Provides information about what to expect and what is expected of instructors.
If you are new to teaching at the college or university level, this section can provide some general information about what to expect, as well as what is expected of you as an instructor.
In general, expect an online course to take more time and energy to teach than a face-to-face course. Developing materials that are suitable for the web, and choosing the best resources to go along with those materials, can be very time consuming, especially if you are preparing to teach the course for the first time. Once the course begins, keeping up with student communication and feedback is also an on-going time demand for the online instructor.
Teaching an online course - the debriefing: Dr. Arsham (elearningpost.com, 2001) An interview with an instructor about his experiences with teaching online.
If time allows, prepare for the online course experience by shadowing another instructor who is already engaged in online teaching. This can be an excellent way to get "real-world" experience, form mentoring or collegial support relationships, and generate positive feedback for course development and improvement.
"Two heads are better than one" as the old addage goes; likewise, many of the most successful educational endeavors are collaborative efforts. You don't have to work alone and you need not reinvent the wheel; there are resources available to help you prepare for success as an instructor. Select this link to view resources available at NDSU. Or select this link to view our collection of other resources.
Resources for establishing and writing your personal teaching philosophy.
This website includes an extensive list of sample teaching philosophy statements. View more information about Teaching Philosophies.