First Reflection: Three Types

I am just a couple of weeks into the Online Faculty course, and so far, I have really enjoyed meeting new people and sharing ideas and insights into the world of online education. I'm seeing some interesting things in these discussions and I've come to some initial conclusions. There seems to be, in general, three types of people in online education: those who are one hundred percent on board, those with questions, and those with serious doubts. This isn't really new - I've seen it since I started teaching online. There are a lot of doubters who don't believe online education will ever be equal to traditional education. But there are increasingly more and more educators who are tentatively dipping their toes into online and finding that the water isn't so bad. They have questions and worries, but they are willing to address them. Most want to learn more and try new things (hence, this course). 

I have been all three types. When I started teaching online, I was the doubter. I didn't like it, and I firmly believed it wasn't ever going to be as good as the classroom. Then I started learning. I moved through different platforms, I gained new skills, and wow, it was fun. I made a lot of mistakes (and still do)...oh, man. I shudder when I look back at my first online courses! But I soon began to meet people who were fully committed to the real possibilities of online education and they gave me hope. I went to conferences and felt encouraged, excited, and ready to do more. It was all about being open to the experience and wanting to take it further. 

It's not for everyone. Not all the doubters are going to come to the dark side, but those who do, I believe, are going to love it.