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Making the Move to Online Teaching: One Reluctant Professor’s Informal Self-Study

TechTrends volume 59, pages 35–40 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

In my search for my identity as an online teacher, I did an informal self-study to determine if my online classes are equivalent to my face-toface classes. I compared student work and student evaluations from 14 courses: seven online and seven face-to-face. When I compared the quality of student work from both formats, I found it indistinguishable. When I compared the type of comments on student evaluations, they were indistinguishable as well. There seemed to be no discernible difference between me as a face-toface teacher and me as an online teacher. Based on the students’ perceptions and coursework, their learning and enjoyment of learning did not seem to be tied to whether I was in the room with them or not.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA

    Beth Hurst

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  1. Beth Hurst
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Correspondence to Beth Hurst.

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Hurst, B. Making the Move to Online Teaching: One Reluctant Professor’s Informal Self-Study. TECHTRENDS TECH TRENDS 59, 35–40 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0902-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-015-0902-6

Keywords

  • teaching online
  • equivalency theory