This study examines how prior experiences as online learners prepare instructors for being online instructors through incidental learning. The study is driven by four research questions, inquiring whether instructors draw upon that experience when teaching online and whether instructors with this online learning experience differ from other online instructors regarding teaching strategies, help-seeking, and use of quality measures. Findings from an online survey show that most instructors with prior online learning experience believe that experience has heavily shaped some of their teaching practices and their desire to teach online. Additionally, these instructors were significantly more likely than their counterparts without online learning experience to find end-of-week summaries, online discussions, and small group activities important. The implications of these and the non-significant findings around help-seeking and quality measures are discussed in the light of professional development programs and meeting the needs of online instructors in higher education environments.

中文翻译：

---

作为偶然专业发展的先前在线学习经历：在线教师信念和策略的横断面调查


本研究考察了作为在线学习者的先前经验如何通过偶然学习为教师成为在线教师做好准备。该研究由四个研究问题驱动，询问教师在在线教学时是否借鉴了这种经验，以及具有这种在线学习体验的教师在教学策略、寻求帮助和使用质量措施方面是否与其他在线教师不同。一项在线调查的结果显示，大多数具有在线学习经验的教师认为，这些经验在很大程度上影响了他们的一些教学实践和他们在线教学的愿望。此外，与没有在线学习经验的同行相比，这些教师更有可能发现重要的周末总结、在线讨论和小组活动。根据专业发展计划并满足高等教育环境中在线教师的需求，讨论了这些影响以及围绕寻求帮助和质量措施的非重要发现。