Today, the spotlight is on Dr. Leanne C. McGrath, Professor of Management at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. We were honored to get the chance to interview her!

How long have you been teaching online?

This is my fourth year teaching online courses.

What was your initial reaction when you found out that you would be teaching online?

Wow, this is awesome! Wait, this will mean re-designing my courses. It seemed like a big undertaking. Initially, one of my colleagues gave me a quick tour of USC’s Blackboard in a course she was already teaching online at the time. When USC Aiken became involved with USC’s Palmetto College, I was introduced to Academic Partnership and the resources they offer. Working with them accelerated my technical expertise and knowledge for developing online courses.

Describe the biggest advantage to teaching online.

I believe the biggest advantage to teaching online is the ability to reach students who may be located literally anywhere there is access to the Internet. Additionally, the course can be accessed and taught from anywhere. This provides a win-win for the students, the professor and the university.

Describe the biggest obstacle that you have faced in teaching an online course.

The biggest challenge I have faced in online teaching is time. Specifically the courses that I teach online are eight weeks long in fall and spring semesters and four weeks in summer. To offer the online students the full scope of material and not compromise their learning experience I deliver the same course in this shortened time frame as I do in the traditional sixteen week semester. A secondary obstacle that has also been a challenge is the technology. Our institution uses Blackboard, and there are always new versions with new capabilities that require updating in the software program and to the course.

What tips do you have for new online instructors?

An important tip for new online instructors in my view is to have patience. Online teaching requires a new pedagogy that is only mastered through experience. No matter how prepared a professor or instructor is, each online course can present new contingency situations that must be resolved. However, with patience and some flexibility, new online instructors quickly become seasoned online instructors.

What is the #1 best practice that you apply to your online courses?

The #1 best practice that I use is to make my course as interactive as possible. I consider the involvement of students in team projects a critical component for learning Management skills and use teams for assignments in my traditional courses. In online courses, with students scattered over wide geographic areas and otherwise working in isolation, it is even more critical to provide the interactive experience and opportunity to learn essential team skill dynamics. And I do think this is particularly vital for business students as more and more companies routinely utilize virtual teams in the workplace.

About Dr. McGrath

Dr. Leanne C. McGrath is Professor of Management at the University of South Carolina Aiken. She holds the John M. Olin Palmetto Professor of Management Research Chair and has published in over twenty journals. Her research interests are in the areas of e-business, strategy, and social media. Courses she has taught online include Principles of Management and Leadership, Human Resources Management, Entrepreneurship, and e-Business Management.