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faq

It is clear that however hard we try, tutors/facilitators cannot, and should not, expect to create the fluency, ease and volume of face-to-face communication when using online tools. It is not possible to recreate and maintain all aspects of a classroom, and classroom-based teaching and learning. Instead, tutors should try to utilise the strengths of online tools in order to enhance their learners' learning experience. There are many ways of doing this and some examples are given below.

You can recreate aspects of classroom-based teaching without over-stretching available resources and that provide the greatest benefits. The following classroom techniques can all be applied in an online learning environment:

• one-to-one and one-to-many communication between the tutor/facilitator and learners, and learners and other learners
• guidance, support and encouragement from the tutor (and other learners)
• collaboration between the tutor/facilitator and learners
• monitoring of learners' progress (by the tutor/facilitator, while encouraging responsible self-monitoring)
• intervention on the part of the tutor/facilitator as and when required
• the use of pair and group work
• the use of activities that are related to real-world activities (role-play)
• the examination of case studies
• focus on core skills, some of which will have application in other, if not all, subjects, as well as in the learners' work.

You can devise ways of using online tools that build on learners' strengths in order to create a learning environment that allows them to work effectively and maximise their learning experience and initiate procedures that help learners to become better online learners who can fully utilise the tools and resources available.

Regardless of the methods and tools employed in supporting online learning, ultimately the tutor/facilitator must endeavour to create good online learners. (See characteristics of a good online learner)

Some learners might be or become such learners without any intervention from the tutor/facilitator, but we shouldn't expect this. Instead, it is sensible to initiate procedures and establish norms that encourage all learners to be "good" learners. In this way, the tutor/facilitator's intervention is gentle, and preemptive, with the aim of avoiding the need to intervene in reaction to learners behaviour. Tutors should also have realistic expectations and work towards ideals without being disillusioned when learners do not respond as hoped.

Tutors want to maximise their learners' learning. Because they want to help, there is a natural tendency for tutor/facilitators to provide answers. It's often better if we can help learners to become capable of finding answers themselves (perhaps from each other). A balance must be struck between initial handholding and continued spoonfeeding, as it were.

Tutors do not want to encourage learners to become dependent on, or to expect, their constant support and guidance. It is, after all, impossible to provide such support. At the same time tutor/facilitators do want to encourage learners to get in touch whenever they require assistance. The obvious answer is for tutors/facilitators to work on making it easier for learners to find solutions without needing to ask them for help.

Tutors can encourage learners to provide their own support network (ie get them to help each other), and they can point them in the direction of online resources that meet their needs. If such resources don't exist, tutor/facilitators can work on providing them (as this will save more work later with other learners). They can build up a list of frequently asked questions along with answers (known as a FAQs), and can work on a learning environment and collection of resources that evolves to better meet the needs of more of their target learners. At the same time, tutor/facilitators must find ways of getting learners to engage in online activity that shows that learning is taking place and that programme objectives are being met.

A central aim of any course is to help learners become more effective learners in general, and particularly within the topic areas covered by the course. The same applies to online learning, but with a greater emphasis, of necessity, on creating learners who can learn cooperatively and independently.

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