Online and Hybrid education follows many of the same methods and philosophies as traditional, in-person courses. There are, however, differences that invigorate a paradigmatic shift for online/hybrid educators. Compared to in-person education, online and hybrid teaching have more of a learner-centered paradigm which, when successful, yields highly active student interaction and engagement. The instructor’s role shifts from being “a sage on the stage” to “a guide on the side” by facilitating student learning rather than delivering instruction.
Teaching an online or hybrid course for the first time may seem like a daunting task. There are many questions to consider as we endeavor to design our courses. How is teaching online/hybrid courses different from teaching a classroom-based course? How can we ensure that the same quality of instruction will be achieved online? How can we facilitate effective communication and ensure authentic assessments are implemented?
New to Online?
Teaching your first online or hybrid course can feel like a daunting feat. Working with an instructional designer can help guide you in the right direction to ensure that you build an accessible, well-organized, and interactive online or hybrid course. In this section, you can learn more about what resources are available to you and how to plan your only or hybrid course.
Synchronous Teaching Strategies
This section provides you with some best practices to make the most of what synchronous sessions have to offer, from preparing for courses with an online synchronous component to practical recommendations on how to facilitate engaging online synchronous class meetings. In addition, some technical tips for using synchronous tools are provided.
Facilitating Engaging Courses
Your facilitation strategies shift when teaching online. When teaching online, you will need to be intentional about appearing active and present in courses. Students may not see the hours an instructor pours into the course design process or monitoring course activity behind a screen. Students want to feel a connection with their instructors, and this connection has an impact on student learning experience and outcomes. Read more about what strategies you can employ to increase teaching presence.
Public Gallery for Online Courses
The public gallery introduces you with examples and ideas of Canvas course template which allows you to start with an interactive course structure and customize it, as well as the Canvas page design tool that will help to create high-quality pages more efficiently for your online courses.