2.1 Understanding the skills required of an affiliated guide
The roles and responsibilities of an affiliated guide will vary from relatively simple tasks, such as involving yourself in the online conversation, right through to giving learners encouragement and supporting the course facilitators. The nature of these roles will also vary as the course develops or as new people join. They can be summarised as involving five key stages, drawn from research into e-moderating (Salmon, 2000).
Skills | Affiliated guide role |
---|---|
Motivating | Making learners feel welcome by being a friendly presence |
Socialising | Joining in conversations, encouraging learners to interact and helping to establish a community feeling |
Exchanging information | Exploring and extending ideas in discussions, bringing in relevant information |
Constructing knowledge | Encouraging and supporting the learners’ exploration of discussion topics |
Developing learning | Supporting learners in their critical thinking and their learning reflection |
Encouraging further study | Suggesting additional study available on OpenLearn or Open University courses |
2 Preparing to be an affiliated guide