It makes sense that, in order to teach us to teach online, we ourselves have to take an online course. Yep. Complete with reading assignments, deadlines, tests, and a final project. We should feel the pain that we will be inflicting on our students.
Actually, I love it so far. As we were warned, an online course requires at least as much, if not more time as an on ground course, but it has the inherent bonus of flexibility. I can read my assignments, engage in class discussions, and take tests any day of the week at any time I want or can.
But, with great flexibility comes great responsibility. Or something like that.
We don't meet regularly as a class where I can be reminded of upcoming due dates and where I will be missed if I don't show up. I have to make my own schedule and stick to it. I have to take the initiative to look for what's coming up.
And I have to pay attention.
It's going to take me a little while to get back into the groove of concentrating on one thing for an extended period of time. I was halfway through my first online lesson with embedded quizzes when I was distracted and left the website to carry on with that other oh so important something else, though what it was I can't remember for the life of me. Imagine my consternation when I returned later to discover that I had to start the lesson all over again! I mean, this lesson was likely going to take the better part of an hour! And the instructor expected me to do it all in one sitting??!!!!
Oh, yeah, just like school. Just like what I expect from my students. Dang. This could get ugly. But it will be so worth it.
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