Going into the second week of the ATS program, I am super excited to learn more about online teaching techniques. This week’s materials are mostly focused on engagement – one of the toughest aspects of online teaching. On-campus classes usually provide us with many things that we take for granted. Instructors are able to look at students and realize if they are confused, bored, or simply not paying attention. Therefore, they can think of some ways to engage them or make the content more interesting. Students can also raise their hand when they have a question, and it will be answered right away in most cases. This cannot be achieved as easily as you might think in online courses. So the question is how to make online courses more similar to on-campus ones in that respect.
The first thing that comes to mind is to stay connected with students. In online courses, students move forward with the materials on their own pace and do not need to participate in class with other students at a specific time. Therefore, it is crucial for instructors to make sure that students don’t feel left alone throughout the course. One way to stay in touch with students is through regular announcements about what is supposed to be covered and what the expectation are along the way. However, these announcements should be more personable than just a weekly reminder. They should make students feel like that the instructor can be always approachable if there is any need.
Secondly, instructors should try to take advantage of discussion forums. They should encourage students to engage with the rest of the class and collaborate with one another via these forums. Letting students share interesting thoughts or articles that they might find related to the course materials can encourage them to participate more. Canvas provides that tool and lets instructors decide whether the discussions should be graded. I personally believe giving extra points for participation in discussions can incentivize students to interact more with the instructor and other students.
Lastly, using video technologies can help instructors to connect better with students. Online courses lack the physical presence but these technologies can help us overcome that shortcoming. Posting a video of yourself, showing your face, and sharing a bit about your personal life can help instructors establish a better connection with their students. Keeping the videos short is recommended though. Also, if any of the videos contain any important information, instructors can make viewing it a requirement before moving forward with the rest of the materials.
More to come next week!