book review
Teaching online, a guide to theory, research and practice
By Claire Howell Major Publisher John Hopkins First published 2015 $29.95
ISBN no 978-1-4214-1633-5
Teaching a persona I
n ‘Teaching Online,’ Claire Howell describes the changes that occur when education institutions move to online teaching, and aims to give real-life strategies for managing these changes. Given that by autumn 2013 there were 7.1 million online students, accounting for 33.5% of US college enrolment and with nearly all teaching today involving some online aspect - be it merely uploading material to Blackboard or entire online courses - Howell’s exploration of online teaching seems more relevant than ever, and aims to help teachers starting online. Despite there being a huge amount of information regarding online teaching, Howell argues that such information is ‘unyielding and spread across multiple sources’. Howell, a professor with extensive experience in online teaching, using a myriad of sources and theories, certainly offers a synthesised and condensed examination of the topic. Each chapter focuses on a specifi c educational issue that might arise when moving to online teaching, and each also offers a similar, easy to follow structure of potential problems followed by numbered strategies. Embedded case studies, written by various different professors detailing their own experiences of online teaching, are an interesting and effective technique, and offer a real-life insight into the problems and solutions of online teaching. The fi rst chapter examines the nature of the changes that can occur when moving to online teaching. For example, one of the changes that Howell discusses is the way in which teachers and students are removed from the experience of the moment when teaching online; the ‘infl uence of interpretation’ means that online comments, feedback, relationships etc. are altered and harder to interpret than when we experience them in the traditional, real-life environment of the classroom. It is an interesting and in-depth discussion of the various ways that technology modifi es the way that we interact with each other and the world around us. After having detailed other similar changes that occur, Howell goes on to discuss the strategies that one may use to aid the decision regarding whether to take up online teaching. Strategy #1 asks us to ‘consider core values’; in short, Howell urges the reader to think about what they hope to achieve as a teacher, and if that aim can be met online, and to consider if and how the changes that she has detailed will improve or worsen their teaching. A case study written by a professor, detailing her own decision to start teaching online, usefully sets Howell’s theory-laden writing into real life. This fi rst chapter offers an insightful discussion on if, rather than how, we should teach online, effectively asking the reader to decide if the changes that accompany the move are worth it.
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Claire Howell’s book examines the challenges of online teaching and concludes that the advantage offer nothing but good news
In our social media age, the notion of online personas is fascinating, and relevant to all and Howell offers an interesting discussion that extends beyond teaching.
In chapter eight, Howell focuses on ‘Teacher Persona’, examining how online
teachers ‘compartmentalise their personas, make choices about whether they project a real or imagined persona, and communicate their personas’. In our social media age, the notion of online personas is fascinating, and relevant to all and Howell offers an interesting discussion that extends beyond teaching. The physical presence and professional persona of a classroom based teacher is compared to the online teacher, and the differences between the two examined. It is much harder, for example, to be ‘present’ as an online teacher, and thus the chapter details some strategies for being so: giving practical advice such as being conscious of username choice, virtually “meeting” students and using social media. Again, the use of case studies throughout the chapter allows for more personal experiences, with one professor explaining how the use of iTunes and Instagram allowed her to connect with her virtual students across the globe. Once again, Howell emphasises the importance of the consideration of one’s teaching goals, concluding that identifying overall teaching aims is crucial to creating and maintaining a realistic and viable online teaching persona. Howell concludes by considering how comfortable a generation that has grown up on technology is in the online world; students no longer need the traditional classroom to learn and, given how many problems might be solved through greater, more accessible education, online teaching seems nothing but ‘good news’. If this is the case, Howell offers a valuable insight into the future of (online) teaching.
Rosaline Williams is a freelance writer
e.learning age september 2015
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