Dear colleagues,

In this edition of the FacultyFocus, we look at additional ways of making life easier for AO faculty, specifically concentrating on the online teaching package.

We are all aware that online courses are not the same as the real thing; that is, the on-site, face-to-face courses in which we have always taken pride. On the other hand, we also know that with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not likely that we will return to our established ideal practices anytime soon. In this regard, our consolation is the utmost effectiveness and success of our online educational offerings, whether courses or webinars. The AO online teaching package is a resource which includes all of the material you may be using in an online AO course and is intended to, in addition to making planning and executing courses easier, achieve the highest content standards for our courses.

I ended one of my previous FacultyFocus editorials with a request about developing the understanding that as we transition to online learning, we will need a brand-new and very agile faculty pool. As an important support tool for our faculty as well as our chairpersons and educational advisors, our online teaching package resonates with that idea. We all hope that you will use it to your benefit at all times.

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With best wishes,

Emre Acaroglu
‍Chairperson, AO Spine Education Commission