Requirements for Facilitator

Be knowledgeable about concepts about evolution.

Feel comfortable teaching evolution as a central scientific concept.

Be willing and able to make the appropriate time commitment. Each session will require approximately 3 hours of student time. You may spend additional time communicating with students online.

Have experience moderating discussions.

Be comfortable and competent with computers and Internet access.

Facilitator Role

State expectations for course at beginning.

Define the nature of interactions (facilitator to student; student to student) and moderate discussion.

Emphasize the importance of interactions.

Model effective interactions.

Have frequent interactions with students online. Consider making online office hours and posting answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) to reduce the number of repetitive interactions.

Be a "guide on the side" instead of the "sage on the stage." If you are using discussion board software, create an environment where participants are encouraged to interact substantively with each other while you monitor and focus conversations with targeted interventions. (For more on how to do this, see Collison, George, et al. Facilitating Online Learning: Effective Strategies for Moderators. Madison, WI: Atwood Publishing, 2000, pp. 34-44.)

Set goals and benchmark participant's progress.

Be accessible to students.

Learn with and from the participants.