Q: What elements of your virtual classroom do you think will enter mainstream schools in the near future?
A: I think the chat rooms, discussions and the e-mail communication will be part of the mainstream. I also think that we will use lecture bursts or podcasts and more online media (fewer static textbooks). Online labs have some good promise for dangerous chemicals and the kids can do them over and over to compare lots of data without waste. I like them for data analysis.
You were recognized as an accomplished teacher before you moved from a physical to a virtual classroom. What were some of the most important skillsand understandings that carried over from one environment to the other?
You have to be able to connect with kids and talk to them in ways that foster understanding. You also have to know your subject matter very well. So, communication skills are important as are skills that enable you to approach a concept from several different entry points. However, managing kids in the face to face classroom or in a virtual environment are still the same. I multitask and differentiate like I did in regular classes.
Q: For other teachers who might be considering becoming a virtual teacher, what advice do you have?
A: I would encourage them to take a good online course and examine the course structure and communication thoroughly. Count on more time than you use now for lots of little tech tasks that you are not used to doing. Then, select the course you want to teach and make certain it has the things we know work with kids (lots of activity, labs … labs … labs, good interactive media, great organization and strong visual content). And make sure you have the skills and support to change things in the course to meet your needs as an educational artist.
About Shannon C’de Baca
Shannon C’de Baca has been a high school science teacher for the past 26 years and is the host of the Annenberg Public Broadcasting System television series, “The Missing Link in Mathematics.” She has also worked for the PBS science series “NOVA” and has served as a consultant for the National Education and the Economy, PBS, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Education Association, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the U.S. Department of State. Shannon was one of two Citizen Ambassadors to Bahrain. Shannon is known for using her classroom as a living laboratory to implement the innovations and research-based strategies she shares on a national level. Shannon has received awards from the Milken Family Foundation, Sertoma International, the Iowa Department of Education, and NSTA for her work in the classroom.
