Unpacking the key skills of the online instructor

This presentation will include examples, and non-examples, from recent experiences, and will draw on examples from the audience in order to highlight principles that could be utilized in any institution.   This presentation will draw from the following menu of topics, selected according to the background and desires of those in the session:   Introduction: patterns in quality practices in online teaching

1. There are key patterns in quality online teaching that emerge from comparing various sources of quality practices in online teaching
2. There are key differences in online teaching from a pre-built curriculum and a self-created curriculum.
3. Examples (and non-examples) will be shared of the application of key online teaching skills.

Section 1: Engaging students in learning

1. Identifying disengaged students.
2. Moving from a teaching model to a learning model -- facilitating a transfer of ownership to the student.
3. Connecting with individual students and inspiring a love for learning and for the discipline.
4. Connecting students to each other.
5. Contextualizing the curriculum.
6. Posing and inviting key questions and follow-up.
7. Establishing and maintaining presence in the online space.
8. Leveraging the power of story.
9. Creating a vision for the student's future.

Section 2: Effective and timely feedback

1. The significance of feedback in learning and motivation.
2. The twin activities of assessing student performance and communicating observations.
3. Connecting current student behaviors to potential behaviors, i.e. learning goals.
4. Informing a student's personal learning scaffolding in the discipline. 
5. Meta-learning: providing feedback on the learning process itself.

Section 3: Modeling learning in a discipline

1. Sharing personal learning experiences in the discipline.
2. Meta-learning: strategies for reflecting on the learning process, from an expert's perspective.

Wrap-up: Therefore, what? Plans for action and adaptation to other environments

1. The instruments, models, and principles described are replicable in other institutions and settings.
2. Discussion of methods for adapting and reusing applicable tools and strategies.

Resources: Links to the instruments and visuals will be provided on the conference web site.