Online Instructor Roles - Design Teach Engage

The complexity of the online environment brings into focus the need for instructors to facilitate an online course through various perspectives or “roles.” These roles include managerial, social, pedagogical, or technical (described below). Each of these four roles encompasses a number of skills and competencies specific to that domain of teaching. A successful online instructor combines all four roles to help teach students the subject matter and build an online learning community in support of that subject matter.

Why Is It Important?

It might be easy to overlook or forget the fundamental differences between face-to-face and online teaching; however, it is these differences—especially for fully online (asynchronous) courses—that can determine learner’s and instructor’s success in an online course. The online learning environment requires an instructor who can not only communicate effectively using technology, but also guide student learning, coach students to collaborate effectively, and provide enough structure for student success while allowing self-directed exploration. By facilitating an online course according to the four major roles, online instructors take a comprehensive approach to teaching that greatly benefits all online learners.

Information to Consider

Instructors in online classrooms have to consider multiple roles that have some similarities to teaching face-to-face but also many differences. When teaching online, the associated competencies and tasks should be tailored to the nature and requirements of the online learning environment. Online instructors performing these roles will simultaneously bring learners together around the course material and thereby give them the opportunity to make social connections and to create new knowledge along the way.

There are also many strategies to achieve the four roles in the “Designing Online Courses” and “Teaching Online Courses” sections of this website.

Online instructor reaching out to students

Where to Find Resources?

Consider the seven principles of effective teaching.
Read tips to accomplish the four roles of the online instructor.
Do you know what is a myth about online course development?

Note: Select the plus sign or headings to reveal additional content.

+ Managerial Role

The managerial role refers to the organizational, procedural, and administrative tasks associated with maintaining an online learning environment.

Involves:

Setting agendas and timetables and monitoring overall timing and pacing
Providing clear instructions for all course activities and assignments as well as guidelines or netiquette expectations for online discussions
Building and managing online groups
Facilitating and managing online discussions
Coordinating assignments and grades

+ Social Role

The social role promotes a friendly environment and community feeling to support students’ cognitive processes and learning experiences.

Involves:

Implementing “ice breaker” or get-to-know-you activities
Motivating and engaging students in a community of inquiry
Creating a supportive climate for learning that respects individual differences
Attending to individual concerns
Using a friendly, personal tone
Building social rapport and a collective identity among the class

+ Pedagogical Role

The pedagogical role includes a wide range of tasks (e.g., instructional, intellectual, and content-based) that contribute to the students’ understanding and application of course content and development of critical thinking skills.

Involves:

Selecting, refining, and regularly updating course materials
Writing clear learning objectives and aligning the course materials, activities, and assessments with them
Designing online discussions and activities
Stimulating critical thinking and reflection by using questions and probes
Assessing student work and providing timely feedback to students
Referring students to online support services for tutoring, advising, library resources, or other help when necessary

+ Technological Role

The technological role helps make students feel comfortable with the technology used for online courses.

Involves:

Understanding technical terms related to online tools
Using online tools to present content in text, graphics, audio, and video formats, as well as for communications
Allowing students sufficient time to learn new tools
Diagnosing and clarifying technical problems
Referring students to technical support resources when necessary

Want More?

The “Online Instructor Roles” self-directed course describes the roles of the online instructor and the skills and strategies that are needed to succeed.

Topics covered include:

Instructional roles
Online teaching skills
Building online learning communities
Principles of good teaching practice

Visit the Online Instructor Roles self-directed course

Note: This course is available for FREE to all UW-Madison faculty and staff. When you click the link you will be prompted to sign in with your UW-Madison NetID and password. Then you will be taken to the course homepage where you can learn more and complete activities.