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First-Hand Observations on Tele-Course Teaching
Teachers should expect to encounter some initial difficulties in course
coordination and synchronization of the tele-class and submission of
assignments. For example, for the first few weeks my students had
difficulty receiving videotapes of the sessions and thus got behind on
writing assignments. Shift schedules also caused class absences (in one
session during which I had planned to go over assignments, only four
students attended). The teacher must have contingency plans. In my
case I had a few illustrative essays to read and also discussed how the
present assignment would relate to the next. I put off the current
assignment's due date one week and showed an instructional video
instead. All absent students then had time to view tapes of the class
session and complete writing assignments.
Another "wouldn't have thought of it" glitch-the traditional red ink
comments on an essay will not show up on a fax machine. I used blue,
which was enough of a contrast for me to see on the original when
discussing a student's essay in class or over the telephone and was also
readable by students on their faxed-back copies.
Planning, not only for the course as a whole but for each class, is
absolutely essential and consumes far more time than d'es planning for
a conventional course. An entire script d'es not have to be written, but
unless a fairly detailed outline of that session's activities is prepared, the
session appears to flounder. Practice diminishes this somewhat, but I
have found that I must keep near me at least a sheet telling me when to
do what-on camera one cannot simply pause while deciding what to do
next. (A trick I discovered was to write notes in pencil on the bottom of
my display graphics; I could read these notes but they could not be
picked up by the camera.)
Graphics and other audio-visual materials must be prepared and tested
ahead of time. Remember, remote students will not be able to make
seating adjustments for a better view or actually handle materials; every
teaching enhancement tool will be presented to them via a TV monitor. I
also include on my outline what presentation medium, such as
whiteboard or horizontal display, to use. (For things I didn't think of
beforehand, a box of transparency sheets on which I could write with a
fine-tipped marker on the horizontal display surface was a lifesaver.) A
computer in my office was my most valuable technological tool, not only
for preparing course materials, but as a communication link with my
students, as discussed below.
There are additional management chores associated with teaching a
tele-course.
