Facilitating Online Classes

So this year I have been commissioned to facilitate at least one online classes every hour except 6th (hey, I gotta eat at some point).  If you are a librarian and are asked to facilitate online classes here are a few tips.

The first week IS CRAZY.  The kids have no clue what they are doing.  Be prepared.  You will have to show them how to log in to whatever portal they have (Blackboard, Moodle, etc) and you will have to show them how to check their email.  They will also ask how to turn their work in.  Be prepared to fax a million things while they are figuring out email attachments and digital drop boxes.

Explain to your students that you are not their teacher.  They just don't get this right away.  They will ask you things like, "What does question number two mean?"  Or, "Why'd I make a C on that test?"  It's a bit annoying when they do this because, well, I've got work to do and explaining to them how an online class works takes time away from my library duties.

Keep their supplies (headphones mainly) in a central location so they do not have to ask you for them.  Sometimes these kids can be very shy and they will sit for 50 minutes and stare at the screen rather than interupt you to ask for headphones.  Plus, how annoying is it to have to give them their supplies daily?  As aforementioned, I've got things to do.

You must install about a million, give or take, new programs on your computers for them.  Most of this is done in the first week, but be prepared for an evening of Java and Quicktime and Adobe Reader updates.  If your district is like ours then the students cannot install the software.  You have to.  And, yes, it sucks.

Tell them that you are not responsible for keeping them on task (although you will try to keep them on task, or at least keep them from being distracting in the library).  This is important for the students and the parents to know.  A student's commitment to taking an online class is just that - a commitment.  Your job is not to hold their hands and ensure all assignments are complete.  Your job is to make sure they have the tools they need to be successful (a computer, headphones, access to email, etc), catch cheaters, and to make sure they don't damage anything (equipment, the library, each other, etc).

So, the bottom line is this, if you are facilitating online classes after week one (maybe week two if you have some slackers) your job's a breeze.  The kids know what to do.  You troubleshoot technical issues, ask them occasionally if they are up-to-date on their assignments, relay any messages to or from their teachers if they are having difficulty contacting each other, and make sure they don't cheat.  The first one or two weeks, however, are busy.  You will have a difficult time if you schedule classes to come to the library during these weeks.