Challenges in Online Instructional Methodologies

One of the things that has attracted me to online and blended learning is that it has the potential to support the instructional methodologies which I have valued in the traditional classroom. I've always made an effort to individualize instruction as much as I was able to by using techniques such as writing workshop and giving choices for students to show what they know in other subject areas. One of the changes that an online or blended environment offers is a chance to use these techniques even more easily. Our textbook for the Leading Edge Certifications suggests that there will be even more emphasis on higher order thinking skills (page 4 of Module 2), although in the report we read a large number of the schools seemed to be using online learning for basic skills development. I think one of the challenges teachers may face is to not fall into a pattern of using online teaching only for rote learning. Finally, I'm wondering how online learning will change my own habits of developing my own curricular materials. I've always joked that I'm allergic to boxed curriculum. I'm always tweaking, enhancing, or rearranging what is in the textbook. How flexible will online teaching assignments be? Will I have the same kind of flexibility?

Ther are a number of skills I will need to improve or expand upon to support student learning in an online environment. For instance, I believe I'm fairly good at communicating through writing but it takes me time to write something well. I will need to improve my speed in composing my thoughts to be effective in online communication. I'm an advocate for using theories of learning styles to inform and individualize instruction but I think it will be much more difficult to identify learning styles in a distance learning environment. And although I'm familiar with techniques for guiding individualized learning in an face-to-face environment, I need to learn more about how to do that in an online environment.

In general, I feel that becoming certified to teach online will be an extension of many of the teaching skills and methodologies that I already use in the regular classroom.