The role of online tutor

• Mestrado em Pedagogia do Elearning

• UC: Processos Pedagógicos de Elearning

• Trabalho elaborado por:– Marco Freitas– Maria de Lurdes Martins– Teresa Fernandes

Novembro de 2009

A reflection about tutor´s role, the purpose of using certain techniques and the way students are supported by a

variety of strategies or media.

The choice of a strategy may vary according to:

– The skills and profile of the students;– The environment;– The alternatives available;– The curriculum that is being taught.

The tutor’s perception• In order to build working relationships with

students, a variety of media can be selected providing quality in the tutor´s intervention.

• Quality in tutor’s intervention attempt to:Build confidence: asynchronous contact through email or forums cam be helpfulFit individual needs: many teachers emphasize the importance of synchronous contact as a mean to refine their support to students, increasing interactivity and dialogue Focusing in online assignments: in online education, many students share their daily schedule with family, jobs and commitments, following a self-paced learning. Though tasks are brought to the whole group at the same time, some strategies can become a complement to asynchronous forums, debates or discussions, such as audio or video conference or Second Life.

Online Teaching Techniques• “One line techniques are characterized by

retrieval from online resources.” • Learners can perform tasks without

comunicating with either students or tutors.• A framework of 4 teaching methods:

– One-online Techniques;– One-to-one Tecniques;– One-to-many Tecniques;– Many-to-many Tecniques.

Online Teaching Tecniques

• We focused our atention on two Many-to-many Techniques:

– Forums;

– Role Plays.

Forums – a strategy (I)

• - allowing students reflection on other students point of view, themes, interests, learning objects;

• - sharing feedback with the group (either from tutor or students);

• -being supported by the group and within the group;

• - sharing contents, opinions, assignments to maximum students;

Forums – a strategy(II)

• - allowing students to review their posts and read them later;

• - providing time to think before answering;• -a flexible way to work;• - always available and accessible;• - a media that can answer to individual needs

and previous experiences and skills;• - an enormous “thinking tool” where students

have a place of their own.

Final reflection:

• But forums are also a Technique where:-the use of photos near the post messages help to link faces with ideas and individuals;-the lack of posts or an overwhelming number of messages can inhibit or discourage students to participate;-discussions may not be focusing on tutor’s instructions;

-an overwhelming number of messages means some redundancy, most of the times.

ROLE PLAY

What is Role-Playing?

Tell me, I will forgetShow me, I may rememberInvolve me and I will understand (Chinese proverb)

What is Role-Playing?Role playing, a derivative of a sociodrama, is a method for exploring the issues involved in complex social situations. It may be used for the training of professionals or in a classroom for the understanding of literature, history, and even science. (Blatner; 2002)

In role-playing exercises, the student takes the role of a person or even of some phenomena and studies the impacts and/or the effects of an issue.The objectives of a role playing scenario are to expose students to different viewpoints or ways of thinking about a situation, expand their ability to resolve situations, and provide experience within a given context.

Types of Role-Playing exercises (1)

Individual Role-Playing Exercises:The students research and write about or present the issue

being studied in a format appropriate to the character they've been assigned: a letter to the editor, or a report to

the board of a corporation. The challenge for these exercises is for the student to "get into character", to

accept and work in the role that they've been assigned, especially if their character is very different from them.

Interactive Role-Playing ExerciseIt is required that the participants build a consensus by a

certain deadline (perhaps the ultimate challenge in problem-solving), and arguments can build within originally

collaborative projects, often as a natural and often healthy part of the process. More unusual exercises include scripted

interactive demonstrations and introductory projects in which groups of students work out a character's perspective

on a topic and then present it in character.

(1) http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/roleplaying/

Types of online Role-Playing

•Asynchronous Online Role PlayingThe roles can be given out ahead of time if the students need to research the given role, or can be impromptu. A set time is allowed for students to act out their roles. The instructor coordinates the students role playing activity

•Synchronous Online Role PlayingStudents are given a certain amount of time to post to an asynchronous discussion forum concerning their roles part in the discussion. Students are required to post a certain number of times at a minimum and in addition should accommodate the needs of the discussion as outlined in some form of rubric or lesson requirement given out prior to starting the activity. The instructor coordinates the discussion and directs questions at particular roles as appropriate.

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http://teresanauniv.blogspot.com/2009/11/role-play-strengths.html

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Bibliography

Bender, T. (2005); “Role playing in online education: A teaching tool to enhance student engagement and sustained learning”. Retrieved from

Line Kolås and Arvid Staupe “Implementing delivery methods by using pedagogical design patterns” - Department of Computer and Information Science Retrieved from :http://www2.tisip.no/ELEN/papers/EDMEDIA04/SymposiaNTNU.pdfFunaro G. and Montell F.; Pedagogical Roles and Implementation Guidelines for Online Communication Tools by SLOAN-CRetrieved from:http://www.aln.org/publications/magazine/v3n2/funaro.asp

Berge Z.; The Role of the Online Instructor/FacilitatorRetrieved from:http://www.emoderators.com/moderators/teach_online.html