Ten Signs Of A Good Instructor For Online Courses

If you are considering taking online courses for the first time, then it is not unusual to have doubts about the quality of the instruction that you will receive from the instructor and staff. Here are ten signs that an instructor will provide you with the information you need to be successful in your online courses:

1. They contact you as soon as possible to welcome you to the class. Communication is critical with online courses and an instructor without excellent communication skills is not likely to lead a successful course.

2. They provide a syllabus, much like a face-to-face instructor would do in a traditional course. A syllabus is a map of what will be covered and the assignments and exams during the course. This is a must-have for online students.

3. They provide you with background information about their experience teaching and their education.

4. They make themselves available to assist you or offer the assistance of a teaching assistant dedicated to the course that you are taking. Online courses can be more stressful for students, who often feel that they are out there on their own completing work with little or no guidance.

5. They provide clear and concise information and assignments.

6. They grade coursework in a timely fashion, to enable you to study the work and make necessary corrections. As in a traditional course, this is very important to a student’s success.

7. They respond promptly to any communications.

8. They have the experience necessary and are qualified to teach college level courses.

9. They do not treat the online class as they would a traditional class, realizing that distance learners are not traditional students and often have other responsibilities in their lives.

10. They follow the syllabus as closely as possible so that all students are able to stay current with their work and assignments.