Professional Development - Head Start - U.S. Department of Health ...

BY C HIP D ONOHUE
AN eTEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE
ON ONLINE LEARNING
Teachers who take steps into
eTeaching can use all they have
learned about their teaching style,
early childhood education, effective
adult learning, and the learning styles
and needs of students. Through
eTeaching, they also can create another
effective way for early childhood professionals
to access education and professional
development.
Technology is available to serve
the goals of the adult educator, not the
other way around.
Online Learning and Early
Childhood Professionals
Technology is one tool for teacher
education and professional development—but
not the only tool. It is not
meant to replace the traditional faceto-face
classroom. The goals for both
methods of instruction are the same—
to improve teacher knowledge and
performance in the classroom and to
enhance child outcomes and family
support. Online training makes education
and training more accessible to
early childhood professionals. It is:
� Another way of getting courses
to students
� A convenient way for working
professionals to continue their
education
� An anytime and anywhere learning
environment that never closes
� A way to give a “voice” to some
students who may not speak up
in class but might online
Photo by S. Crecelius.
Distance Education
� An effective way to enable
exchanging ideas and information
between learners
� A powerful way to create a
dynamic community of learners
What is an eTeacher?
The job of an eTeacher is to use
enabling technology and effective distance
learning methods to remove the
barriers and build on the strengths of
eLearning. The teacher must be:
� Intentional in choices and
� Always keep the early childhood
adult learner and content
at the center of the process to
design, develop and deliver
eLearning.
Many online instructors comment
on the importance of serving as
a tour guide and being an active participant
in the online learning community
themselves. ETeachers plan
and prepare the environment and
then invite the students to join
online. They can point out interesting
places and things along the way
while keeping key concepts and
course materials in view.
A well-organized and well-managed
online classroom is both an
empowering place to learn, and a place
to contribute to the online community.
Online learners often report that they
felt they had more one-on-one attention
from their instructor than in faceto-face
courses. There are some similarities
and some differences between
eTeaching and classroom teaching.
ETeachers can:
� Participate in the discussions
and learn alongside students as
they share their knowledge,
skills and experience.
� Have a chance to really “listen”
to each student and to get to
know their voice. ETeachers
may have more of an opportunity
to “listen” since the online
environment can promote communication.
� Spend time in a managerial role
keeping everyone and everything
on track and working well. This
is a crucial role for all teachers,
particularly those online.
Creating Community
When asked, early childhood professionals
express a strong preference
for face-to-face training and courses.
They like to get together with others
and share ideas, and they tend to be
skeptical and cautious about technology
as an appropriate means of delivering
training about the art and science of
teaching young children. They wonder
Head Start Bulletin 43