In the last year, we have seen universities, schools, and colleges worldwide move to make a shift to online learning. Several hundreds of teachers around the world are busy adapting to this challenging shift. In all honesty, designing online classes does require a significant degree of effort and time. However, we seek a more straightforward formula. Here, we have come up with a list of tips and tricks that can streamline online teaching. Let us address these tips one by one.
Simplicity is key
Every educator is aware of what it takes to explain new concepts to their students. The process commences with a complete group walk-through. Following this, there are a plethora of questions, queries, or doubts that come in from students; teachers are to clarify the doubts before moving on to the following concepts.
Initially, the process can be a bit daunting, but it will get easier. Also, the students can comfortably depend on their educator or even each other when they have doubts.
‘A key challenge in online learning is that the students and the teachers are not in the same room to cater to the misconceptions. Consequently, the student’s learning time will be driven by tasks, which require a great degree of self-direction. Hence, simplicity is the key,’ comments Stacey, an educator who offers finance assignment help services.
We agree with Stacey on this, and hence, the online educators need to craft their distance learning experiences with precise instructions and employ not over two resources. Further, it is beneficial to provide the students with additional resources, such as PDFs, which can be accessed by the students anytime and anywhere.
However, please bear in mind; regardless of how simplified the structure is, it may still demand rigorous effort from your end. Tasks with minimum instructions often result in greater thinking order as students can assess what to do to facilitate better learning despite the limitations. More so, distance learning motivates educators to think of newer ways to offer information to the learners.
Record the lessons, do not stream them.
There will be days when the student might be unwell or may have poor internet connectivity. This may result in the student missing the live-streamed lecture. Thus, it is always advised for the educators to record the videos instead and then send them the same. This will allow the students to watch the videos in their own time.
Pick the right tool and check it.
‘Before you host your first-ever online class, you need some video conferencing tools that can help you connect with your students. It is recommended to try and test a few tools before you finally decide on one that best works for you,’ advises Jessica, an educator who offers python homework help services.
Fortunately for you, there is an array of options available for you to pick from. Some of the top market leaders that you can select from include Google Hangouts, Adobe Connect, Webex, and, of course, Zoom. Quite a lot of them come with a free option. However, you may need a paid subscription to cater to the requirements of a group of students.
Regardless of the chosen tool, it would be best if you took the time to educate yourself. This will help you use it properly. So, read through the instructions carefully. If possible, go through the many video tutorials, and check the functionality for yourself. For every online educator, the objective should be to comprehend the tool well enough. Only then will you have adequate knowledge to offer your students support in case of any queries, difficulties, or questions.
Connect individually with every student
‘Of course, as an educator, you need strategies that can help you work with each of your students, but while you are in an online setup, it is quintessential to cater to every student individually,’ comments David, an online python coding tutor.
See, when an instructor is in a traditional classroom setup where it is possible to see how the students perform on a daily basis, it is convenient for both parties to interact with one another, especially when they have questions. They can even communicate in private if required. In an online setup, the same opportunities can be provided for the students. However, for this, the teacher needs to open virtual resources and hours for students to log on and message or chat with them in case of any concern or question. Alternatively, the teachers can video call the students every week to check in every week or two to ensure that they are doing alright and are at pace with the whole class. These meetings are vital for teachers to analyze how the students are doing academically with the online lessons and courses and mentally and socially. Good education involves learners who are successful in different areas of their lives, and teachers have a vital role in this situation. Having one-on-one interaction with students can enable the teachers to evaluate how well the students are doing.
So, these are the top four tips that can help teachers better online learning for students. Have more such tips to make the process simpler for teachers and learners? Let us know in the comment box below. We would love to share the same with our readers.