When I first started teaching online, I neglected to provide my students with an adequate mode to address course issues synchronously. In addition, I underestimated the importance of this type of communication in fostering long term student relationships. Establishing times for office hours can give students a venue for guidance and general discussions. To begin…
Category: Interacting
Making Connections in the Virtual Classroom
One of the difficult challenges I faced when I first began to adapt to teaching online versus face to face was missing that face to face connection with students. Getting to know my students I found to be difficult without being able to hear their voice or see their faces. Also, when students begin the…
Reimagining Learning | Alternative Assignment Types
Like everyone when I first began to teach online, I mostly tried to mimic what I would do in the face to face classroom in a digital format. I discovered very quickly that this was not always effective and sometimes didn’t produce the outcome I desired. It was about this time that I watched a TED…
Teaching Remote and Face to Face Students at the Same Time
Teaching a face to face class with some students engaging remotely can be challenging but there are a few simple changes in how we teach that can address common problems. The placement of microphones often makes hearing difficult between remote and face to face students. Assume students will not be able to hear each other…
Using Breakout Groups to Encourage Student Participation
One of the most frustrating experiences I had early on in my online teaching was how often students would turn off their cameras and disappear from the class discussion. With only a handful of cameras able to be on the main screen at any given time — or the video boxes so small they might…
Using Place as a Learning Tool
Online instruction means we are no longer confined to a place, which is usually the classroom. Students are located anywhere and everywhere, and we can use this to our advantage. Ask them to snap and upload pictures that represent topics you are currently covering in class. For example, if some form of exercise or recreation,…
Incorporating Collaboration into Online Learning
One of the challenges of online learning is providing opportunities for students to establish relationships with fellow students and, in the case of working adults, to network with others in their field. One way to encourage connections is through collaborative assignments. A simple way to do this is to ask students to brainstorm ideas and…