This article explores how graduate courses equip online students with teaching competencies, suggesting creative strategies for effectiveness.
Many teachers are initially exposed to online education as students in graduate courses. They likely must develop new competencies to be successful learners in the online environment. Increasingly, these online students have the opportunity to become online instructors in virtual K-12 schools or community colleges, or at least to offer supplementary Web-enhanced instruction to their traditional students. Success in online teaching requires specific competencies, and training is not generally available to K-12 teachers. This article suggests ways that college instructors can help develop online teaching competencies of students by employing creative teaching and interaction strategies within content courses. Modeling good online teaching is important, but should be supplemented by direct instruction in online teaching techniques, and meaningful opportunities for students to take on the online teaching role. Important outcomes for the graduate student could include greater understanding of teacher/student roles in online instruction, more marketability and flexibility in teaching jobs, increased confidence and knowledge to act as technology leaders in their schools, and a more highly developed critical eye toward offerings of virtual schools. Upon completion of graduate degrees, these teachers may also become valuable partners as adjunct faculty or online course facilitators in teacher education programs in colleges and universities.
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Zahner et al. (2005) studied this question.
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