Lesson 1: Identify Your Style

Overview

You are already an experienced teacher. You've spent time making your classroom a wonderful learning environment - from the information you put on the walls to the extra books you keep on the bookshelves; from the way you structure the class day to the way you organize your lessons; from the content you choose to the way you teach that content. Essentially, every choice you make as a teacher is part of your instructional design...

And, your instructional design is part of your teaching style. For the purposes of this course, teaching style is defined as the choices you make based on your educational philosophy, values, and personality. Your style impacts the content you choose and the manner in which you choose to teach it. So, in this lesson, let's take some time to identify your style and discuss what it might look like in the online environment.

 

Standards, Benchmarks, and Learning Objectives

In this Unit, we're indirectly addressing almost all of the SREB Standards for Quality Online Teaching and Quality Online Courses simultaneously simply by uncovering and discussing our assumptions about online teaching and online courses. Please review the SREB Standards for Quality Online Teaching and Quality Online Courses which are listed after lesson 2 in this course content module.

To help you meet those standards, we must define a set of specific learning objectives. So, for this lesson, you will:

• identify your teaching style,
• explain how that style might translate to the online environment, and
• explore the teaching styles of your colleagues in the class.

 

Assignments

1. Discussion assignment 1: Post a response. Approximately 30 minutes.
   • In WebCT Discussions, Topic: My Teaching Style, give answers with specific examples to the following:
     • Do you prefer lecture or group discussions or something else and why?
     • Do you prefer individual or group learning or a combination and why? What does this look like in your classroom? How do you accomplish it?
     • Do you prefer text only or multiple types of learning materials? Why?
     • Do you prefer traditional or alternative assessments? Why and how do you accomplish it?
     • Do you prefer being more or less social with your students? Do you prefer students being more or less social with each other? Why?
     • Are you more comfortable as a sage on the stage, a guide on the side, or something else?
     • What else defines your teaching style?
   • How the assignment is graded - 10 points.
     • Your post should be a minimum of 200 words
     • Your post should answer the questions in deep, meaningful way. In other words, don't just say "I prefer lecture over group discussions." Instead, tell us why and how and who. Inquiring minds want to know. :) Besides, it will make your next assignment easier.
     • It should be posted on time (during the week assigned)
2. Discussion assignment 2: Reply to other learners Approximately 30 minutes.
   • In WebCT Discussions, Topic: My Teaching Style, review the answers of at least two others and reply to them. Based on your experience and knowledge, your response should:
     • Ask questions and provide information about teaching styles in general
     • Suggest how his or her particular teaching style might adapt to an online environment.
   • How assignment is graded - 10 points
     • Again, there are no wrong or right answers here.
     • Reply to at least two learners using above criteria to obtain full credit.
3. Reading assignment: Approximately 1 hour to complete.
   • REQUIRED: Read Chapter 8 from You Can Teach Online: Building a Creative Learning Environment by Moore, Winograd, and Lang.
     • You will use the information from the above reading to complete the next lesson. We recommend you start reading now so you can really take your time and think about what you read. :) Aren't we full of suggestions? LOL
   • SUGGESTED: Review the SREB Standards for Quality Online Teaching and Quality Online Courses. Both are listed in the content module after lesson 2.

 

Next step

Continue to Lesson 2

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