I’m a new OLFM in History at Thompson Rivers University. I just took my first trip to the Sunshine Coast on the traditional territories of the Tla’amin, Klahoose, shíshaálh, and Skwxwú7mesh nations. What a beautiful mossy rainforest.
As an OLFM I look forward to strengthening my ability to teach effectively online. This is especially important at a time when online communication has become a crucial form of support for all of us. I think an online learning environment should strike a balance between encouraging students to think and work independently while providing a network for support. As an in-person instructor I have learned that switching up classroom activities from small groups to writing assignments to debates is so important for student engagement. This has allowed me to cater to different learning styles and offer different entry points into the class material. Key questions for me are: How can I as an online instructor engage with students who have different learning styles? In asynchronous self-paced courses, how can I create a sense of community and support for students?
