we deliver?

3. The Perspective • Academic-practitioner • FTF instructor for many years, new to CMC environment • Trained online for teaching online • Attracted to the medium and flexibility • Applying FTF best practices and adding skills

4. What is learner-centered? (Capella University, 2002) • Provides skills and competencies to manage change with vision, risk-taking, innovation, communication, creativity and leadership. • Asks learners what they need and negotiates to fulfill those needs. • Values learner knowledge and experience. • Recognizes learners as active partners in their academic journey.

5. Ability to work alone Organized study habits and self-disciplined to work at their own pace Self-motivated by the goals for their education Time to devote to courses Ability to use or learn technology Higher sense of personal responsibility What skills are required of learners?

6. FEEDBACK and positive interaction Erring on the side of more Examples in context of discussion Safe and supportive environment Social presence and enhanced immediacy behaviors Sensitivity to nuances and unseen body language Encouraging introverts to speak How are the instructor’s duties?

7. Easy and safe discussion style Variety of teaching methods and approaches Creative collaborative and social environment Well planned curriculum Accessible hands-on problems Best practices from face-to-face world Humor What instructor skills are required?

8. Learner controlled pace Hands-on from a distance Different immediacy behaviors to lessen real and perceived distance and express emotions More time to think about responses Less ‘challenge and explain’ dialogue Less social or informal dialogue Potential to overlook individual needs What’s different in the online setting?

9. Cooperative Learning: Task split into subtasks, solved independently. Distributed problem solving, assembled into final product. Collaborative Learning: Synchronous and interactive joint problem solving. Discussion improves learning processes. What type of learning takes place? (Dillenbourg and Schneider, 1995)

10. The difference for instructors “Teaching online demands that the “Sage on the Stage” give way to the “Guide on the Side”. -- (Mark Rossman of Capella University, in JALN Nov 1999)

11. Ability to create their own social presence Help in developing a learning community Direction and support to enhance the learning medium Feedback that reflects their postings and helps them reconstruct postings into greater meaning More participation and interaction than face-to-face What do learners expect?

12. Create a climate of trust and relaxation Provide meaningful and positive feedback Provide real life examples Encourage discussion threads Intervene as appropriate Deal immediately with negative behaviors To support a learning community…

13. Definitions • Instruct: “To give knowledge; to provide authoritative information.” • Facilitate: “To make easier or help bring about.” • Coach: “To instruct, direct or prompt an individual or team in fundamentals and strategy.”

14. Instructor as Facilitator • Guiding student through unit • Adding knowledge about subject • Minimizing interventions in course • Taking control when necessary • Building online learning community • Initiating discussions in course

15. Instructor as Coach • Encouraging: stimulating and caring • Reinforcing: positive interaction • Improving: flexibility and rethinking • Modeling: guiding and mentoring • Motivating: empowering and valuable • Transforming: knowledge assimilation

16. Established norms, rules and procedures Flexible to the individual’s needs Emphasizing team building Sharing stories Adjusting continuously to maximize effectiveness Learning by doing Implementing varied teaching strategies The Coaching Environment

17. What learners say… • Being active in the courseroom is vital. • Providing examples and anecdotes aids in understanding. • “Getting your shirt dirty” means the coach learns with the learners! • Using a sense of humor helps learners ‘hear’ the message.

18. Exposure to peers in different geographies, cultures and jobs Collaborative and constructivist learning environment Connections between theory and experience Time for reflection before response Flexibility in doing course work Providing Value

19. Lessons Learned • Encouraging interaction reduces isolation. • Recognizing interdependencies improves social presence. • Sharing anecdotes and encouragement improves connectedness. • Creating collaborative learning opportunities improves learner outcomes.

20. For more information, contact: Yvonne J. Kochanowski, DPA, MBA SteelEdge Business Consulting 3594 Springer Road Placerville, CA 95667 530/642-8957 fax 530/642-0142 docyjk@steeledge.org