The first time I taught a class, it was as a last-minute substitution for someone who was unexpectedly out on medical leave. I received a crash course in using the course management system, but the instructional designer never taught me how to set up the grade book. “It’s complicated,” she said, “And you’ll only use it this once.”
Well, as you may have guessed, that was 40 classes ago. The I-love-being-a-teacher bug bit me hard, and I’ve been in the classroom on a regular basis ever since. And I still need help with the course management grade book. I’ve been given tips and instruction sheets and watched video tutorials but they all cover the process in a piecemeal fashion and never address how to set up some of the system’s nuances. Thus, I rely on the staff to work through my quirks each term and get me ready to go.
If you are teaching someone a process, don’t assume they will only do it once. Help them understand the whole so they can grasp the capabilities and purpose of the system. The time you spend teaching will be minimal compared to the time you spend doing — repeatedly — to help those you failed to train fully.
