Reflections for Module 6 - Cybercoaching, an Emerging Model

I like the idea of approaching online teaching as coaching. The picture that I get is of the coach moving along the sidelines encouraging the team member to “Keep on, you’re doing great!” Even if everything is not perfect, the time for correction comes later after the player is assured of his competence and ability to do the job. If the player is listening, he takes steps that reveal his trust in his coach, that he does have that ability. I liked the comment that the coach looks for “skills to develop” over “errors committed.” That is a great approach to cybercoaching.

One thing I have always thought is that a good coach comes by it naturally. However, I am realizing that coaching skills are learned and can be honed to bring out the best in the one who is coached. I think it is the same in online teaching. Good cybercoaching is modeled by our instructors such as Datta Kaur, and we learn from that how to encourage others. The tools we read about in the readings for this week are unique to online situations and are not just a way to deliver the course, but are the “tools of the trade” in cybercoaching. So, we need to learn to use them in the best possible ways.

It was interesting to note the role that access to adequate technology has to play in the success of the online student. I have always thought that anyone who wants to be an online student needs to make sure they have all of the access needed. However, I know that access is not always reliable or even available to some who could use it the most. I remember the terrible frustration my daughter had when her Algebra I instructor online wanted her to be on Skype and we just couldn’t get it working. He got more frustrated, flamed at her, and consequently cut off any rapport he may have had with this 14 year old timid girl (several years ago, now). There was no help, troubleshooting or even as a last resort, phone call from him. Anything like that would have gone very far with her, and he may have been able to get her to focus on learning rather than worrying about if he was going to flame again. Technology can be frustrating and we as coaches need to be able to help, or at least know where to get help for our students. I know that is a big order, but it is something I will consider more as I move toward teaching online.

The survey was a good exercise. I can be quite philosophical, and just getting down to creating something I can use sometimes frightens me a little. I like survey monkey because I really did not have difficulty using it right away. I think we need to make sure we suggest a choice tools that will encourage the novice to continue and challenge the expert. However, I am always looking for something simple for my middle school students to use. If they get frustrated with using the tools, they can get discouraged, which is not a good thing! Here’s my survey: Group Dynamics Survey.

I have a lot of collected information for my final project. However, I feel that I am getting a little bogged down with getting a handle on what needs to be really changed in order to present this online. The content of what I actually would have in the course needs to be created for access by the students. I have much of the information internalized and use few notes. I may need to write my own readings for student access because the scholarly articles I would read may be a little difficult for high school students. So, I feel like I am spinning my wheels right now. I have a lot of work to do this week. Datta Kaur’s procedural suggestion in one of the discussion responses is a real help, so I printed it out:
“Usually you will not include 4 assessment tools in one lesson. When you first plan, you start (according to "Backward design") with the learning objectives - what is your ultimate goal for students before you add details to planning.Then you decide on activities that need to be included to acquire the objectives; then you choose tools to support the activities and goals.Please be sure to include the learning objectives and Bloom's taxonomy level of your objectives in the writeup of your final project.”
This is a good path in the “forest” of information I have.