How the Online Environment Impacts the Instructor Role
Teaching online requires instructors to rethink how learning happens. In a virtual environment, instructors are not only subject-matter experts but also course designers, discussion facilitators, and builders of community. Effective online teaching involves thoughtful course planning, clear communication, and purposeful interaction that helps students stay engaged and supported throughout the learning experience.
How the Online Environment Changes the Instructor’s Role
While many teaching principles remain consistent across learning environments, the online classroom changes how instructors facilitate learning and interact with students. The chart below highlights some key differences between face-to-face and online instruction.
| Teaching Area | Face-to-Face Environment | Online Environment |
| Instructor-Student Relationship | Relationship between students and instructors is key. | Relationship with/between students requires more nurturing and facilitation in asynchronous online environment. |
| Course Planning & Design | Instructor needs to plan the course. | Instructor must thoroughly plan and design the course prior to the start of the course; much harder to "develop a lecture on the fly," etc. |
| Building Rapport & Presence | Students and instructors must get to know one another. | Online, "getting to know each other" requires actually developing both a social presence and, for the instructor, a teaching presence. Instructors must work to develop a rapport with students. |
| Peer Interaction | Peer interaction is important. | Online, instructors must facilitate peer interaction through "virtual student lounges," peer feedback assignments, etc. |
| Course Pacing & Structure | Instructors set the pace of the course. | Online, setting the pace requires careful pre-planning, includign building in time for interaction and reflection. |
| Discussion Facilitation | Class discussions are important. | Online discussions do not happen organically, as they sometimes do F2F. Instructors must plan and facilitate discussions. Instructors need to be active about including non-participators or lurkers. |
| Knowledge Facilitation | Instructors help students make sense of content, information, etc. | Instructors are facilitattors of knowledge, rather than experts who disseminate information. |
| Student-Centered Learning | Instructors focus on student learning. | Online teaching is more student-centered, rather than teacher-centered, and instructors should think about depth of learning, not just breadth. |
| Communication & Availability | Instructors need to be available to answer student questions, clarify points, etc. | Since there is a lack of immediacy online, instructors need to provide help and guidance using an established communication policy, so students know when their question will be answered. Additionally, instructors can post announcements and updates, and also direct students to ask questions from their peers in a discussion forum for that purpose. Instructors should model good communication (prompt, respectful tone, etc.). |
| Feedback & Assessment | Feedback from instructors is vitally important. | Online, it is important to provide frequent and timely feedback so students can have opportunities to measure their learning and progress, and also interact with instructor. |