Article Summary 4: Roles and Competencies of Online Educators

This is a summary of the article "Transforming online teaching practice: critical analysis of the literature on the roles and competencies of online teachers" written by Evrim Baran; Ana-Paula Correia; and Ann Thompson.

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Transforming online teaching practice: critical analysis of the literature on the roles and competencies of online teachers

Authors: Evrim Baran; Ana-Paula Correia; Ann Thompson

Background

More educators world-wide are becoming involved in some aspect of on-line teaching
Many educators tend to replicate traditional teaching methods in the online teaching environment
These teaching methods have been proven ineffective for in-person teaching and are proving equally as ineffective for creating higher levels of critical learning in online learning environments

Purpose of study of literature

Study roles and competencies of the online educator
Figure out how online teachers can be supported and empowered to try new techniques

Methodology

Identify applicable articles that have used both qualitative and quantitative research methods that have been published no earlier than 1991
Review ended in 11 articles that explored the role, competencies and methods of online educators
Articles were then selected for review and analysis
Next, themes were extracted and compared
Finally, transformative learning theory was used as a framework for exploring the standards and competencies of online educators. This allowed online educators to be viewed also as learners, look at transformation through critical reflection and looking at the transformation that happens as online educators think about and see their role as specifically an online teacher.

Role of online teacher

Initially focused on technical competencies, managing the classroom and materials, teaching style and social interactions
This went through a series of changes but current day standards include those elements along with several others: professional, researcher, evaluator, and administrator. This has been a refining process in which the role has become both broader and clearer.

Competencies for online teachers

This centers around ideas of technology, communication and assessment competencies
Creating learner-centered, facilitation-style online learning environments
Most of the research is lacking in showing what transformation teachers need to go to in order to change from their standard go-to techniques that are used in the classroom to a different version of teaching in the online environment.
Review of literature showed that teachers need to be empowered to try new ideas and methods along with learning how to promote critical discourse and change their pedagogy for online applications and use of technology.

Empowering online teachers

Critical dialogue is essential when empowering online educators as it gives them an opportunity to learn and grow in their identity as an educator and in collaboration and autonomy both.
This can create new and creative ways of online teaching and transfers empowerment from the teacher to the student as well

Promoting critical reflection

This in turn will also promote empowerment of the teacher
The best way for growth and transformation of an online educator is to reflect on themselves and their teaching practices

Integrating technology into pedagogical inquiry

Technology not only helps the student, but can help the online educator as well
Using technology can help students to learn better depending on the way the student learns best and what access they have to different teaching and learning styles and techniques

Conclusion

Each role that an online teacher might fulfill has a host of competencies associated with it and some of those need refining and changing in order to be more pedagogically centered and to allow transformative learning to happen for the educator.
Teachers need to be encouraged to take a more learner-centered approach in teaching online courses
Transformative learning, critical reflection and deep analysis of other points of view is crucial for the online educator to be more successful in an online learning environment. The teacher needs to go through the transformative learning alongside their students.
Collaboration, community building, allowing the educator freedom of creativity will be beneficial not only for the participants of online learning courses but also for the educators.