What I learned about teaching in online environments

It has been my experience that it is incredibly difficult for teachers to let go of the stereotypical image of teaching that we are all exposed to on a regular basis. That is, of a teacher standing at the head of the classroom lecturing the students while they sit at their individual desks and take copious notes. It has also been my experience, however, that this type of teacher-centered education is far less effective that a more student-centered approach. An entirely student-centered approach is sometimes difficult to maintain, but I believe that, within an online environments, it is a perfectly reasonable expectation to be able to strike a balance between the two.