The practice of virtual teaching: school leaders who want to teach an online college course need to be mindful of effective tricks.

Teaching online courses presents new and unique experiences--especially for those of us who started as educators more than a quarter century ago.

Teaching a course where there is no face-to-face contact with the learner eliminates the unspoken language of nonverbal clues that teachers use to get a feel for their classrooms.

The instructor of a virtual class must be cognizant of the interactions with each learner and the wording of each message sent to those learners. Because the students are not sitting in the classroom, a simple joke that is shared may be interpreted in a completely different and unintended way by a learner working from home many states or even continents away. Instructors cannot see a raised hand asking a question that provides clarification of a topic.

As instructors of online university-level courses in the K-12 educational leadership program at Capella University, we have identified a variety of best-practice teaching techniques that are unique to the online classroom environment, while other practices are simply appropriate for teaching in any environment. Our suggestions for effective online teaching relate to curriculum, culture and instruction.

Curriculum Concerns

At Capella University, core faculty, as well as adjuncts, are contracted to develop curriculum and revise current courses. In preparing to teach an online course, the professor must be ready to address several key areas, some of which aren't major issues when teaching in a regular classroom. These considerations include the use of emotion, clarity of instruction, whole-class instructions, video and audio links, chat rooms, hands-on projects, assessing competencies and in-depth learning.

* Emotion. Current research on learning indicates that the brain learns when emotion is attached to what is being presented. So how does one infuse emotion into a virtual classroom?

When teaching an online course, associating an emotional issue with the question or material being taught provides better opportunities for the student to retain material. The emotional part of the brain is the first triggered when learning occurs. If emotions are accessed when teaching, the brain synapses process the information and commit it to memory.

For example, if the lesson involves teaching a group of teachers about school reform in various states, an effective tactic might be to associate the topic with the emotional issue of teacher tenure or performance-based salaries. These issues may elicit sensitive responses. They are passionate topics for most teachers and should generate involvement in the discussion. Alternatively, the instructor could launch a discussion about teachers who have lost their jobs due to school reform efforts.

* Clarity and organization. It is often difficult to clarify the concerns of learners in an online classroom. Therefore, the curriculum must be well-organized and follow a logical progression.

In an asynchronous environment where learners log on at different times, the curriculum must be written clearly and well-organized. It is much different from the classroom where the instructor can move from item to item and then return back to the primary topic.

In addition, the online course sequence must be related to past experiences and to the current curriculum content. In a Capella course on leadership practices, case studies are drawn from real situations. One such case study involves a student and outstanding athlete who has plagiarized her final project for a high school course. The dilemma facing the administrator involved a revocation of the student's college scholarship offer if she received a failing grade.

Another example involves a superintendent preparing a PowerPoint presentation for his board members explaining special education law. The board members want to know why they cannot automatically expel a special education student who has struck one of the high school teachers. The board members are livid and think the superintendent is just being too soft.

Students must recognize the relationships between topics and experiences. A graphic organizer could be used to help arrange the materials into connected webs to illustrate the relationships. Lastly, a schedule should be included in the course instructions to give students a timeline for completing assignments.

* Class instructions. As in any course, the instructions and expectations for the class should be posted clearly. Students should be encouraged to seek clarification whenever necessary. Students should review the instructions for due dates, writing style, grading rubrics, project details and other key information. These expectations should be clearly written.

An online instructor must emphasize the importance of not beginning the course until the student fully understands the expectations. A negative experience that recently occurred in a Capella course involved a student who submitted a course project he also had submitted in another course. He did not believe he had done anything wrong and the course instructions did not address the expectation that all coursework should be newly developed for the class.

Another example of a negative experience regarding inadequate class instructions involved a student who, in the fifth week of the course, informed the instructor she wanted to drop the course. She stated there was no way she could keep up with the reading. The instructor had not made it clear the difference between required and supplemental readings. The student had tried to read two additional books and 18 additional articles, assuming all were required.

Instructors should require students to verify via e-mail they fully understand the expectations.

* Video and audio links. The use of video and audio in an online class promotes several modalities. Learners can see, hear and touch the information being presented. The curriculum must be interactive with learners being able to log on to video presentations, pictures, articles, lectures from experts and other available media sources.

In a Capella course on school law, learners must "visit" the Cornell University Law Library, through its website, to access legal cases. The website is listed in the links to the course in the media center, which is part of the platform for each course.

One problem of using links in an online classroom is that sometimes the links become inactive and the learner might not be able to access them. Consequently, the instructor must examine all links before and during the class.

* Chat rooms. The Internet gives instructors numerous opportunities to create chat rooms in real time that present issues warranting immediate attention. Chat rooms also encourage a free flow of dialogue where questions and expectations may be discussed among teachers and students in an open environment.

For example, last fall in an online course that one of us taught on school law, a chat room was set up to discuss recent Supreme Court decisions involving the University of Michigan's affirmative action case and the various pledge decisions. This chat room soon evolved into a debate among learners regarding the current issues that were analyzed.

* Projects. An online classroom allows teachers to devise hands-on projects. Students may produce PowerPoint presentations, portfolios, graphs, spreadsheets and other products for an authentic assessment of what they've learned. Students could use a digital camera to document completion of their work and a scanner to e-mail the project results. Such assignments offer a genuine alternative to traditional assessments for demonstrating knowledge.

* Competencies. Online courses should be based on competencies that can be demonstrated through assessment. Using a competency approach to design the curriculum helps the learner establish goals and objectives.

The assessment instruments for such a competency-based curriculum must not be limited to the traditional multiple-choice, essay-type answers. It is preferable to measure the students' learning of the competencies through portfolios, PowerPoint presentations and other types of authentic tools.

In the curriculum supervision course that Capella offers, a PowerPoint presentation is required from learners assessing the supervisory/evaluation model that is used in their district or one that is discussed in the course. Another example of an assessment strategy uses a rubric to analyze the processes a superintendent used to pass a tax levy.

* In-depth learning. Course designers must determine the amount of curriculum that is presented and how long learners should devote to the mastery of each competency. Instead of presenting a vast amount of information in a short period of time, the designer should develop the instruction to provide each learner with the appropriate knowledge needed to achieve the competency. It is more important for the learner to demonstrate his or her ability to perform the tasks needed for mastery.

The concept of "less is more" is important and essential in an online environment.

Classroom Culture

Culture is just as important in an online environment as in a regular classroom. The classroom must have a welcoming feel to it. Learners should be challenged but not overwhelmed.

Several elements help promote a welcoming culture to the dynamic online classroom.

* Learner profiles. A brief description, or profile, of each learner in the virtual classroom helps to personalize the course. Usually the student will describe his or her interests, educational background, experience and family. The courseroom actually may have a higher level of personal contact than the regular classroom because often the latter begin without the introduction of learners and proceed without much interaction through the course.

In an asynchronous, interactive online courseroom, graduate students are much more likely to respond to one another and to each other's profiles when they are sitting in their dens at their computers as opposed to traveling 45 minutes to a land-based institution struggling to find a parking space and logging three to five hours of seat time in a traditional graduate school program environment.

* A feeling tone. Every school has a feeling tone. Some schools appear cold or uncaring while other schools are warm and welcoming. An online classroom is the same way. The difference in the online classroom is that the tone is conveyed through words.

An instructor must be careful in the phrasing of the welcome and the assignments. A comment may be interpreted in many different ways. For example, a learner who has not posted a response to a unit question must be confronted. An off-hand comment like, "Where have you been?" could be interpreted by the learner as rude or inappropriate and an affront to their integrity.

At the beginning of the course, the instructor should post a welcoming statement and should send students a personalized e-mail welcoming each to the class and soliciting any questions regarding the course expectations.

* Constant and constructive praise. Everybody loves to be told they are doing a good job. This is especially true in an online learning environment where learners do not receive nonverbal signs or signals of approval that are provided in land-based classrooms. The learners need to receive positive comments on a regular basis. An e-mail with a positive evaluation of work helps students know their progress and lets them know how they are doing in class.

Constructive praise also shapes behavior and increases learning. If the student is fulfilling the requirements of the rubric and the course expectations, he or she should be informed either in the courseroom discussion or through e-mail. Moreover, when other learners observe their classmates receiving positive comments, they may become more involved in the courseroom discussions.

* Tracking progress. One of the many strengths of the online class is the teacher's capacity to track the learner's work anytime during the course. If the instructor perceives that the learner does not understand the course content or course information, he or she can immediately contact the learner. If the learners are not reading or responding in the courseroom, the instructor can instantly provide reminders about expectations. There is no place to hide in an online classroom environment.

Capella University recently adopted a pro-active learner communication initiative. This requires faculty members to do a weekly status check of every student's participation and to contact those who are not participating. When necessary, the university will follow up with a student. All communication takes place electronically.

Instructional Methods

An online class presents several approaches to instructional methodology. Some of these are exclusive to an online course while others apply to any classroom.

* Teaming. Learning is a shared responsibility among the students and the teacher. In an online course, students often work in teams either assigned by the instructor or formed by the students themselves.

Teaming gives students opportunities to display their leadership and collaborative skills. In one online class, learners developed a debate team where they posted topical items for debate in addition to the regular courseroom assignments.

* Direct links between question and answer. Distance learning provides the power of the Internet to increase learning. When a question is raised in an online classroom, learners may find answers instantly by linking to a website through the use of their browser. The supply of information is governed only by the amount of time the learner has to retrieve it. Moreover, the instructor should use audio and visual links to increase retention of information.

* Reflection. One major component of instruction should include feedback and reflection of what has been learned. The online instructor should encourage learners to reflect upon the course learnings. At Capella, this reflection occurs at the end of each course when learners are asked to submit five significant learnings from the course and to explain each reasons for each selection. Often other learners comment on their fellow learners' reflections. This interaction helps to provide a rich environment for practice and continuous learning.

* Action-based learning. The online instructor can provide opportunities for action-based learning where students record their activities and send them to the instructor. Action-based learning occurs when learners go to the field and apply class lessons to a professional situation in their own workplace.

For example, in the Capella course on supervision of instruction, students are asked to observe and evaluate a teacher. The learners use an evaluation tool that has been discussed in the course. They document this activity and analyze it in a courseroom discussion. Another assignment involves a prospective superintendent reviewing a neighboring district's performance evaluation system for teachers. The learner then evaluates the system in his or her own district.

* Workplace situations. Online classrooms should be designed around authentic instruction. Students enroll in online courses to improve their job skills, to acquire an advanced degree or to advance to another level on the career ladder. Therefore, courses should be designed with authenticity--workplace situations that have real-life application. An example of such a workplace assignment in Capella's educational law courses requires learners to document the due process procedures for terminating a tenured teacher or not renewing a probationary teacher because of inadequate classroom performance. Students have been surprised at the differences from state to state when reporting these due process procedures in the law courseroom.

Learners retain information when it is related to current knowledge and when they have a vested interest in what is taught.

A Dynamic Classroom

In our experiences as online instructors, a well-designed curriculum that uses appropriate instructional techniques and maintains a learner-centered, friendly classroom will go a long way to support real-life experiences.

One goal of Capella's educational leadership program is to teach leadership skills that will positively change behavior in the professional setting. Several students have reported that their courseroom experiences have been meaningful and relevant in terms of helping them make changes in their schools. They are encouraged to interact with one another after the course concludes.

A dynamic asynchronous online courseroom led by a caring, knowledgeable and responsive instructor helps students achieve their goals of completing a masters or doctorate and advancing into leadership positions.

Online Teaching Opportunities

Experienced school leaders often are needed by online course providers to teach. Below is a compilation of the major institutions providing web-based education courses to undergraduates and graduate students and how to contact the provider about teaching an online course.

* Capella University (www.capella. edu/aspscripts/employment/index.asp, 888-CAPELLA). The university, based in Minneapolis, Minn., typically hires adjuncts who've had teaching experience in traditional settings. Capella seeks professionals with graduate degrees from an accredited university. Contact: Philip M. Corkill, faculty chair, K-12 educational leadership program, at [e-mail]

* Jones International University (www.jonesinternational.edu). Based in Denver, Colo., this institution offers a master of education with specialization in educational leadership and administration. The faculty application link is on the bottom of the home page.

* University of Maryland University College (www.umuc.edu). This institution, part of the University of Maryland system, is located in Adelphi, Md. For information on teaching in the online programs at UMUC, contact Rosemary Hoffmann, director of faculty recruitment, at 301-985-7070 or [e-mail].

* University of Phoenix Online (www.uopxonline.com/join_the_faculty. asp). This online program offers a master of arts in administration and supervision and a doctorate in educational leadership. Phoenix Online seeks instructors who hold advanced degrees from accredited institutions with at least five years experience in educational administration.

* Walden University (www. waldenu.edu). Walden offers both a master of science in education, specializing in educational leadership and a doctor of philosophy degree in K-12 educational leadership, in addition to the new online master's degree for aspiring principals (see related story, page 30). For information about teaching opportunities, contact Sheila Bartle, assistant director for faculty development, 800-925-3368 ext. 1237 or [e-mail].

RELATED ARTICLE: AASA launches online master's for new principals.

A new online master's degree program that will prepare fledgling principals for the current challenges of school administration has been launched by AASA in partnership with Canter & Associates.

The Leadership for Learning curriculum for the masters in educational leadership directly addresses the standards developed by the Interstate Leadership Licensure Consortium and the National Policy Board for Educational Administration.

Willis Hawley, a professor emeritus at University of Maryland and AASA scholar in residence, and Joe Cirasuolo, a past president of AASA and the association's director of leadership development, worked with Canter staff in developing the new degree program.

Walden University, an exclusively online institution based in Minneapolis, Minn., is the first university to offer the master's degree. Nearly 40 students began their first course in January, most of them aspiring principals in Michigan and Florida where Canter has cooperative agreements with the Florida Association of School Administrators and the Michigan Association of School Administrators. Marlene Holayter, a former AASA Executive Committee member, is teaching the inaugural course.

"The reason we developed this (was based on) the concern expressed by superintendents over the lack of training of fledgling principals to lead schools being asked to attain universal proficiency today," said Cirasuolo.

The Leadership for Learning curriculum consists of a series of 10 rigorous courses that can be purchased for use by any accredited institution. The program provides authentic opportunities for master's candidates to apply what they have learned, particularly as it relates to the principal's impact on student learning.

Cirasuolo said the hands-on projects make the program one that offers "an active challenge component, not simply book knowledge."

Course titles include "Ensuring Quality Education for Students With Diverse Needs," "Using Data to Strengthen Schools," "Enhancing Teacher Capacity and Commitment" and "Collaborating with Families and Communities for Student Success."

In addition to being available for purchase by universities offering principal preparation programs, the program will serve as a model for institutions trying to improve their existing preparation programs. Arrangements for offering individual courses to school districts, regional service agencies and state education agencies are being developed.

The online courses offered through Walden run for eight weeks, enabling a student to complete up to five courses each year.

The Los Angeles-based Canter & Associates, which markets professional training programs for educators, invested nearly $5 million in developing the 10 online courses. The development process involved leading professors and practitioners nationwide.

--Jay P. Goldman

William Brown, an adjunct faculty member with Capella University, is superintendent of the Silver Grove School District, P.O. Box 400, Silver Grove, KY 41085. E-mail: [e-mail]. Philip Corkill, retired superintendent of the Flowing Wells School District in Tucson, Ariz., is faculty chair of the K-12 Educational Leadership program at Capella University.