This course will help you ‘up’ your game and develop the advanced level skills and techniques that elude even some of the most experienced virtual teachers. We will examine the pitfalls beginning teachers run into and learn how to overcome them by focusing on the fundamentals that have the greatest impact on student learning in a blended or online environment. Throughout the course, you will be challenged to assess your own skills and apply what you are learning by creating a guide, assignment, or resource that you will be able to use in a class that you teach or hope to teach someday soon. By the end of the course, you will not only have a better understanding of the basics, you will be able to put them together like a pro and empower your future students to be voracious learners who are ready to go out and make the world a better place to live.
Virtual Teacher SpecializationUniversity of California, IrvineAbout this Course
Learner Career Outcomes
33%
Learner Career Outcomes
33%
Offered by
University of California, Irvine
Since 1965, the University of California, Irvine has combined the strengths of a major research university with the bounty of an incomparable Southern California location. UCI’s unyielding commitment to rigorous academics, cutting-edge research, and leadership and character development makes the campus a driving force for innovation and discovery that serves our local, national and global communities in many ways.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1: Handling Direct Instruction
Welcome! This week you will begin by familiarizing yourself with the course. Then, we'll examine the role direct instruction plays in a virtual course. I will clarify what I mean by direct instruction and we will look at ways teachers can use some of the latest video/multimedia tools to 'up' student engagement. By the end of this module, you should have a good idea how you can use technology to meet your students needs and craft a better virtual learning experience for them.
Week 2: Passing with Communication and Building Relationships
Welcome to Week 2! In this module, we will focus on what we do as virtual teachers to establish clear and open lines of communication and how we use that to build relationships with our students. In some ways, it’s no different than a traditional face-to-face teacher, but there are also some significant differences. We will look at how to set up the learning environment so you get to know your students, they get to know each other, and everyone has a clear understanding of what's expected of them and the role they play in your course. We will also examine how technology enables us to personalize learning by providing feedback using a variety of online tools.
Week 3: Swishing Assignments and Assessments
Our goal as teachers is to get our students to take a shot and improve their techniques, so that over time we see their "shooting percentage" go up! In order to do this, we must design assignments and assessments that engage our students and challenge them to think deeper and go further than they have done before. Our focus for this third module is to rethink assignments and assessments. We will explore what motivates students to perform and learn how to implement some powerful instructional strategies using free tools that can be used in nearly any virtual class. By the end of this module, you will have at least two "go to" techniques that will have the virtual nets in your classes swishing with artifacts of meaningful learning. You will also have the opportunity to submit your assignment and evaluate three of your classmates' work.
Week 4: Rebounding for At-Risk and Underperforming Students
Your course is underway, the discussion boards are buzzing with activity and your students are working diligently to produce some exceptional work. Watch out! If you are not actively searching for students hanging out on the sidelines or hiding under the bleachers, you may be forfeiting the greatest joy of your career. This week is going to be a little different. We are going to turn our focus to the students who are often lost, ignored, or troubled. We will define who an at-risk student is, examine some effective strategies for teaching students who are at-risk and we will hear from some educators who know how to help them rebound and score.
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM ADVANCED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES IN THE VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
Excellent, Excellent course for teachers. Learned many things not only for the virtual classroom but also for classroom sessions. Video sessions by Mr.Chris Long are awesome with plenty of insights.
The contents were good, they motivate you to do different things in the virtual classroom and the resources were interesting to apply them for various subjects.
An outstanding course. Thoughtful with unique insights into some of the challenges of the virtual classroom with realistic suggestions on how to approach them.
This course will help you ‘up’ your game and develop the advanced level skills and techniques that elude even some of the most experienced virtual teachers.
About the Virtual Teacher Specialization
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
- The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
- The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
This Course doesn't carry university credit, but some universities may choose to accept Course Certificates for credit. Check with your institution to learn more. Online Degrees and Mastertrack™ Certificates on Coursera provide the opportunity to earn university credit.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
