Post your understanding of ‘teacher presence’ and discuss how the ideas in the research papers are developing your understanding of pedagogy and teaching online.

This is an interesting discussion question because I never give my presence any thought when teaching. I have my class list of learners, I have their names on a whiteboard in the hallway next to the classroom door, and I greet every learner on a first-name basis with a friendly handshake. Welcome to my class.    As my class begins, I am enthusiastic and caring about the successful learning of my learners. I know they feel my sincerity, and we are off to the race called learning. I know changes in education are vitally important, and the use of technology is a vital linchpin in change, but what more is there other than a solid social context with my learners? Fullan (2016) states, “significant educational change consists of changes in beliefs, teaching style, and materials, which can come about only through a process of personal development in a social context.”

            Upon reflection, research, and review of this Unit’s readings, it became clear how face-to-face education is not like online education. There is so much more. Teaching presence relies on how I design my course, how it is organized, how I facilitate its discourse and all requiring well-focused direct instruction. Teacher presence starts before the course starts and continues during and after the course has been completed (Anderson et al., 2001). This gives learners a sense of learning and a perception of community.

            Learners get their first sense of teaching presence in the design of online materials. I have lecture material, live lecture, open question and answer time, and assorted assessments, including quizzes, open-book exams, mock trials, and more. I ask my learners what they want to learn, and I know what they should be learning in learning goals.  I understand how these goals will be accomplished through feedback and assessments. Finally, I know what I need to do and what my learners need to do to achieve their learning goals using teaching and learning activities. I have not taught in an online learning environment, but I plan to shift from preparing class sessions to preparing learning modules.

            In designing my future online course, I will regularly ask 1) what do I want my learners to learn in this module? 2) how will my learners demonstrate their learning of the materials in this module, and 3) what assignments or learning activities will support the learning for this module? These questions will support learner learning and establish my teaching presence, starting with the design of the course—a lot more than just meeting learners at the front door with a handshake and friendly smile.

Laurie

Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, D. and Archer, W., (2001). Assessing Teaching Presence in a             Computer Conferencing Context.  Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5 (2), 1-17.

Fullan, M. (2016). The new meaning of educational change (4^th Ed.). Teachers College Press.

            http://mehrmohammadi.ir/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-New-Meaning-of-Educational-          Change.pdf