Abstract
As a multidimensional construct which requires multiple competencies, online teaching is forcing universities to rethink traditional faculty roles and competencies. With this consideration in mind, this paper presents a process-oriented framework structured around three sequential non-linear phases: (1) before: preparing, planning, and designing; (2) during: facilitating, interacting, and providing/gathering feedback; and (3) after: reflecting and considering lessons learned. Grounded on existing models and on our experience designing and working with faculty designing and teaching online courses, this framework provides a systemic understanding of the various roles and competencies associated with online teaching. Use of this framework should enable higher education institutions (HEIs) to develop comprehensive and effective faculty development programs, capable of helping faculty create and facilitate effective learning opportunities for all students.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
As a generic concept, online teaching refers to any learning experience which mixes three interdependent dimensions: (1) delivery and interaction tools (hardware and software); (2) remote location; and (3) synchronous or asynchronous meeting time.
References
Abdous, M. (2009). E-learning quality assurance: A process-oriented lifecycle model. Quality Assurance in Education, 17(3), 281–295.
Abdous, M., & He, W. (2008a). Streamlining online course development process by using project management tools. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 9(2), 181–188.
Abdous, M., & He, W. (2008b). A design framework for syllabus generator. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(4), 541–550.
Abdous, M., & Yoshimura, M. (2010). Learner outcomes and satisfaction: A comparison of live video-streamed instruction, satellite broadcast instruction, and face-to-face instruction. Computers & Education, 55(2), 733–741.
Amirault, R., & Visser, Y. (2009). The University in periods of technological change: A historically grounded perspective. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 21(1), 62–79.
Bailey, C. J., & Card, K. A. (2009). Effective pedagogical practices for online teaching: Perception of experienced instructors. Internet and Higher Education, 12(3), 152–155.
Bangert, A. W. (2004). The seven principles of good practice: A framework for evaluating on-line teaching. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(3), 217–232.
Bawane, J., & Spector, J. M. (2009). Prioritization of online instructor roles: Implications for competency-based teacher education programs. Distance Education, 30(3), 383–397.
Berge, Z. L. (1995). Facilitating computer conferencing: Recommendations from the field. Educational Technology, 35(1), 22–30.
Berge, Z. L. (2008). Instructor’s changing roles in multi-user virtual environments. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 9(4), 407–414.
Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Borokhovski, E., Wade, C. A., Tamim, R. M., & Surkes, M. A. (2009). A meta-analysis of three types of interaction treatments in distance education. Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1243–1289.
Bolliger, D. U., & Wasilik, O. (2009). Factors influencing faculty satisfaction with online teaching and learning in higher education. Distance Education, 30(1), 103–116.
Briggs, S. (2005). Changing roles and competencies of academics. Active Learning in Higher Education, 6(3), 256–268.
Brindley, J., Walti, C., & Blaschke, L. (2009). Creating effective collaborative learning groups in an online environment. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 10(3). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/viewArticle/675/1271.
Coppola, N. W., Hiltz, S. R., & Rotter, N. G. (2002). Becoming a virtual professor: Pedagogical roles and asynchronous learning networks. Journal of Management Information Systems, 18(4), 169–189.
Dede, C. (2008). Theoretical perspectives influencing the use of information technology in teaching and learning. In J. Voogt & G. Knezek (Eds.), International handbook of information technology in primary and secondary education (pp. 43–62). New York: Springer Science.
Easton, S. S. (2003). Clarifying the instructor’s role in online distance learning. Communication Education, 52(2), 87.
Ehlers, D. (2004). Quality in E-learning from a learner’s perspective. Proceeding of the Third EDEN Research Workshop, Oldenburg, Germany, 4-6 March. Retrieved from http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2004/Online_Master_COPs.html.
Ellis, R. A., Goodyear, P., Prosser, M., & O’Hara, A. (2006). How and what university students learn through online and face-to-face discussion: Conceptions, intentions and approaches. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22, 244–256.
Eom, S. B., Wen, H. J., & Ashill, N. (2006). The determinants of students’ perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in university online education: An empirical investigation. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 4(2), 215–235.
Feenberg, A. (1989). The written world: On the theory and practice of moderating educational computer conferences 89 computer conferencing. In R. Mason & A. Kaye (Eds.), Mindweave: Communications, computers, and distance education (pp. 22–39). Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Goodyear, P., Salmon, G., & Spector, J. M. (2001). Competences for online teaching: A special report. Educational Technology Research and Development, 49(1), 65–72.
Graff, R. (2008). Faculty perceptions of readiness to teach online. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida. Retrieved from http://gradworks.umi.com/33/34/3334462.html.
Harasim, L. (2006). A history of E-learning: Shift happened. In J. Weiss, J. Nolan, J. Hunsinger, & P. Trifonas (Eds.), The international handbook of virtual learning environments (pp. 59–94). Netherlands: Springer.
Hiltz, S. R. (1988). Teaching in a virtual classroom. In A virtual classroom on EIES: Final evaluation report (Vol. 2). Newark, NJ: New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Hiltz, S. R., Kim, E., & Shea, P. (2007). Faculty motivators and de-motivators for teaching online: Results of focus group interviews at one university. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 40th annual Hawaii international conference on system sciences.
Hosiea, P., Schibecib, R., & Backhausc, A. (2005). A framework and checklists for evaluating online learning in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 30(5), 539–553.
Laurillard, D. (2008). Technology enhanced learning as a tool for pedagogical innovation. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 42(3/4), 521–533.
Lee, M.-H., & Tsai, C.-C. (2010). Exploring teachers’ perceived self efficacy and technological pedagogical content knowledge with respect to educational use of the World Wide Web. Instructional Science, 38(1), 1–21.
Lohman, J. (1996). Characteristics of exemplary teachers. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 65, 33–40.
Lowes, S. (2008). Online teaching and classroom change: The trans-classroom teacher in the age of the internet. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 4(3), 5. Retrieved from http://innovateonline.info/pdf/vol4_issue3/Online_Teaching_and_Classroom_Change-__The_Trans-Classroom_Teacher_in_the_Age_of_the_Internet.pdf.
Mason, R. (1991). Moderating educational computer conferencing. DEOSNEWS, 1(19). Retrieved from http://www.emoderators.com/papers/mason.html.
McShane, K. (2004). Integrating face-to-face and online teaching: Academics’ role concept and teaching choices. Teaching in Higher Education, 9(1), 3–16.
Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K. (2009). Evaluation of evidence based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. US Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054.
Moore, M. G. (2002). Editorial, what does research say about the learners using computer-mediated communication in distance learning? American Journal of Distance Education, 16(2), 61–64.
Morrisett, L. (1996). Habits of mind and a new technology of freedom. First Monday, 1(3). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/483/404.
Muilenburg, L., & Berge, Z. L. (2001). Barriers to distance education: A factor-analytic study. American Journal of Distance Education, 15(2), 7–22.
Mullins-Dove, T. G. (2006). Streaming video and distance education. Distance Learning, 3(4), 63–71.
Murphy, J. W. (1986). Humanizing the use of technology in education: A re-examination. International Review of Education/Internationale Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft/Revue Internationale de l’Education, 32(2), 137–148.
Orr, R., Williams, M., & Pennington, K. (2009). Institutional efforts to support faculty in online teaching. Innovative Higher Education, 34(4), 257–268.
Paquette, G. (2007). An ontology and a software framework for competency modeling and management. Educational Technology & Society, 10(3), 1–21.
Parsad, B., & Lewis, L. (2008). Distance education at degree-granting postsecondary institutions: 2006-07. First Look. NCES 2009-044: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubSearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009044.
Paulsen, M. F. (1995). Moderating educational computer conferences. In Z. L. Berge & M. P. Collins (Eds.), Computer mediated communication and the online classroom, Vol. III: Distance Learning (pp. 81–89). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
Phillips, R (2005). Pedagogical, institutional and human factors influencing the widespread adoption of educational technology in higher education. In Goss, H. (Ed.), Balance, fidelity, mobility? Maintaining the momentum? Proceedings of the 22nd ASCILITE Conference. Brisbane, Queensland University of Technology, 4–7 December 2005. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/brisbane05/blogs/proceedings/62_Phillips.pdf.
Richey, R. C., Fields, D. C., & Foxon, M., (2001). Instructional design competencies: The standards (3rd ed.). Syracuse, NY: ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology. ED453803. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/2b/6d/70.pdf.
Roblyer, M. D., Porter, M., Bielefeldt, T., & Donaldson, M. B. (2009). Teaching online made me a better teacher: Studying the impact of virtual course experiences on teachers’ face-to-face practice. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 25(4), 121–126.
Rovai, A. P. (2004). A constructivist approach to online college learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(2), 79–93.
Salmon, G. (2002). E-tivities: The key to active online learning. London: Kogan Page.
Salomon, G. (1998). Technology’s promises and dangers in a psychological and educational context. Theory into Practice, 37(1), 4–10.
Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Shepherd, C., Alpert, M., & Koeller, M. (2007). Increasing the efficacy of educators teaching online. International Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 173–179.
Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), 1–22.
Spector, M. J. (2005). Time demands in online instruction. Distance Education, 26(1), 5–27.
Tapscott, D., & Williams, A. D. (2010). Innovating the 21st-century university: It’s time! EDUCAUSE Quarterly, 45(1), 16 − 29. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolume45/Innovatingthe21stCenturyUniver/195370.
Thach, E., & Murphy, K. (1995). Competencies for distance education professionals. Educational Technology Research and Development, 43(1), 57–79.
Vaughan, N. (2007). Perspectives on blended learning in higher education. International Journal on E-Learning, 6(1), 81–94.
Wallace, R. M. (2004). A framework for understanding teaching with the internet. American Education Research Journal, 41, 447–488.
Wallace, L. (2007). Online teaching and university policy: Investigating the disconnect. Journal of Distance Education, 22(1), 87–100.
Wiesenberg, F., & Stacey, E. (2005). Reflections on teaching and learning online: Quality program design, delivery and support issues from a cross‐global perspective. Distance Education, 26(3), 385–404.
Williams, P. E. (2003). Roles and competencies for distance education programs in higher education institutions. American Journal of Distance Education, 17(1), 45–57.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abdous, M. A process-oriented framework for acquiring online teaching competencies. J Comput High Educ 23, 60–77 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-010-9040-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-010-9040-5