Online Instruction Teaching in Colleges

TEACHING IN COLLEGES

Teaching in Colleges

In college teaching, teachers and learners are key stakeholders and they share in the success of college teaching. The main focus of college teaching is to develop how students act, think, or approach their study field and practice. Today, teaching in college involves both in-person learning and online learning. According to Dziuban et al (2018), blended learning has largely been incorporated in college teaching and it includes the use of modern technologies. However, it would be prudent to note that the said form of learning may have unprecedented challenges from the perspective of both instructors and students. This is more so the case given that as Dziuban et al (2018) indicate, blended learning creates an educational gap between communities that have greater technological and financial resources and the students who are underserved. To ensure that there is quality in college teaching, there should be a balance between the said communities. It is important to note that blended learning can close the said gap by identifying challenges in the said form of teaching and coming up with strategies that will help rein in the said challenges. This is more so the case given that the world of today happens to be largely blended and thus requires a blended form of learning so as to ensure competence (Dziuban et al, 2018).

College teaching entails complex activities whose relevance cannot be measured or overstated. This is more so the case given that it leads to development of global competence among learners. In essence, students are equipped with global competence skills that enhance their ability to thrive or succeed in the world which is termed a global village. Therefore, global competence, as Majewaska (2022) points out, is an essential competency based skill for students if they will thrive in the said global village. This is more so the case given that global competence includes a number of skills that are based on knowledge about global issues, cultures, and world geography. For this reason, students will be enriched with skills that would help them in their area of study as well as in their practice settings (Dall’Alba, 1994). To a large extent, students who are equipped with the said knowledge tend to have enhanced abilities when collaborating with other inter-professionals in their present as well as future carriers.

Teaching in colleges comprises of various pedagogies or teaching models that could be included or incorporated in instruction so as to improve competence in college teaching. Key elements on this front could be inclusive of, but they are not limited to; diversity in contemporary settings, empathy, intercultural communication, awareness of relevant issues and current events, and awareness of diverse cultures (Majewaska, 2022). On the other hand, competence among learners can be improved by embracing a global competence teaching approach that is cost effective and one that targets college students. For instance, a culturally competent instruction approach that is technology-facilitated/mediated could be embraced in this case. The said approach would be effective given that college students are likely to be able to interact with their colleagues from various settings without any constraints on either the logistical/cost fronts or in relation to intercultural engagement formats (Haughton and Schodl, 2020). As learners engage in the said diverse configurations, the author further suggest that they would be able to develop global competence. This would be the case given that the said students will be able to appreciate and embrace other people’s ways of life, belief systems, as well as their perspectives. An example of a technology-facilitated/mediated approach that could be embraced in this case happens to be what Leung et al (2021) found as being effective in the advancement of cultural competence. It is important to note that Leung et al (2021) found that the gamified e-learning approach would improve the global perspectives of college students. One platform in gamified e-learning approach that comes in handy in this case happens to be ‘PaGmaO’. PaGmaO, as Leung et al (2021) further suggest, is a platform whereby case learners engage in e-tournaments. It is during the said participation that students meet and interact with peers from across the world.

Despite the fact that higher education includes a wide range of accomplishments and opportunities as illustrated earlier on in the text, different authors agree that there are some inherent challenges that have been associated with the same. For instance, Majewaska (2022) indicates that one of the inherent challenges in college teaching is lack or shortage of trained teachers who are able to provide competence-based instructions to their students. College teachers also face certain challenges at the institutional level which are inclusive of, but they are not limited to; the need to prepare their students for the uncertain job market, financial struggles by both students and the educational institution, increased diversity among students, and curriculum changes.

With regard to financial struggles that are largely brought about by the nature of competence teaching which happens to be costly, Haughton and Schodl (2020) found that the cost of exchange programs happens to be rather high. Essentially, teaching in college includes exchange programs in teaching owing to the fact that they (exchange programs) are essential in enhancing knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are relevant to students while dealing with issues in foreign settings. There are also other concerns that were largely brought about or informed by the COVID-19 pandemic. One challenge that emerged during the pandemic happens to be the increased pressure for college teachers to provide their students with blended learning. In essence, teachers were required to provide both brick-and-mortar learning and hybrid online classes (Green, 2022). According to the author, both online classes and in-person classes had to be incorporated in teaching to ensure that students continued to learn during the pandemic – specifically during the first months of the pandemic. Class attendance was hampered despite there being some students as well as parents who felt they should get their money’s worth despite the pandemic (Green, 2022). As a consequence, teachers were forced to teach double classes or teach both in-person classes and online classes so as to ensure that students who lived in colleges as well as those who could not attend received instructions from their end. Even after the pandemic, teachers had to continue with the double duty since most of their students preferred online classed to in-person learning.

Evidence suggests that the frustrations of most teachers with regard to online learning emanates from the American college education system assumptions indicating that instructors who provide remote instructions yield better results. In most instances, the challenges associated with online instructions are not highlighted. For instance, according to Zalat et al (2021), internet connection could in some settings be a major concern associated with online learning. Even in those settings that are fully covered, occasional disruptions could be rather costly. It should also be noted that online learning contributes to missed personal relationships between teachers and their students. Teachers also face other stressors which are inclusive of, but they are not limited to social isolation.

Brown University, which happens to be an Ivy League institution, has been rather innovative in its integration of technology in learning. However, it is important to note that most of its professors, especially those who are hired on the basis of course-by-course and are not tenured, indicate that during the pandemic, they had additional teaching workloads. In addition, the said instructors had higher workloads owing to the increased demand for remote learning (Onderdok, 2022). This was not accompanied by additional compensation. For this reason, some of the said instructors have had to consider other employment opportunities. Liberty University is another example of an institution that has embraced online learning in college teaching. According to Thelin (2017), the said university enrolls approximately more than 100, 000 students on yearly basis. The university also seeks to maintain strong connections with its alumni. In addition, the said university also hires teachers from underserved groups in the academic profession despite the unfortunate timing, discrimination, and obstacles of inertia (Thelin, 2017).

To a larger extent, inclusion of technology-facilitated approaches in college teaching has provided teachers with endless opportunities to integrate global competence skills in college teaching. This is more so the case given that it has helped students develop global competence skills that improve their functionality and ability to operate in diverse cultural settings. Essentially, online learning has been deemed effective by teachers as well as students in improving how they function as global citizens. This is more so the case given that it promotes their ability to appreciate other people’s way of lives as well as perspectives. However, there is need for instructors to be conversant with the barriers or challenges highlighted herein. Essentially, the said barriers limit instructors’ effectiveness in the execution of their roles. This is more so the case in relation to increased workload.