2016 Annual Conference

Many studies on distance education point to the importance of training for online instructors. Few studies go into specifics about exactly what that training should look like. The purpose of this discussion is to examine best practices in professional development for instructors learning to teach online.

Distance education instructors, Educational program administrators

Research shows most teachers teach as they were taught. However, distance educators lack a model or benchmark for online teaching because many of them have not taken online courses as students. Indeed, many studies on teaching online point to the importance of training for online instructors. Few studies go into specifics about exactly what that training should look like. The purpose of this presentation is to examine best practices in professional development for instructors learning to teach online.
Content included in this round table was garnered from two empirical studies the authors conducted on how instructors learn to teach online, and on the development of faculty learning communities of practice focusing on online teaching. Research shows most teachers teach as they were taught. However, distance educators lack a model or benchmark for online teaching because many of them have not taken online courses as students. Indeed, many studies on teaching online point to the importance of training for online instructors. Few studies go into specifics about exactly what that training should look like. This session is important and timely because it does address those specifics.