Facilitating Online Learning

Tip:
Being a facilitator is different for online environments then face-to-face workshops. As a facilitator for online learning:

  • Model the behavior you wish all in your group to use.
  • Practice and encourage active listening and reading.
  • Assume that all the users in your group have good intentions.
  • Be as clear as possible in your communication.
  • Don't assume understanding; ask for clarification if there seems to be questions or confusion.
  • Encourage an environment that values and builds on trust by doing what you say you will do. Encourage others to do the same.
  • Use humor carefully as it may not always come across online as you would like. You can always use emoticons to clarify your message! ;-)
  • Think before you hit the send button and a post goes up. Review what you wrote before you send your message.
  • Approach every contribution with curiosity and encourage all users in your group to contribute.

Submitted by:Barbara Bray

Next Tip: Setting up the Course