Online Tutor Skills

WORKING ONLINE
Tutor skills for handling online chats,
discussions and content
Caroline Gwatkin and Dace Praulins
E-moderation course, February 2014

Contents (1)
ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION/MOTIVATION
 Select appropriate technology

 Building motivation into online education
 Multiple intelligences

SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS
COMMUNICATION
 Synchronous communication
 Asynchronous communication
2

Contents (2)
DEALING WITH PROBLEMS IN LEARNER
PARTICIPATION
 Course building changes or additions
 Personal contact with student having problems

SAMPLE RUBRICS THAT GIVE RATIONALES FOR
COURSE DESIGN DECISIONS
 Using rubrics
 Rubric six-step process

FURTHER RESOURCES
3

ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION/
MOTIVATION
4

Select appropriate technology
E-learning technologies
eLearning activities Motivation factors

Moodle

ePortfolio

Turnitin

Chat room

Online assessment

Google

Assessment

Uses quizzes,
student can
repeat to gauge
progress

Good for
reflecting on
tasks

Helps identify
plagiarism &
aids marking

Useful for
enhancing 1-2-1
support

Prime focus is
assessment

Can be used to
support
assessment
prep

Tutor-2student

Good for chat,
messaging on
mobile etc. can
sort queries/
worries informally

Use for chat,
messaging on
mobile etc

Good for 1-2-1
online feedback
for tasks

Very good for
sharing video,
voice and desktop

Can give feedback
if set up correctly

Useful for 1-2-1
communication

Tutor-2many

Good for forum,
chat, wikis, etc.

Use for chat,
messaging etc

No

Very good for
sharing video,
voice and desktop

No

Useful for
sharing docs

Student -2student

Facilitates
discussion, group
activities. Tutor
can make
‘guidance’
comments

Set up groups to
share docs &
communicate

No, but students
could discuss
the benefits of
using

Supports
communication
with student as
presenter and
maybe tutor as
facilitator

Not really, but
could discuss in
group
communication

Useful for
sharing docs

Reflection

Aids tutor/
student reflection
– forum, journal

Designed for
personal
reflection

If students have
access before
handing in, they
can avoid failure

Useful for tutor/
student reflection

Reflecting on
results may be
useful

Useful for
student
discussion

Adapted from: Portsmouth Universlty online courses

5

Building motivation into
online education (1)
• Have a positive attitude (e.g. smile
when speaking, even if your learners
can’t see you, it’s reflected in your
tone of voice)
• Build rapport and trust by answering
questions as soon as possible
• Show interest, open a café to
encourage participants to socialise
• Use a pre-course questionnaire for
needs analysis

6

• Make document layout visually appealing; chunk
information and use plenty of white space
• Gain the interest of learners, make content relevant,
understandable, and meaningful; remember shorter
modules/units are more achievable
• Ensure the content makes sense (logical flow of
information) and is organised in well-staged tasks with
detailed information such as due dates
• Use active voice, short sentences, and language that
learners understand
• Praise learners, but don’t over-praise as it can sound
patronising
Adapted from: Jordan, C. (2006) Building
motivation into online education. ITEC 860

7

• Use the same navigational tools throughout
the content (headers and footers, heading
and subheadings, and/or clickable options)
• Be consistent with terminology and
formatting
• Use a variety of media and different group
interactions
• Offer choices aimed at different learning
styles in a wide range of task types
(chats/discussions/blogs) using different
formats (audio/video/slides)
Adapted from: Jordan, C. (2006) Building
motivation into online education. ITEC 860

8

• Try not to jump in too soon, give participants time to
expand and explain
• Support participants who fall behind in a positive
manner, contact them promptly, clarify doubts and
provide reassurance
• Support participants who fall behind in a positive
manner, contact them promptly, clarify doubts and
provide reassurance
• Offer further challenges, these can be presented as “if
you’ve got time you can…” so as not to be intimidating
• Allow participants to act as group leaders and to
create their own tasks
9

• Set reasonable timings – it is very frustrating for
participants to always take longer than the
recommended time
• Use participants reflections to improve your future
courses and tasks
• When giving feedback include both strengths and
weaknesses in easy-to-understand comments – this
gives participants future aims and objective

10

Motivation: multiple intelligences
Intrapersonal
Reflect in journal (e.g. Moodle/Campuspack blog
or journal, Mahara e-portfolio) on weekly (?)
activities undertaken to improve English,
difficulties in undertaking tasks set, etc.

Adapted from: Green, C. and Tanner, R. (2005) Multiple intelligences and online
teacher education. ELT Journal 59,4

11

Interpersonal
Synchronous: Group online chat with a topic relevant
to learners’ needs and interests (e.g. text: Moodle
Chat, Facebook; audio: Skype; video: Google Hangouts,
BlackBoard Collaborate)
Asynchronous: Group collaboration (e.g. text: Moodle
Wiki, Padlet; audio: VoiceThread, Voxopop)


12

Linguistic
Write a review of a website which is useful for
English language learning, review of book
recently read, film recently seen (e.g. Moodle
Wiki, Moodle discussion forum); essay writing
(e.g. Moodle/Turnitin, Google Docs)


13

Logical-mathematical
Read a list of items and rank them in order of
importance, individually then pair/small-group
work – probably synchronous chat (e.g. NASA
Moon Landing Game, Lost at Sea)


14

Visual-spatial
Use videos as basis for language work (e.g. TEDEd, British Council Learn English, EFL SMARTblog,
Film English)


15

Musical
Use songs with quizzes for language work (e.g.
Busy Teacher Songs and Lyrics; Moodle Quiz,
Google Forms, LOC tool, Xerte)


16

Naturalist
Do a communicative writing task using either an
image or a real object from nature (e.g. Busy
Teacher Creative Writing Prompts, ELTpics); take a
picture – upload it and write or talk about it (e.g.
Instagram, Fotobabble)


17

Bodily-kinesthetic
Create flashcards which can be downloaded and
printed out (e.g. Quizlet) or used as an app (e.g.
StudyBlue); write and direct a short
video/podcast/presentation (e.g. Moodle,
YouTube)


18

SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS
COMMUNICATION
19

Synchronous communication (1)
Use synchronous communication when:
– You want an instant response
– A message is not enough
– It’s important for participants to see and hear
each other

20

•
•
•
•

Communicate the goal and the timeframe
Establish the rules of communication
Encourage all to contribute
Deliver sensitive feedback/information in a
“closed” channel
• Use a calendar for online meetings (e.g. Doodle)

Adapted from: Shepherd, C. (2000) The real-time online tutor. Fastrak Consulting. Retrieved from:
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/realtime/realtime.htm

21

• Control discussions that are straying off course
• Summarise outcomes at each stage of the
discussion
• Act any against misuse of the facility
• Ask quiet participants direct questions
• Have a Plan B if the technology fails

Adapted from: Shepherd, C. (2000) The real-time online tutor. Fastrak Consulting. Retrieved
from: http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/realtime/realtime.htm

22

Synchronous communication
Text chat
Text chat is the most basic of synchronous
methods and the easiest to implement. It's not
surprising, therefore, that it's also the most
popular (e.g. Moodle Chat, Facebook, Skype).


23

Electronic whiteboards
An electronic whiteboard makes it possible for
participants to contribute to a common visual
working space. They can draw on the whiteboard,
type text or paste images and each participant
sees the same end result (e.g. WiZiQ, VYEW).


24

Audio conferencing
With audio conferencing, participants can talk to
each other in real time. With half-duplex audio,
only one person can speak at a time. With fullduplex audio, more than one person can speak
simultaneously (e.g. Skype).


25

Video conferencing
Video conferencing allows participants to see as
well as hear each other. Multi-way video
conferencing requires a great deal of bandwidth
so most virtual classroom packages allow only
one video stream to be transmitted at a time (e.g.
Skype, Moodle/BigBlueButton, BlackBoard
Collaborate, Google Hangouts).


26

Application sharing
This feature allows participants to view and work
on documents jointly or for one participant to
take over and work on another computer (e.g.
Google Docs, Dropbox, SkyDrive).


27

Polling
Another possibility is real-time polling of all the
participants in the meeting. This could be to
gauge opinions or to gather answers to a test
question (e.g. Poll Everywhere, Padlet).


28

Asynchronous communication (1)
Use asynchronous communication when:
– Participants need time to prepare what they
have to say
– It’s difficult for participants to be online at the
same time
– It’s important for all participants to get the
message
29

Asynchronous communication (2)
•
•
•
•
•
•

Introduce yourself to establish rapport
Establish the rules of communication
Initiate discussion topics
Encourage students to initiate their own topics
Control discussions that are straying off course
Summarise outcomes at each stage of the
discussion
• Act any against misuse of the facility
• Delete dead topics
Adapted from: Shepherd, C. (2000) The asynchronous online tutor. Fastrak Consulting. Retrieved from:
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/asynch/asynch.htm

30

DEALING WITH PROBLEMS IN
LEARNER PARTICIPATION
31

Course building changes or
additions (1)
• Organise some collaborative group tasks (as official
assignments), mixing the silent and participative
students
• Design and implement some socialising-type activities
which can only be completed through the interaction
of ALL the participants
• Send out a questionnaire that would tap into learners’
motivation and involve the silent learners (ideally at
the start)
• Set tasks and activities which are specific with the
criteria fully set out
Adapted from: Clandfield, L. (2014) Summary of E-moderation course forum discussion on social skills.
Consultants-E. Retrieved from: http://www.train2do.com/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=40806

32

additions (2)
• Set activities for smaller groups and sub-groups that
lower anxiety - less daunting and easier to contribute
• Make contributions part of the grade received on the
course
• Make your presence as facilitator very visible,
developing forum discussions, giving prompt feedback,
summarising, following up threads and showing a
personal interest and involvement in what is going on
in the group and the individuals in that group; a caring
attitude and being “visibly involved” is perhaps more
critical in online teaching than in F2F situations

33

additions (3)
• Review and rephrase the instructions or topic, possibly
with an example
• Remind students that the topic will be fully discussed
later if the topic has been programmed for a
subsequent module
• Remind students to use café, other forums or direct
emails to talk about other topics; this will make it
easier to go back and search for each topic in the
future

34

additions (4)
• Explain/show benefits of pair work/group work,
e.g. more ideas generated, helping each other, as team
they will produce more complex work (two heads are
better than one, and three even better!)
• Provide time management tips or article about this to
individual or group; could also include it in netiquette
or intro part of course


35

Personal contact with student
having problems
• Contact silent students individually, find out reasons
that are preventing them from participating, then offer
any support necessary to overcome situation
• Contact student, but also make clear to the whole
group that involvement in discussions is compulsory
and part of the (final) mark so it must be part of the
course and not just when deadline is approaching
• Send email to student describing the situation,
expressing real concern and offering help

36

Personal contact with student
having problems
• Try to work out possible cause for lack of interaction in
order to decide on best next step, e.g. participant
having technical problems may need assistance,
whereas participant trying to take short cuts or
unwilling to work collaboratively will need
guidance/reminders about purpose and goals of
assignment


37

SAMPLE RUBRICS THAT GIVE RATIONALES
FOR COURSE DESIGN DECISIONS

38

Using rubrics (1)
Use rubrics to:
• Make grading/ marking easier
• Fulfil student expectations
• Establish (peer) feedback activities by
providing checklists for students to revise,
review and improve

39

Using rubrics (2)
Use rubrics to act as guidelines to:
•
•
•
•

Give clear instructions
Identify learning aims
Identify what quality performance looks like
Facilitate correction and marking

40

Using rubrics (3)
Rubrics should:
• Be adaptable (adding or omitting bands/
criteria/categories)
• Be easy for both teachers and students to
understand
• Help teachers to plan syllabus and/or design
curriculum
• Help teachers to mark consistently
• Provide sound justifications for marks
41

Rubric six-step process (1)
1. Identify the outcome/s and purpose
2. Identify the knowledge level
Factual – basic knowledge of subject matter
Conceptual – organisation/classification
Procedural – process steps
Attitudinal – beliefs and emotions
Meta-cognitive – self-regulation, persistence

42

3. Group criteria (approx. 4 – 8 categories) –
these are the key components of the task
4. Develop a marking scale (3 – 4 levels)
– Identify the qualities of excellence
– Write as “can do” and keep them positive,
e.g.
accomplished / competent /
developing / beginning
43

5. Assign weighting – which are the most important
skills to reward, e.g.
Participation 30% (important to take active part)
Chat interventions 30% (necessary to comply)
Language accuracy 10% (need to be clear not
accurate)
Punctuality 30%, etc. (important to respect time)
6. Share and discuss with students by giving
feedback – their results will improve!
44

Sample marking rubric
Marking chat/ discussion/presentation etc.

Explanation of what is needed to attain the
mark

Comments
Feedback on each category/ criteria

Categories/ criteria

levels

45

Articles and videos
Chattopadhyay, S. (2011) Lurking is not a static state. Retrieved from:
http://idreflections.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/lurking-is-not-static-state.html
Denmeade, N. (n.d.) Moodle for motivating learners. Retrieved from:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33611569/live/Moodle_For_Motivation_Gu
ide.pdf
Green, C. and Tanner, R. (2005) Multiple intelligences and online teacher
education. ELT Journal 59/4
Hockly, N. (2011) Online teaching tips. Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEa-2S1oOg0
Jordan, C. (2006) Building motivation into online education. ITEC 860
Lehmann, L. and Chamberlin, L. (2010) Time management strategies for online
instructors. Retrieved from:
https://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/time_management.html
Shepherd, C. (2000) The real-time online tutor. Retrieved from:
Shepherd, C. (2000) The asynchronous online tutor. Retrieved from:
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/asynch/asynch.htm

Photo credit: @aClilToClimb at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eltpics/6952155348/in/faves-116934108@N08/

47

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