The past few days have seen increasing numbers of schools and universities across the world announce that they are moving to online-only learning. Hundreds of thousands of teachers are busy working to move their face-to-face lessons online. Designing online courses takes significant time and effort.<\/p>\n
If students are unwell or are struggling with internet access, they will miss a live streamed lecture. Record videos instead and send them to your students so that they can watch in their own time.<\/p>\n
Research\u00a0has shown that lecture videos that show instructors\u2019 faces are more effective than simple narrated slideshows. Intersperse your slides with video of yourself.<\/p>\n
Videos longer than 15 minutes\u00a0can cause issues of slow downloading and learner distraction. If you have more to say, record two or three short videos.<\/p>\n
Make sure you test slides on a smartphone before shooting your lectures so all text is readable on\u00a0small screens. Font sizes, colours, template designs and screen ratios can be double-checked.<\/p>\n
Using open resources\u00a0helps prevent access problems for students. If any of your suggested resources are not accessible, you will receive an inbox full of student emails and eventually waste all your time troubleshooting.<\/p>\n
When you suggest online media, which runs for longer than 15 minutes, students will be\u00a0put off watching. When you provide more than two resources, label them in the order you want students to approach them. Simple numbering, based on the level of difficulty or importance of each resource item, can be of great help for your students.<\/p>\n
Most learning management systems, such as Moodle, Edmodo and Blackboard, include a range of functions to create interactive learning activities such as quizzes. Step-by-step guides to creating them are widely available online. Use them.<\/p>\n
When you ask students to write a summary of lecture videos, you should make it clear that this is not a serious report. Making this as a\u00a0mandatory assignment but a low-stakes\u00a0task will produce the best outcomes and responses from students.<\/p>\n
use the automatic checking and grading features on the learning management systems.<\/p>\n
Group communication shouldn\u2019t be used for direct teaching. Instead, set up \u201cvirtual office hours\u201d on a video conferencing tool like Zoom. Simply log in at the appointed time and wait for students. Focus on providing social support and checking if any issues need to be addressed immediately. This can be a great way to collect student feedback on your online teaching as well. Make meetings optional and be relaxed.<\/p>\n
You can set up online\u00a0group spaces\u00a0for small groups of students and ask them to support and consult with one another before sending emails to you directly. You can post a couple of questions to help students break the ice and start conversation. Encourage students to use the communication tools they prefer. Some groups will click well and some will not, but this little tip can make students feel socially supported and reduce your inbox traffic.<\/p>\n
Online teachers\u2019\u00a0emotional openness\u00a0is a great instructional strategy. Tell your students that it is your first time teaching online and you are learning while teaching. Explicitly ask them to help you, reassuring them that you will do your very best to support their learning as well. They will be sympathetic since they share the same emotions, and you will be set up for success.<\/p>\n
Online students\u00a0do not like frequent changes\u00a0in their learning style. They are happy to repeat the same structure and activities. Once you find a teaching style working for you, feel free to repeat it each week until you are back in your classroom.<\/p>\n
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