Presentation included in the Office of e-Learning's "Introduction to Online Teaching" course at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

1. OPPORTUNITIES
AND CHALLENGES
of Teaching and Learning Online

2. Presentation Outline
Online Teaching:
 Opportunities for Instructors
 Opportunities for Students
 Opportunities for All
 Challenges for Instructors
 Challenges for Students
 Challenges for All
 Combating Challenges

3. Opportunities
Some rights reserved by {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}

4. “Effective online learning environments
engage students toward higher levels of
thinking, promote active student
involvement, accommodate individual
differences and motivate learners.”
Fish, W. W., & Wickersham, L. E. (2009). Best Practices for Online
Instructors: Reminders. Quarterly Review Of Distance Education,
10(3), 279-284.

5. Opportunities for Instructors
 You do not have to teach somewhere at a certain time.
Teaching online is flexible and convenient.
 You can hold “office hours” on weekends or at night.
 You can teach anywhere you have Internet access.
 Most online instructors feel they become better teachers in
general because of a heightened awareness of what they
do in the classroom.
 There are opportunities for different types of
communication with your students.

6. Opportunities for Instructors
 You will likely have more participation from more
students.
 You can experiment with new teaching techniques using
technology that will work for your online courses and
face to face courses.
 You can reach students who may not otherwise be able
to take your courses.
 The diversity of students in online courses can be one of
the most rewarding aspects of teaching online.

7. Opportunities for Students
 Control over learning  Don’t have to drive
somewhere, find
 Increased interaction parking, wait outside
with instructor and instructors’ offices, take
other students tests on campus, etc.
 Convenient and flexible  The lack of travel saves
especially for non- time and money.
traditional students with
jobs, families, etc.  Provides a safe
environment for
 Forge bonds not students who might not
possible in conventional ordinarily participate to
classrooms because of join in
geography

8. Opportunities for All
 Student-Centered Learning
The variety of online tools draw on individual learning
styles and help students become more versatile
learners.
 Collaborative Learning
Online group work allows students to become more
active participants in the learning process. Contributing
input requires that students comprehend what is being
discussed, organize their thinking coherently, and
express that thinking carefully.

9. Opportunities for All
 Access to Global Resources
Students can easily access online databases
and subject experts in the online classroom.
 Experiential Learning through Multimedia
Presentations
New technologies can be used to engage
and motivate students. Technology can also
be used to support students in their learning
activities.

10. Challenges

11. “It seems that for the most part the quality of
web-based learning depends on students
themselves. One student’s benefit is another
student’s drawback. Students and families must
individually judge if their learning styles and
needs are compatible with an online
format. The ability to practice the discipline and
time management necessary to make web-
based education a success is perfect for some,
just not for all.”
Salsbury, M. (2011, October 19). Four challenges of online education.
Retrieved from Ecology of Education website:
http://ecologyofeducation.net/wsite/?p=3738

12. Challenges for Instructors
 Lack of training to teach online or the assumption
that no training is needed
 The assumption that your face to face course will
translate to an online course without design and
development
 Lack of familiarity with the online environment and
technology needed to teach online

13. Challenges for Instructors
 Capacity to use the medium to its advantage
 Being available to students on an extended basis
electronically
 Providing timely responses and feedback to
students
 In asynchronous activities, the lack of body
language and facial expressions from students

14. Challenges for Students
 Greater responsibility for students
 Students must be well organized, self-motivated,
and possess a high degree of time management
skills in order to keep up with the pace of the
course.
 For these reasons, online education is not
appropriate for students who are dependent
learners and have difficulty assuming
responsibilities required by the online paradigm.

15. Challenges for All
 Both students and facilitators must possess a
minimum level of computer knowledge in order to
function successfully in an online environment.
 A student or faculty member who cannot function
in the online system will drag the entire program
down.
 Reliability of technology.
 As assumption by the student that “online is
easier.”

16. Combating Challenges
 In order to effectively combat challenges,
instructors must:
 Effectively structure online courses
 Create community in virtual classrooms
 Facilitate and encourage online discussions
 This course will provide strategies to combat
these challenges and to take advantage of the
opportunities in online learning.

17. Bibliography
 Fish, W. W., & Wickersham, L. E. (2009). Best Practices for Online
Instructors: Reminders. Quarterly Review Of Distance Education,
10(3), 279-284.
 Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2010). Teaching online: A practical guide.
Routledge.
 (n.d.). Teaching and learning online: A handbook for umass faculty.
website:
http://www.umass.edu/oapa/oapa/publications/online_handbooks/Te
aching_and_Learning_Online_Handbook.pdf
 (n.d.). Weaknesses of online learning. website:
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/overview/weaknesse
s.asp
 Salsbury, M. (2011, October 19). Four challenges of online education.
Retrieved from Ecology of Education website:
http://ecologyofeducation.net/wsite/?p=3738