2.4.+Question-Answer+with+Cindy+Wolfe

As part of Activity 2 of PPEL (Pedagogical Processes in E-Learning), Professor Morten suggested us to ask a question to the author of an article we found interesting. I chose the article “[|10 ways to ensure distance learning success]“, written by Cindy Wolfe (you can also find a sort description of this article in a previous [|blog post]).

I found this a very interesting and motivating activity, especially after Cindy replied. We read an article not only to learn some theory or concept but also with the goal of getting in touch with the author. And this is even better when you are really interested about the author's ideas. That was what happened to me. When I read Cindy Wolfe's article I didn't have the intention of contacting her, but after I read it, I identified myself (as an online student) with what she wrote, so i looked for her email address and asked her the following question:

//**__Question:__**// //**(…) With my question I meant the biggest challenge to your students and in this case also for you as an online student. Because, if I am not mistaken, maybe your students and you had classroom school experience and they/you needed to adjust to distance learning. Sometimes we develop habits that don’t work in another environment. What was their and your main difficulty that needed to get over?**// //**Since you are also an instructor of distance learning courses, I would also like to ask if you could tell me what was your biggest challenge as an instructor. As sometimes when a classroom teacher becomes an online teacher, they need to learn new things and unlearn other things in order to help their students reaching success. What was for you the biggest challenge you had in terms of that?**// //**I hope I made myself clear. Just to explain a bit more why I am asking these questions, I am doing my master in Portugal at the Open University. I am Portuguese but I live in Amsterdam, where i work as a trainer in the Internet business. My experience is mainly face-to-face training courses and now I am starting to work with eLearning a bit more. One of my teachers thought about this activity: read an article we find interesting and ask a question you would like to know about to the author (…).**//

__**Answer**__: Hi Sandra, I am happy to answer your questions. I think that one of the main problems I see with students who are used to traditional classrooms is the lack of personal responsibility for learning. In a traditional classroom, work is pretty much spoon fed to the students; each day the student comes in and the instructor helps the student by reminding him about work, assignments, readings, requirements, etc. Regular undergrad classes often consist of lectures and PowerPoint slides…all prepared and parceled out by an instructor. In a distance learning classroom, the instructor is not as intimately involved in keeping the student on track…only the students who are highly organized and self-responsible will be successful. The student must understand the syllabus, the textbook, the assignments, etc. He must also “learn” by reading the teacher’s and other students’ forum postings. Learning in an online environment means the student must be engaged in learning. It is impossible to “sit in the back of the class” in a distance learning classroom. My biggest challenge to online teaching is staying organized. I find that my lesson plans for a traditional class vary little from one class to the next for a particular course. However, in the online classroom, students are required to post to forums (required to discuss) so that often the class discussions become quite lively and take off in a new direction. This means the instructor must be very adaptable to the classroom. The key is staying organized, and up on every discussion. It takes time to read through many postings. The professor cannot take a day off; he will get too far behind! So you will find that distance learning teachers often invest more hours in the “classroom” than they do when teaching in a traditional classroom (but unfortunately, the distance learning educator is not paid more!). You did not ask, but here is what I like about elearning: every student has the opportunity to learn. I find that many students who may have hung back in a regular class, find their voice in a distance learning class. There is something about the anonymity and asynchrony that opens the doors to learning. It’s very close to seeing Bloom’s taxonomy in process! I often have students tell me that they believe they learn MORE in a distance learning class than in a traditional classroom. I hope that I have given you some things to ponder about elearning pedagogy. By the way, if you want to read about my path to a PhD, my blog is [|www.thinkPhD.com] in which I trace my struggles with papers and balancing work, life, and school. I wish you all the best with your degree and future studies. Have a great and happy new year! Cindy Wolfe [|www.thinkPhD.com] In case you have to have some bio facts: adjunct at the University of Phoenix, Richmond, VA, teaching Business and School of Arts and Sciences student at Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, AZ, pursuing PhD in Business Admin/Management MBA from Troy University, Troy, AL //**Again, thank you Cindy for your help **//

(Post available on my [|blog])