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Navigating the Lack of Face Time: The Instructor Role in the Online Classroom

Navigating the Lack of Face Time: The Instructor Role in the Online Classroom

Zawadi Rucks-Ahidiana
Copyright: © 2014 |Pages: 19
ISBN13: 9781466650510|ISBN10: 1466650516|EISBN13: 9781466650527
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-5051-0.ch006
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MLA

Rucks-Ahidiana, Zawadi. "Navigating the Lack of Face Time: The Instructor Role in the Online Classroom." Cases on Critical and Qualitative Perspectives in Online Higher Education, edited by Myron Orleans, IGI Global, 2014, pp. 98-116. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5051-0.ch006

APA

Rucks-Ahidiana, Z. (2014). Navigating the Lack of Face Time: The Instructor Role in the Online Classroom. In M. Orleans (Ed.), Cases on Critical and Qualitative Perspectives in Online Higher Education (pp. 98-116). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5051-0.ch006

Chicago

Rucks-Ahidiana, Zawadi. "Navigating the Lack of Face Time: The Instructor Role in the Online Classroom." In Cases on Critical and Qualitative Perspectives in Online Higher Education, edited by Myron Orleans, 98-116. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2014. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5051-0.ch006

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Abstract

The online classroom provides instructors with the ultimate challenge of replicating a face-to-face setting without having actual face time. Both new and experienced online instructors struggle with limited communication and personal connections in the online classroom. Teaching online is missing the visual cues of confused facial expressions and raised hands to signal the need for elaboration or clarification. Additionally, instructors rarely meet their online students or get to know who they are as individuals. In attempting to navigate the differences caused by this lack of personal contact, online instructors take on expanded and new responsibilities, including orienting students to online learning, communicating with students, monitoring student progress, creating community, managing the online course, and providing feedback. This chapter explores the unique challenge of teaching online and how online instructors address their responsibilities with these challenges in mind. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews with 23 online instructors from two community colleges, the analysis described below includes insight from instructors from disciplines ranging from Math and Chemistry to English and Humanities with a range of experience in online instruction including first semester online instructors and 10 year veterans.

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