10 Steps to Becoming a Successful Online Instructor
Being an online instructor is not an easy job. Just like campus teachers, online teachers need to deal with students of different demographics and different personalities. Also, not all students learn the same way. That’s why the path to becoming a successful online instructor requires constant diligence and willful dedication.
Also as we stated it’s not easy job it is an extremely rewarding being an online instructor! In this guide, you’ll learn about all the steps on how to hone your skills and meet success as an online instructor in today’s marketplace.
1.Establish your identity and role
First off, your students must know who you are and what your role is to them. Just like in a traditional classroom setting, the teacher must establish an authority that students must acknowledge and respect. There’s no better way to establish your role than by showing them how competent and knowledgeable you are in your field.
2. Always be present for the students
After letting your students know who you are, you should also never let them forget that you’re there for them. You are the teacher, so they should be able to reach out to you regarding questions and problems with their subjects. You can make them feel your presence by keeping an open communication line through online forums, email, or chat.
3. Encourage a supportive community or network
Aside from showing students that you’re there for them, you should also encourage students to be there for each other. By helping them help each other, you’ll foster a strong sense of community among classmates and other teachers who can help out.
4. Let the students learn and grow by working
A good teacher doesn’t give in to every request simply because the students asked. To become a successful teacher, you should be able to help your students become successful students too. Successful students are those who appreciate challenge and show diligence in learning.
5. Communicate goals and expectations
It should be clear to your students what they should be working towards in their courses. By communicating the learning expectations and goals, they’ll be guided as to what level of hard work they should put into studying.
6. Always be careful of what you write or say
To avoid misunderstandings or miscommunications, a good teacher should consider what they write before posting or sending to students. You should be able to moderate your own language and communicate in a manner that is not confusing, offensive, or misleading.
7. Ask for feedback and value their opinion
Many times, the best way to teach students is to ask them how they want to be taught. If you think that your teaching method isn’t working with them, don’t be afraid to ask them about it. Their feedback should serve as an evaluation of your effectiveness and must be considered in improving your methods.
8. An online instructor should build a rapport with students
Just because you don’t actually see them doesn’t mean you can’t build a working relationship with your students. You can build rapport by talking about personal concerns that might affect their studies. Don’t just focus on subject-related matters because sometimes the problem may also lie within their personal lives.
9. Give them feedback on their performance
You’re not the only one who deserves feedback from students. Your students should also hear what you have to say about their results. Though their grades already reflect how they’re doing, the report card doesn’t point out where they went wrong. As a teacher, you must be able to point out their strengths and weaknesses, as well as recommend solutions to improve their performance.
10. Use resources and materials that students can readily access
Though your students are already studying online, they won’t always know which resources they should look for or refer to. Googling a topic can be easy, but finding accurate resources remains a challenge. By providing access to a list of reliable references and study materials, they’ll become even more engaged in your subject and learn more effectively from you.
Through these steps, you’ll be able to enhance your teaching skill and increase your chances of success as an online instructor.
Become an Online Instructor with vTutor
Now that you’ve got the 10 steps to success there’s only one thing left to do. We have expert instructors teaching a diverse curriculum of courses, join them and be apart of the next big thing. You’ve got the knowledge and we’ve got the students lets build something great. Follow the link below to start your journey to success, vTutor teaching different, teaching what matters.