The Top 10 Things to Know About Distance Learning: How to Teach It and Generate Extra Income

Originally Submitted on 5/31/2002.

Distance learning continues to grow in popularity because it offers so many advantages to the learner. Here's how to get started distance teaching.

1. Check out the copyright laws.

A basic summary: It's yours the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form so that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Go here to read more: www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html. Attach the copyright to your materials, and respect the copyrights of others.

2. Know the terminology.

Synchronous means in real time, such as streaming audio or video or a chat room. Asynchronous means your course is prepackaged and available to the person at any time to be studied at their convenience.

3. Know the advantages.

There are tremendous advantages to distance learning - flexibility for the student, access to the instructor, and a great savings in time and money.

4. Make the courses interactive.

The students reply and interact with you by email, which is under your control, but gives the involvement that people like nowadays. I've found it easy to manage.

5. Here are some resources for you to begin with:

a. "Learning with a Technology Profile Tool," www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm

b. Profiler online collaboration: http://profiler.scrtec.org/

c. Design and learn to teach online at Harvard: http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/home/index.cfm

d. Learn with other DL teachers: http://www.att.com/learningnetwork/teachers Where education and technology merge.

e. "New Teacher Online Survival Course" -- http://www.teachersnetwork.org (includes new teacher online hotline)

f. Online resources for distance learning teachers: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/index.html

g. Try www.cnet.com for online collaboration and technical questions

h. Here's a "graphic organizer"--http://www.graphic.org

6. Decide on the first course you will teach.

Check out sources like www.blackboard.com and www.teleclass.com and see what courses they offer that gel with your areas of expertise. Take some distance learning courses yourself to get a feel for it.

7. Find the vehicle for your courses.

I use a dedicated website and give students the URL each week. (You can get a password entry free through www.bravenet.com.) I have also used www.blackboard.com and there are other sites like that. I send one of my courses by email and a short-lesson course as an ezine through www.roving.com.

8. Once you're a success, you'll need a Virtual Assistant to manage the logistics.

Here's a start: I recommend Sunny and you can contact her at vasunny@sbcglobal.net. She manages my online courses for me. Look under Virtual Assistant on a search enginer or ask around.

9. Create a certificate for your students at the end of their course.

A virtual assistant can do this for you. Be sure and include your name, website, and phone number on the certificate so when the proud graduate hangs their certificate on the wall, others will know how to find you!

10. Get a distance learning coach. It will save you a lot of time and mistakes.

Especially good for learning to establish the tone and level of your courses. Writing for the internet is very different. Remember you have a student sitting in front of a computer, usually alone. How will you motivate? How will you involve?

Now you're a teacher! Get yourself a free mousepad: http://www.elftours.com/public/partners/pbs/teacher.asp

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