| 1. | What is the greatest challenge that I have encountered as an online teacher/facilitator and how did I manage it? (If you have not yet taught online what do you think would be the greatest challenge for online teachers/facilitators?) | I think one of my greatest challenges will be managing the synchronous discussions while getting to know the tool I am using (such as Elluminate). Right now I'm struggling with making notes on the whiteboard while keeping the conversation moving. |
| 2. | Some things that I feel are really important to consider about synchronous and asynchronous facilitation as I prepare to facilitate my threaded and web conference discussions are. . . | |
I think it is really important to consider having my prompts and participation expectations clearly stated in my asynchronous discussion thread because if they are not clear, the conversation could get off track very quickly. Preparation for the synchronous facilitation is also really important. I think just having a plan on paper that will get the conversation rolling, as well as how to transition from one part of the discussion to the next, will allow me more freedom to work through unforseen challenges without losing focus on the overall objective. |
| 3. | I chose my particular discussion topic because . . . | |
This topic is a pretty natural fit for me in my line of work. Providing professional development for my staff of teachers is an ongoing process and I am always looking for ideas on how to improve in this area. I think in facilitation a discussion about effective vs. ineffective ongoing training and support, I can learn more about how people view training and what works best for them--I hope to gain a new perspective. |
| 4. | One thing that I thought about when developing rubrics for the 2 different discussions was. . . | |
I thought about how the rubric will help participants know the expectations ahead of time and how that will hopefully motivate them to bring their "A" game! |
I can empathize with your concern about controlling eluminate and maintaining a discussion. There are so many different pieces to look at (emoticons, hands, chat window, whiteboard, technical difficulty signs, etc.). I agree that the best defense to this is to be well prepared. I would encourage you to create the slides of notes ahead of time. You could even use an object to hid particular parts until you are ready to reveal the content. I would also encourage you to have the participants take the notes for you. This will free you up to monitor everything else.
ReplyDeleteI hope that helps.