Thoughts on Professional Learning: Considerations when transitioning to online instruction

 Considerations when transitioning to online instruction

By Nadia Kader


There is a need and interest in transitioning to online instruction in adult education. While having informal conversations with practitioners, I noted how quickly people wanted to jump to online instruction without considering how much an impromptu move changes practice, affects staff and students, and what learning gaps there are. We are a resource-starved field serving students with high support needs and competing responsibilities, such as family, work, and personal. It is incredibly challenging to plan ahead of time when there are fires to put out, staff to hire, reports to submit, and grants to write. However, if we can plan and take into consideration how challenging online teaching and learning can be, we can mitigate issues before they become too big to handle. A better understanding of the problems at hand helps us solve them in the long run. We can also better support each other in building a learning system that is long-lasting and system-dependent, not person-dependent. 

 The belief that introducing technology can solve problems is called technosolutionism. Technology isn’t so much a solution in itself but can introduce new and unexpected challenges. If we are not careful, adjusting to technology can overwhelm students and staff alike. Technology can supplement and advance our overall program goals, but first, we must take into account a few considerations: 

  • What online instruction hopes to accomplish

  • Type of online instruction

  • What technology is needed to conduct online instruction

  • Instructor load and capacity

  • Staff transitions and support

  • Student adjustments and technical support


In this article, I break down the considerations into manageable steps for administrators to prepare their programs for the transition to online instruction. I also include resources within the article for readers to bolster their foundational knowledge of online instruction. By being aware of and preparing for these considerations, we can mitigate future potential issues when transitioning to online instruction.


Consideration 1: Start with the end in mind.

  • What do you want to accomplish with online instruction? This can be written in 1-2 sentences.

    •  Example: The Highland Adult Education online program can reach students in the surrounding rural areas who cannot attend class in person. 

  • Why is online instruction better suited than other options? Identifying the other options can help students understand what is currently available and why online instruction is the best possible option.

    •  Example: In the Highlands adult education program, in-person instruction is not sufficient to reach the students who live far from the program, and there aren’t any nearby programs to refer students to. 

  • What resources do you have in place to start an online program? 

    • Resources include people, technology, knowledge, and skills.

  • What resources don’t you have in place that you need? 

    • Identify what resources you need before launching the online program. 


Example: The Highlands adult education program director, Casey, is working with staff to develop online classes. Casey notes that the program needs one instructor who is familiar with online instruction to teach two online classes. Casey hires Tom, who has taught online before using Zoom and Microsoft tools. Since the organization primarily uses Google Workspace, Casey sends Tom to the DELT team’s Google Intensive training and also assigns Tom to watch a few Tech Tuesday videos before starting the class. Tom uses his new knowledge from the professional learning he attended, along with his experience with engagement tools (we’ll get to this definition later), and plans the online course design.


Answering these questions can help your program structure its approach to mitigating the challenges of teaching online and decide ahead of time what is needed to complete its goals.


Consideration 2: What type of online instruction are you implementing?

Before choosing an online instruction modality, the audience, context, and environment must be considered. When making choices for online instruction, it is important to consider the who, what, when, where, why, and how.


  • Who are your learners (subject, levels, technology skills)?

  • What are you teaching (subjects)?

  • How are you teaching (online modality, tech tools)?

  • Why are you teaching online? (What issues are you addressing with this solution?)

  • When are you teaching (if synchronous, what days/times/amount of contact; if asynchronous, what deadlines/amount of contact/amount of instructional time)

  • Where does the class take place? (Is this all online via Zoom or Google Meet? Are there online platforms where students do work? Is there sufficient internet access available for students and the instructor?)


After answering the questions above for yourself or your organization, you can then consider what modality to implement. Different modalities of online instruction have their benefits and challenges in implementation. Here is a brief outline of the different types. Note that this list is not exhaustive or meant to be all-encompassing but to give readers an overview of the different facets of online instruction.


Modalities

  • Flipped Classroom: A flipped classroom or flipped model is an active approach to teaching. Students interact with content outside of class, such as watching video lectures or reading articles, and then practice what they learned in the classroom.

    •  Example: Before class meets, Hamoody watches videos and reads online articles on solving algebraic equations. During class, the students do a quick review and get right to work solving equations. 

  • Online synchronous class: An online class is when the students and the teacher interact synchronously via an online platform. 

    • Example: Zara teaches ESL over Zoom. All of their students log on and learn through Zoom at the same time.

  • Online asynchronous class: Learners complete online modules within a Learning Management System or a paid platform such as Essential Education or Burlington English and interact with each other and the instructor asynchronously. Interaction is generally through forum posts and comments on assignments. 

    • Example: Joseph is enrolled in the National External Diploma Program (NEDP) through the local university. Joseph completes contextualized modules through the online platform and meets virtually once a week with the program coordinator to discuss his progress.

  • Blended learning: Blended learning combines in-person teaching with asynchronous learning modules. Students attend class in person and complete online assignments either in class or outside of class. 

    • Example: Tara teaches in person for the local community college. As a part of their homework, Tara includes online videos and quizzes on Google Classroom for additional practice.

  • Hybrid learning: Hybrid learning occurs when students are simultaneously online and in person. 

    • Example: Ron teaches HSE in a hybrid format. His students can choose between attending in person or online via Google Meet. Ron supports the in-person students, while a tutor supports the online students. 

  • Hyflex learning: Hybrid flexible, or hyflex, prioritizes student choice in engagement. Students can choose between attending the same class in person, online synchronously, or online asynchronously. 

    • Example: Roquefort Community College’s adult education program designed a hyflex ABE class. The class meets at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, and students can attend either in person at the college or join a live online Google Meet showing the class. If they cannot attend either, students can complete online modules housed in the Learning Management System on that day’s lesson. 


Choosing the modality that will work best for your program requires trial and error and reflection. At the very least, this is a starting point for better understanding the types of online instruction design and facilitation available.



Consideration 3: What technology(-ies) will support the outcomes you desire?

Choosing the right technology is imperative to successful online instruction. While there may be overlaps in online learning, different technologies have different effects on the process overall. The primary considerations for online teaching using technology are media, method, and modality.


  • Media are the tools we use to teach our students.

  • Method is how we use the tools.

  • Modality is the type of online learning environment. 


Media & methods for engagement

Engagement refers to active participation throughout the learning process. When we use engagement tools, we are supporting students in their learning. However, adding too many tools can overwhelm students and instructors. Make sure you know what you want to use the tools for before jumping in and using them in the classroom. Try folding in tools one at a time to see how they work to reduce the cognitive load or the amount of mental effort it takes to process new information. In the learning environment, students engage for many different reasons, such as playing educational games, submitting assignments, and communicating with their instructor and other program staff. 

Setting expectations for how to use technology is key to a successful online learning environment. The examples below use the following formula: Class modality + tech tool + method.

  • Students use Nearpod to complete assignments in their flipped classroom. 

  • Students use Outlook email and Microsoft Teams to communicate with their instructor outside of class.

  • For an online synchronous class, the instructor can direct students to ask questions using their microphone or type text in the chat feature.

  • In an asynchronous online class, students can call their instructor for additional support using WhatsApp. 

  • For a hybrid class, the instructor has a dual monitor setup. He communicates with his online students via Zoom on one monitor while his online whiteboard is available for everyone to view instruction on the other monitor. 


Consideration 4: Instructor cognitive load & capacity

Instructors can be affected by cognitive load, just like students. This can happen when the instructor has too many ‘moving parts,’ such as being tech support for online students and teaching in-person, using an online tool while teaching, or teaching asynchronously while trying out new tools for engagement. To reduce cognitive load, instructors should be aware of how much they are taking on when switching to online instruction. Be prepared to have tech assistance, resources, and professional learning in place to give instructors as much support as they may need. Creating opportunities for reflection on teaching can also help instructors identify where their gaps and successes are and where they need to move forward. This can also help them choose their own professional learning to fill any gaps they may have.


Consideration 5: Staff adjustments & support

Staff need time to adjust to new technology, and there may also be learning gaps. Using new or somewhat new technology in a new environment, such as using Google tools with online students, can create extra levels of stress. Consider what professional learning staff need to complete before being comfortable teaching online. There are many options for professional learning with different modalities. Professional learning options depend on what you need support on as well as what tools and services your program uses. Propel has many different options, such as the Google Intensive and the Tech Tuesday series, to help practitioners build digital literacy. For professional learning outside of Propel, there are many free and paid services such as Essential Education, Aztec, Burlington English, Canva, Google, and Microsoft.

At your program, think about internal ways to support staff and instructors. This can look like microlearning or job aids, which are short how-to guides, infographics, or videos to help staff complete tasks, or it can look like an assistant stepping in to support instructional staff. Creating microlearning takes time on the front end but can help you save time and energy in the long run. Microlearning can be just-in-time support or reminders on how to access online platforms, email, and inputting data. Another option is having a resource hub to house microlearning, articles, or contact information. The resource hub can look like a shared Drive folder or a Google Classroom with resources housed under topics.



Consideration 6: Student orientation & technical support

Students need time to adapt to online learning. They also need an introduction to the tool(s) and expectations for use. Introducing tools and practice as part of orientation can address the learning curve. It is also important to have continued support in and outside of the classroom. Keep in mind what this might look like. Your program can create job aids or short bits of information to support recurring tech issues. This can look like infographics, how-to guides, or tutorial videos.


Suggestions for adaptation: Practice modeling online with your staff

One way to prepare your staff for acclimating to the online environment is to practice together in a safe environment. Practicing together helps everyone better understand the expectations, tech challenges, and what additional considerations might come up. One option for practicing an online format is to use the modality in a staff meeting. For example, practice hyflex by giving staff members hyflex options to attend the staff meeting (online synchronous, in-person, or online asynchronous). This is also a way for administrators to get an idea of the challenges and benefits of switching to online instruction. In addition, administrators can help create an action plan for moving into online learning. An action plan can include professional learning needs for staff, technology checklists, and deadlines for completing tasks before launching online classes.


Conclusion

Online instruction can support many students who are unable to attend classes in person. It can also support instructors who teach from a distance if there are not many candidates in the program’s area. With these considerations in mind, programs can create strong foundations for online instruction that benefit all involved: students, staff, and the learning community. Please check out the resources below for additional and more in-depth information on teaching online. 


Resources

Flipped classrooms https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/flipped-classrooms#:~:text=A%20flipped%20classroom%20is%20structured,that%20involve%20higher%20order%20thinking. 


Hybrid learning

https://library.educause.edu/topics/teaching-and-learning/hybrid-learning 

https://er.educause.edu/articles/2023/8/the-design-of-hybrid-teaching-environments-10-questions-answered 


Indicators of quality online courses

https://valrc.org/resource/adult-education-indicators-of-quality-online-courses/ 


Technosolutionism

https://gaganbajaj.medium.com/technosolutionism-the-digital-double-edged-sword-afb337ef82a9 


Blended teaching foundations

https://edtechbooks.org/k12blended/blendedteachingfoundations 


Hybrid-flexible course design

https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex 


Hyflex guide

https://edtechbooks.org/hyflex_guide 


IDEAL distance learning and education handbook

https://edtechbooks.org/ideal_dl_handbook 


Teaching technology

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ 

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