Virtual Learning - Week 1

New Class starting 1/26/10 and we are learning all about teaching in a completely virtual environment.  My first impression is that a good virtual teacher, would most likely make a good classroom teacher, but it doesn't seem to necessarily work going the other way.  It seems as though there are some skills that are critical for teaching online that classroom teachers may not emphasize.  The increased access to help with problem solving was first and foremost in my mind.  In the virtual school it feels as though a teacher needs to be available when students are working.  That can be anytime.  I would think that a virtual teacher would need to make clear boundaries for all to see, about when they are available to help, and when you are going to need to be patient.  The second skill applies to this, which is managing asynchronous participation.  It would be a lot of work to keep conversations going within a class, because rather than discussing face to face over a 45 min. period, this discussion is spread out over a week or more.  On the positive side, this may create a stronger discussion that is well thought out and can be rely more on outside sources and research.