3 Reasons to Sign Up for Online Teaching Professional Development
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many teachers have been exposed to some amount of virtual teaching and developing online course materials. Teaching lessons virtually is far different than teaching in person and requires the knowledge of virtual tools and teaching methodologies that teachers may not use in the in-person classroom. Online teaching also requires teachers to be in contact with their students regularly through multiple channels in order to ensure participation, engagement, and connection. These skills are often touched on in university teaching programs, but rarely are explored in-depth in a way that sets teachers up for long term success as virtual educators.
At VHS Learning, our commitment to providing access to high-quality online learning opportunities begins with teachers. That’s why we offer a free 4-week Online Teaching Methodologies (OTM) course that gives teachers the resources, strategies, and collaborative activities they need to succeed in the online learning space. Delivered entirely online, the graduate-level teacher training program helps teachers develop an understanding of the unique aspects of online learning and practice pedagogical skills to help ensure students have quality learning experiences.
Here are three reasons to sign up for online teaching professional development:
- Learn how to better initiate genuine interactions with students.
Learning about online teaching methodologies can help you become a better teacher. VHS Learning’s OTM course can help you build your understanding of the core learning process, including the ways students interact with their peers and their teacher. Tools like private support areas, discussion boards, virtual office hours, and online cafés can help students interact with and learn from each other, while also making teachers more accessible to students in an online learning environment. In the VHS Learning OTM course, teachers will learn how to dig deeper to provide opportunities for students to interact with their peers and teachers, supporting their social and emotional skills and academic advancement.
- Offer more meaningful feedback.
Constructive, immediate, and detailed feedback is critical to help students dive deep into learning and grow in their knowledge and skills. With online learning, teachers can respond to students any time of the day with constructive feedback and answers to questions, making students feel connected and driving learning to move forward. The VHS Learning OTM course emphasizes the importance of these direct channels of feedback to support students learning in an online setting, which can be particularly helpful for newer teachers or teachers whose university programs focused more on theory versus practice.
- Grow a deeper understanding of students’ online learning experience.
The OTM course gives educators a front-seat view of exactly what students experience when they engage in virtual learning with VHS Learning. The professional development course uses the same platform as VHS Learning courses, so teachers interact with their learning through reflection journals and discussion boards the same way that students do. This helps teachers build more insight on the platform and better support students who are struggling or need guidance using tools.
Learning online teaching methodologies not only helps teachers enhance their online instruction, but it also gives them quite a few lessons for their face-to-face teaching tool kits. By learning the best practices through a resource like the Online Teaching Methodologies course, teachers can take their best instructional strategies everywhere they go.