By definition, a traffic cop is a police officer who supervises the flow of automobile traffic on a road or in the middle of an intersection. (www.thefreedictionary.com, n.d.) In other words, this individual helps to maintain the constant flow of people and the many vehicles as they move from one place to another.
As a trainer or educational specialist, our role is to insure information flows to each participant and is applied to the subject matter being discussed. For many years, face to face instruction has served as our primary means of presenting information to participants. “The greatest strength of a face to face course is the degree to which they facilitate building relationships and community in and outside of the classroom.” (www.washington.edu, 2013) However, the needs of today’s 21st century learner have changed. In addition to building strong relationships, learners must be informed digital citizens, have the ability to think at higher levels and provide effective and quality communication in the process. “The landscape by which we conduct our education and training programs is evolving. Eventually, we will be forced to adapt, otherwise our programs run the risk becoming outdated, or worse case scenario - obsolete.” (Kiraly, 2010)
In order to remain an essential part of the communication process, transformation is required. Being proactive and planning for a transition to an online format can provide many benefits. To aid with this transformation, the attached guide provides a few essential elements that should be considered in the conversion. Grouped into three starting areas of focus, the planning process can be expanded based on your organization.
Course Objectives -
What’s in it for me?
Syllabus as a reflection for the course
Design the path to success
Know your Audience -
Communications
Feedback
Forums
How and where to collect and present information
How do you eat a cow? One bite at a time.
Small palatable chunks
Use of short presentations & videos
There are many other areas to consider when moving from a traditional format to an online or blended environment. I believe these three are essentials for starters.
For anyone considering a switch to a hybrid/blended model, I believe our role shifts from pure trainer into a multiple faceted one. Our original role as a trainer is maintained in the transition. In this role, the individual continues to provide guidance surrounding the content, design and functionalities of the online and face to face resources. With a new approach to delivering content, we not only serve as a training specialist, we also develop the role of a coach.
As a coach, we provide encouragement to our learners and in many instances, serve to direct learners toward the specific path for success. “The onus to learn is more on the students, but not without the instructor guiding them through the process.” (Taylor-Massey,2015) In addition to coach, I believe the roles of curator and tech specialist are enhanced. As the individual who designs the course, this person has most likely developed and/or collected the materials for the respective course. When problems occur with the specific site, the individual must be prepared to fix the issues.Taylor-Massey (2015) notes “the online instructor accepts the role of managing correspondent, and must create and organize all of the written resources that help students master content and complete requirements.”
In describing the tech requirements for the course, Taylor-Massey notes “it’s important that the instructor know how to use the tools and be able to clearly describe their use to students.” (2015) Each role plays a vital part of the entire whole in the acceptance of the new tools and is essential when moving into the online arena.
The motto for the Los Angeles Police Department is “to protect and serve”. (lapdonline.org, n.d.) As trainers and educators, I believe we must protect the individuals and content we present. We must begin taking the appropriate steps to serve their needs and learning what is important to their needs. The use of this guide will serve as a start in our growth and development into 21st Century Traffic Cops.
MFABRAMS - iD ArchiTech
References
Exploring the Pros and Cons of Online, Hybrid, and Face-to-face Class Formats. (2013). Retrieved December 13, 2015, from http://www.washington.edu/provost/files/2012/11/edtrends_Pros-Cons-ClassFormats.pdf
Kiraly, D. (2010, December 6). Is e-Learning Inferior to Face-to-Face Instruction? (e-Learning Series). Retrieved December 13, 2015, from https://www.techchange.org/2010/12/06/is-e-learning-inferior-to-face-to-face-instruction/
The Origin of the LAPD Motto. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2015, from http://www.lapdonline.org/history_of_the_lapd/content_basic_view/1128
Taylor-Massey, J. (2015, January 27). Redefining Teaching: The Five Roles of the Online Instructor. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from http://blog.online.colostate.edu/blog/online-teaching/redefining-teaching-the-five-roles-of-the-online-instructor
traffic cop. (n.d.) Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged. (1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003). Retrieved December 13 2015 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/traffic+cop
Building instructional content, one byte @ a time.
