I do not currently teach in an academic setting

          My name is Dan Mikeska and for the past 20 years, I have owned and operated a small personal training and martial arts gym.  Although I love what I do, the aches and pains I often feel after classes tells me that it’s time to start thinking about the next step.  With all of the advancements in human movement science over the past few decades, I have become a huge proponent of education, and upon completion of my doctorate, I would like to transition, at least on a part-time basis, from clinician to an online educator.

From Field

I have the education and experience to be considered a subject matter expert (SME) in a number of aspects of human movement.  Unfortunately, being an expert in the field does not always mean that one will be an expert in the classroom.  In addition to being a SME, an online educator needs to have, to a degree, technology skills, administrative skills, and skills as a facilitator (Baran, Correia, & Thompson, 2011). 

Distance education is not new.  In the 1800’s, print technology and regular mail service allowed those who were unable to attend in-person classes, due to distance, occupation, or societal boundaries, the opportunity  to earn a secondary education or college degree (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).  Print technology and mail service have since been replaced by the internet. In 1965, Gordon Moore, who later founded the tech company Intel, predicted that processing speed would double every 24 months (Evans, 2014), making it difficult for novice techies to assimilate new technology. 

To Faculty

Even though over 70% of institutions of higher learning suggest that online education is part of their strategic long-term plan (Allen & Seaman, 2014), Ertmer and Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2010) believe that technology in the classroom is not being used to its full extent.  Furthermore it is thought that the lack of technological integration into the classroom is partially due to the lack of relevant knowledge and confidence on the part of the instructors.  To gain assurance, it is suggested that instructors participate in learning groups as well as professional development programs.  Additionally, teachers need to take the time to explore the technology that will be used (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010). 

Technology, in some fashion, is used in most jobs.  What are some of the technology issues that you have come across, and has there been a time when you have felt overwhelmed?  

Administration and leadership refer to the instructor as the director of the learning process (Bigatel, Ragan, Kennan, May, & Redmond, 2012).  One aspect is acknowledged in the first part of this post; the instructor needs to integrate technology so that it is relevant to the learning process.  Another important administrative role is communicating the expectations, of not only the grading criteria, but also behavioral guidelines.  It is also important to students that they are able to track their grades and assignments (Bigatel, Ragan, Kennan, May, & Redmond, 2012).  Accordingly, instructors need to ensure that students have access to course assignments, rubrics, and grades. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted to protect the privacy of students (U.S. Department of Education, 2014), and upholding FERPA should be considered part of the administrative duty of any educator.  Students are allowed to review their educational records and contest portions that may be incorrect.  Schools may not disclose any records without the student’s permission, however, schools may publish any directory information unless otherwise asked not to.  Educators need to be aware of the intricacies of FERPA so that a student’s privacy is not violated.

Although class facilitation could be considered an aspect of administration, it is important enough to merit its own segment.  Doyle (2011) defines educational facilitation as “…supporting students in learning their course material by providing an environment for engagement…”, and “…using assessment tools that provide the learner with meaningful feedback” (p. 52).  The two themes that stand out are engagement and feedback.  One form of effective engagement and feedback for an online class are peer discussions followed by an explanation and, with a case study, the solution, from the instructor (Smith, Wood, Krauter, & Knight, 2011). The engagement needs to support collaborative learning while the feedback needs to be personalized based on individual contributions (Slavich & Zimbardo, 2012).

Is there a time when an instructor challenged you to do better, or provided feedback that made you want to do better?  

I know that I will not be the first person to make the transition from the field to faculty.  In addition to staying abreast of the subject, there is also a need to seek out guidance and education in other areas.  Technology changes so fast that, to fully utilize it, it is imperative to continue to learn what is available as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each product.  To administrate it is important to understand the differences of culture, age, and expectations of each student.  The first discussion post is often an introduction thread.  The introduction thread would be an ideal time for an educator/administrator to ask questions that provide insight into each student’s background; where did they grow up, married, children, favorite food, favorite TV show, reason for being in the program, and something unusual about them.  Knowing each student beyond the basics of type of job and location, will provide valuable information for engagements and interactions as well as allow for relevant, individualized feedback. 

References

Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade change: Tracking online education in the

United States. Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group,

LLC. Retrieved from www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/gradechange.pdf

Baran, E., Correia, A., & Thompson, A. (2011). Transforming online teaching practice:

critical analysis of the literature on the roles and competencies of online teachers. Distance Education, 32(3), 421-439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2011.610293

Bigatel, P. M., Ragan, L. C., Kennan, S., May, J., & Redmond, B. F. (2012). The identification

of competencies for online teaching success. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 16(1), 59-77. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/132473/

Doyle, T. (2011). Learner-centered teaching. Putting the research on learning into practice. 

Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-1579227432

Ertmer, P. A., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T. (2010). Teacher technology change: How

knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 255-284. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ882506.pdf

Evans, D. (2014, February 22). Moore’s law:  How long will it last? Techtrader.  Retrieved from

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/computing/moore-s-law-how-long-will-it-last--1226772

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at

a distance. Foundations of distance education (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Slavich, G. M., & Zimbardo, P. G. (2012). Transformational Teaching: Theoretical

Underpinnings, Basic Principles, and Core Methods.  Educational Psychology Review,

24(4), 569-608. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10648-012-9199-6

Smith, M. K., Wood, W. B., Krauter, K., & Knight, J. K. (2011). Combining peer discussion

with instructor explanation increases student learning from in-class concept questions. Life Sciences Education, 10(1), 55-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1187/cbe.10-08-0101

U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 

Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html