Evaluating your Internet Professor
How to evaluate and cultivate your relationship with an online instructor
In a virtual academic environment, how do you ensure your professor and faculty are qualified, accessible, and committed to your success?
One of the most important pieces of Continuing Education for you may be the relationship you have with your instructor and your academic environment. Particularly if you are a returning adult student, you may feel that a successful rapport with your professor is a major factor to your success. If that is the case, how will you cope with virtual academia?
When attending a conventional brick-and-mortar university, access to faculty is physical, predictable, and relatively simple. If you have difficulty with an assignment or require additional instructional support, you have an opportunity to meet with your professor before class, after class, or during scheduled office times. The telephone is usually an option, as is e-mail.
Life in a web-based classroom is a bit different. Typically, access to your instructor is limited to the online classroom setting and e-mail. Although each college is different, electronic communication is overwhelmingly the primary mode of contact. If you have no experience in this type of environment, your relationship with your professor, advisor, or classmates may at first seem distant and impersonal.
The good news is that today’s online universities go to great lengths to make students feel they are part of a lively academic community. Virtual team classrooms, chat room coffeehouses for student interchange, and student blogs are typical avenues for interaction. There are often informational and spirited discussions taking place in these areas that can offer insights into how best to get around the campus and classrooms. For a new student they can be an invaluable source of support. Many universities also provide free seminars, lectures, and workshops to all their students.
Academic advisors can also be of significant service. The "face" of the online university, they are often readily available via telephone. They can provide encouragement and support in making the virtual classroom less impersonal and intimidating.
Most importantly, don’t hesitate to share your concerns with your instructor. Most are aware of the types of issues you may have and will take the time to help you work through them. Even though access may be online, they are skilled at guiding you in the right direction, and the good ones will take the time to do so. If you find you are unable to resolve a problem after repeated attempts, you can discuss it with your academic advisor and determine the best course of action to take.
Your professor's professional profile and qualifications should be readily available to you prior to beginning any course, so be sure to look it over. Fortunately, there is an increasing amount of information available regarding the type and quality of online instruction available. In his 2005 paper, "Preparing Instructors for Quality Online Instruction", Ti Yang offers thoughts on the overall question of online instruction, and what considerations need to be made to ensure quality instruction for the student consumer.
The website for North Carolina Community College offers a list of 10 Reasons to Try Online Learning. This short but thorough page of information offers an evaluation of the student’s concept of online education, versus that of the instructor.
There are many quality online universities out there, offering excellent instruction and rigorous coursework. As a student and an active consumer, take the time to evaluate those you are considering and make your decision accordingly.
