A Self-Directed Approach to Developing Online Teaching Skills

• In Event: Teaching and Learning for Adult Skill Acquisition: Application of the Dreyfus and Dreyfus Model

Abstract

Objective
Teachers in higher education are often called upon to change their teaching platforms or Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and must learn a new technology, often with concomitant training provided. In this case, the researcher was faced with learning to teach online as a result of a colleague’s retirement and was provided little in the way of training resources. In order to meet the needs of her students and her own professional development, the researcher took a self-directed approach (Grow, 1991) to learn how to teach online.
Theoretical Frameworks
This work is framed by the Dreyfus and Dreyfus Skill Acquisition Model (1988) to understand and document my development of skills in online teaching over a five-year period. Additionally, the Staged Self-Directed Learning Model (Grow, 1991) provided a lens through which I could examine how my own behaviors changed as I became more self-directed with time and experience.
Methodology
The author engaged in self-study (LaBoskey, 2004) of her learning to teach in a variety of online platforms and environments over a five-year period. Self-study was used to document reflective practice (Schön, 1983) with the goal of facilitating ongoing skill development with online learning of the researcher as the researched.
Results
The data suggested the researcher, as the researched, moved from Novice to Proficient on the Dreyfus’ Skill Acquisition Model (1986). The results document characteristics and behaviors demonstrated in each stage of skill development. Data also illustrate how the researcher moved from Dependent (stage 1) to Independent (stage 4) on Grow’s (1991) Staged Self-Directed Learning Model and pinpoint the implications on her practice.
Scholarly Significance
Examination of the self-directed learning and skill development process adds new dimensions to the Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1986) model of skill acquisition whereby (a) development is not always guided by the instruction of others, and (b) reflection-on-action (Schön, 1991) can be purposely self-embedded in practice as a novice and advanced beginner, even though it is usually only seen at these early stages with the guidance of a mentor. Since this was self-study, and the researcher was being researched, reflection became an integral part of the earlier stages.

Author

• Kathy A. Peno, University of Rhode Island