Online Teaching Strategies for Success
10 Tips for Transitioning to Teaching Online
1. Be Open to Learning:
You are used to being an expert in your field, but if you are new to teaching online, keep a beginner’s mindset. Be aware of the many free resources that are available, including SAGE's remote teaching solutions and Social Science Space's 16 Answers to Your Questions about Teaching Online, both of which include tools and resources to support students and instructors. You will realize that online teaching practices can be developed, and skill development comes with time, insight, and experience. Keep your commitment to excellence in teaching front and center while you remain open to acquiring the teaching skills needed for today's modern learners.
2. Provide Technical and Informational Support:
Partner with your institution’s IT department to determine the top technical issues that students encounter when accessing and navigating an online course. If you’re using a textbook that has online support or courseware for homework delivery, make sure students know how to access the publisher’s tech support. Be aware of differences in textbook editions, including international and online versions. If a student does not have a "piece of the puzzle" because of their edition, help them locate it, or be willing to adjust the assignment as needed.
3. Use Technology as a Means to an End:
As you make this quick transition, don’t get too bogged down with the technology itself, but think about pedagogy and engagement. The goal is to use technology in order to facilitate teaching and learning. Technology’s tools of engagement are just that—tools, not the actual engagement itself. A learning management system (LMS) and the available tools are no substitute for an experienced and trusted instructor. Your pedagogy and teaching approach--not the convenience of technology--should drive all of your choices! Keep your focus squarely on learning!
4. Employ Both Asynchronous and Synchronous Tools:
The online environment offers access to a variety of tools and resources. Asynchronous tools don’t occur in real-time (discussion boards, Prezi or PowerPoint presentations, pre-recorded lectures, podcasts, and social media options); allowing learners to access lessons at the time, pace, and place of their choice. Synchronous tools include real-time communication methods (web-conferencing, Skype, Google Hangouts, or Zoom); offering immediate engagement, lessening feelings of isolation and creating a sense of community. If you are new to Zoom, check out these useful tutorials: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials. Try to make use of a thoughtful combination of tools depending on the content of your course AND your students’ abilities and needs.
5. Reconceptualize Face-to-Face Teaching Materials:
Transform face-to-face teaching materials into content that makes best use of the online medium as a unique communication forum. Develop activities that are related to the course AND meaningful to your students. Simply filming yourself in front of your computer dictating the same lecture you would have delivered in a traditional class is not an effective way to teach online. Thoughtful integration of audio and visual imagery will convey content more effectively, making concepts easier to understand and remember.
6. Ensure Accessibility:
Be aware of the “digital-divide”; not all students have equal access, and some home environments are more conducive to studying than others. At the start of a course, outline the technology requirements, and have each student confirm that they have access to everything needed for the course. All content must be inclusive by providing multiple opportunities for engagement, interaction, and challenge. Be flexible in the ways that information is presented and the ways in which students can respond or demonstrate their knowledge and skills so you do not overlook individual differences regarding learning preferences and abilities.
7. Be present!
Log into your course every day, and consistently remain visible and available by staying in touch. If you require students to post an introduction, then do so yourself - and try to respond to theirs. Find something you may have in common to establish rapport and a connection with each student. Soon after your class begins, reach out and ask students how things are going. Make use of group communications to touch base frequently. Respond to all student requests as soon as you are able, so that you do not leave your students “hanging”. Demonstrate that you consider your students active partners in the learning experience by asking for their feedback, and making changes accordingly.
8. Apply Appropriate Assessment Measures:
Make sure students know how and when to access testing, and that they understand all requirements and expectations. Offer a practice exam that will provide an opportunity to become familiar with online exam technology. To deter cheating, consider changing test question sequence and offering different versions of the same test. Remind students of academic integrity policies by posting a video explaining guidelines for online examinations and reviewing the institution’s academic integrity policy. Be sure to provide individual, extended timing settings for students who are approved for testing accommodations.
9. Reflect on Your Practice:
Each day you will develop a greater understanding of the complex challenges and barriers that exist in the online environment. You will also develop awareness of how to facilitate meaningful and engaging online learning experiences, and ways to increase opportunities for success and achievement. Embrace the opportunity to reflect on and consolidate what you have learned, and think about how to best apply your new-found knowledge and skills. Make notes about what worked well, so that when you return to either hybrid or face-to-face teaching, you can continue to implement these new practices.
10. Seize the Opportunity to Pave the way Forward!
This unprecedented time has come with multiple challenges. You have been forced to question your traditional pedagogy, push beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone, and reframe your ideas of what effective instruction looks like. You are also having to plan courses while facing a great deal of uncertainty. View this as a valuable opportunity to focus on learning, shift to student-centered instruction, and explore opportunities the online setup affords. Take time to re-examine learning outcomes and the development of universal skills, instill in students a sense of resilience and the ability to adapt to unfamiliar territory, and help lead education forward.
You are used to being an expert in your field, but if you are new to teaching online, keep a beginner’s mindset. Be aware of the many free resources that are available, including SAGE's remote teaching solutions and Social Science Space's 16 Answers to Your Questions about Teaching Online, both of which include tools and resources to support students and instructors. You will realize that online teaching practices can be developed, and skill development comes with time, insight, and experience. Keep your commitment to excellence in teaching front and center while you remain open to acquiring the teaching skills needed for today's modern learners.
2. Provide Technical and Informational Support:
Partner with your institution’s IT department to determine the top technical issues that students encounter when accessing and navigating an online course. If you’re using a textbook that has online support or courseware for homework delivery, make sure students know how to access the publisher’s tech support. Be aware of differences in textbook editions, including international and online versions. If a student does not have a "piece of the puzzle" because of their edition, help them locate it, or be willing to adjust the assignment as needed.
3. Use Technology as a Means to an End:
As you make this quick transition, don’t get too bogged down with the technology itself, but think about pedagogy and engagement. The goal is to use technology in order to facilitate teaching and learning. Technology’s tools of engagement are just that—tools, not the actual engagement itself. A learning management system (LMS) and the available tools are no substitute for an experienced and trusted instructor. Your pedagogy and teaching approach--not the convenience of technology--should drive all of your choices! Keep your focus squarely on learning!
4. Employ Both Asynchronous and Synchronous Tools:
The online environment offers access to a variety of tools and resources. Asynchronous tools don’t occur in real-time (discussion boards, Prezi or PowerPoint presentations, pre-recorded lectures, podcasts, and social media options); allowing learners to access lessons at the time, pace, and place of their choice. Synchronous tools include real-time communication methods (web-conferencing, Skype, Google Hangouts, or Zoom); offering immediate engagement, lessening feelings of isolation and creating a sense of community. If you are new to Zoom, check out these useful tutorials: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206618765-Zoom-Video-Tutorials. Try to make use of a thoughtful combination of tools depending on the content of your course AND your students’ abilities and needs.
5. Reconceptualize Face-to-Face Teaching Materials:
Transform face-to-face teaching materials into content that makes best use of the online medium as a unique communication forum. Develop activities that are related to the course AND meaningful to your students. Simply filming yourself in front of your computer dictating the same lecture you would have delivered in a traditional class is not an effective way to teach online. Thoughtful integration of audio and visual imagery will convey content more effectively, making concepts easier to understand and remember.
6. Ensure Accessibility:
Be aware of the “digital-divide”; not all students have equal access, and some home environments are more conducive to studying than others. At the start of a course, outline the technology requirements, and have each student confirm that they have access to everything needed for the course. All content must be inclusive by providing multiple opportunities for engagement, interaction, and challenge. Be flexible in the ways that information is presented and the ways in which students can respond or demonstrate their knowledge and skills so you do not overlook individual differences regarding learning preferences and abilities.
7. Be present!
Log into your course every day, and consistently remain visible and available by staying in touch. If you require students to post an introduction, then do so yourself - and try to respond to theirs. Find something you may have in common to establish rapport and a connection with each student. Soon after your class begins, reach out and ask students how things are going. Make use of group communications to touch base frequently. Respond to all student requests as soon as you are able, so that you do not leave your students “hanging”. Demonstrate that you consider your students active partners in the learning experience by asking for their feedback, and making changes accordingly.
8. Apply Appropriate Assessment Measures:
Make sure students know how and when to access testing, and that they understand all requirements and expectations. Offer a practice exam that will provide an opportunity to become familiar with online exam technology. To deter cheating, consider changing test question sequence and offering different versions of the same test. Remind students of academic integrity policies by posting a video explaining guidelines for online examinations and reviewing the institution’s academic integrity policy. Be sure to provide individual, extended timing settings for students who are approved for testing accommodations.
9. Reflect on Your Practice:
Each day you will develop a greater understanding of the complex challenges and barriers that exist in the online environment. You will also develop awareness of how to facilitate meaningful and engaging online learning experiences, and ways to increase opportunities for success and achievement. Embrace the opportunity to reflect on and consolidate what you have learned, and think about how to best apply your new-found knowledge and skills. Make notes about what worked well, so that when you return to either hybrid or face-to-face teaching, you can continue to implement these new practices.
10. Seize the Opportunity to Pave the way Forward!
This unprecedented time has come with multiple challenges. You have been forced to question your traditional pedagogy, push beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone, and reframe your ideas of what effective instruction looks like. You are also having to plan courses while facing a great deal of uncertainty. View this as a valuable opportunity to focus on learning, shift to student-centered instruction, and explore opportunities the online setup affords. Take time to re-examine learning outcomes and the development of universal skills, instill in students a sense of resilience and the ability to adapt to unfamiliar territory, and help lead education forward.
Being an Effective Online Instructor
1. Be Familiar with Technology:
Whether you use a learning management system (LMS) or an LMS and courseware to manage student work and provide feedback on assignments, familiarity with courseware and the LMS (and integrated technological tools) makes connecting with students easier and more effective. Jump right in to familiarize yourself with the available technology, and apply this to promote ongoing learning. Be compliant in consistently following institutional guidelines regarding use of technology so students feel a sense of continuity when moving between instructors. If you need assistance, don't be afraid to ask for a personalized walkthrough.
2. Set Clear Expectations:
Don’t rely on students to interpret for themselves the setup of the course and the technological aspects of the LMS/courseware. Provide clear details regarding course objectives, syllabus requirements, and class schedules. Let students know how and when to participate and the extent to which they have choices. Encourage them to be proactive by accessing their course daily, completing assignments as required, and submitting work on time. Share time management tips and tools such as Todoist or calendar functions within your LMS/courseware to ensure that students are efficient, stay on track, and can plan ahead.
3. Find Ways to Personalize your Course:
When you personalize your course, students can make connection with more than just a computer. A brief welcome video ensures that they perceive that you are present and available. This simple but powerful tool helps to “put a face to a name”, making your students feel more comfortable, connected, and supported. A video introduction allows your students to meet you, and is an impactful way to begin building positive and supportive teaching relationships. The human touch makes a difference! Project yourself as a “real person” throughout all activities and communication, making sure to offer individualized attention as needed.
4. Respect Diversity and Strive for Inclusion:
Online education serves student populations with great variations in ability, interests, and access to technology. Instructors have a responsibility to recognize which tools and activities support accessibility and which do not. Be aware of using media thoughtfully so that it is accessible to all. To address individual needs, make sure you are inclusive throughout your teaching practice right from course design through implementation and assessment. In seeking to reduce barriers, your intention must be to provide a high quality of education to all learners, regardless of their background, culture, or past educational experiences.
5. Seek Feedback Early and Often:
Demonstrate that you consider your students as active partners in the learning experience. Ask them for feedback and make changes accordingly. The opportunity to share their viewpoints helps students feel more engaged and provides a sense of ownership of the course. Administer an early brief survey to assess the “temperature of the room”; this gives you an early warning system regarding the stumbling points or obstacles that students are facing. In all instances, be sure to assist those who require some form of support, reaching out for individual meetings when necessary.
6. Ensure Availability:
You are the live human face of your online course! This implies being physically and emotionally available for your students. Being physically present means that they can contact you and communicate synchronously via phone, Zoom, Skype, or other available technologies. Being emotionally present means that they can discuss any hardships they are experiencing. Make yourself available through virtual office hours (access free scheduling tools such as Calendly or Picktime. Use the announcement/chat feature, and check into your course(s) every day to respond to anything students have asked or requested. When students contact you, be sure to respond as soon as possible.
7. Build Teaching Relationships:
Commit to ensuring a meaningful learning experience by being “present”. Initial introductions allow you to get to know who your students are. The better you know your students the better you can support them by addressing individual interests and needs. Connect with those who "fly under the radar" by thoughtfully offering guidance and support, although unsolicited. Put in the time and effort to develop a growth academic mindset and encourage an “I can do this” attitude for all learners by conveying that you genuinely care about their success and that you are here to help. When you commit to authentic engagement you will find that your students do better and perform at a higher level of excellence because of the connection.
8. Develop Multiple Avenues for Interaction:
Online learning should not be thought of as “alone learning”. Engaging your students by interacting and communicating with them, and making changes as needed, allows you to be more connected to your students as individuals. This is also a significant opportunity for your students to see you as a source of support.
Creating interactive opportunities that are purposefully designed and integrated into the curriculum. In addition to having an introduction or icebreaker activity, other ways effective instructors build in student-to-student interaction include online discussion forums, peer-review activities, collaborative work, and group video conferencing.
9. Maintain a Safe and Welcoming Environment:
The culture you create should be conducive to active participation, where all students feel free to ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate with peers. Collaboration provides opportunities to work together, build knowledge collectively, and support each other’s understanding. Serve as a role model by creating an environment in which students feel safe to communicate and contribute. Make sure that all communication and interaction is productive, thereby creating a positive and inclusive environment. Monitor trust levels and respectful interaction in all discussions and communications. A sense of safety will help students become more engaged, leading to more open sharing of beliefs and values. A safe environment also provides valuable lessons on how to engage in productive and respectful interactions with others who might hold opposing viewpoints.
10. Instill Ongoing Motivation:
Motivating your students to remain engaged is a primary and ongoing task. Incorporate motivational strategies and activities throughout your course, including use of encouraging language, and acknowledgement of perseverance, milestone achievement, and success. Encouragement can come in many forms, including check-ins through emails, phone calls, and video messages, including one called “Midweek Motivation”. Students often need reminders to be able to see beyond the present because their instructor believes in them.
Whether you use a learning management system (LMS) or an LMS and courseware to manage student work and provide feedback on assignments, familiarity with courseware and the LMS (and integrated technological tools) makes connecting with students easier and more effective. Jump right in to familiarize yourself with the available technology, and apply this to promote ongoing learning. Be compliant in consistently following institutional guidelines regarding use of technology so students feel a sense of continuity when moving between instructors. If you need assistance, don't be afraid to ask for a personalized walkthrough.
2. Set Clear Expectations:
Don’t rely on students to interpret for themselves the setup of the course and the technological aspects of the LMS/courseware. Provide clear details regarding course objectives, syllabus requirements, and class schedules. Let students know how and when to participate and the extent to which they have choices. Encourage them to be proactive by accessing their course daily, completing assignments as required, and submitting work on time. Share time management tips and tools such as Todoist or calendar functions within your LMS/courseware to ensure that students are efficient, stay on track, and can plan ahead.
3. Find Ways to Personalize your Course:
When you personalize your course, students can make connection with more than just a computer. A brief welcome video ensures that they perceive that you are present and available. This simple but powerful tool helps to “put a face to a name”, making your students feel more comfortable, connected, and supported. A video introduction allows your students to meet you, and is an impactful way to begin building positive and supportive teaching relationships. The human touch makes a difference! Project yourself as a “real person” throughout all activities and communication, making sure to offer individualized attention as needed.
4. Respect Diversity and Strive for Inclusion:
Online education serves student populations with great variations in ability, interests, and access to technology. Instructors have a responsibility to recognize which tools and activities support accessibility and which do not. Be aware of using media thoughtfully so that it is accessible to all. To address individual needs, make sure you are inclusive throughout your teaching practice right from course design through implementation and assessment. In seeking to reduce barriers, your intention must be to provide a high quality of education to all learners, regardless of their background, culture, or past educational experiences.
5. Seek Feedback Early and Often:
Demonstrate that you consider your students as active partners in the learning experience. Ask them for feedback and make changes accordingly. The opportunity to share their viewpoints helps students feel more engaged and provides a sense of ownership of the course. Administer an early brief survey to assess the “temperature of the room”; this gives you an early warning system regarding the stumbling points or obstacles that students are facing. In all instances, be sure to assist those who require some form of support, reaching out for individual meetings when necessary.
6. Ensure Availability:
You are the live human face of your online course! This implies being physically and emotionally available for your students. Being physically present means that they can contact you and communicate synchronously via phone, Zoom, Skype, or other available technologies. Being emotionally present means that they can discuss any hardships they are experiencing. Make yourself available through virtual office hours (access free scheduling tools such as Calendly or Picktime. Use the announcement/chat feature, and check into your course(s) every day to respond to anything students have asked or requested. When students contact you, be sure to respond as soon as possible.
7. Build Teaching Relationships:
Commit to ensuring a meaningful learning experience by being “present”. Initial introductions allow you to get to know who your students are. The better you know your students the better you can support them by addressing individual interests and needs. Connect with those who "fly under the radar" by thoughtfully offering guidance and support, although unsolicited. Put in the time and effort to develop a growth academic mindset and encourage an “I can do this” attitude for all learners by conveying that you genuinely care about their success and that you are here to help. When you commit to authentic engagement you will find that your students do better and perform at a higher level of excellence because of the connection.
8. Develop Multiple Avenues for Interaction:
Online learning should not be thought of as “alone learning”. Engaging your students by interacting and communicating with them, and making changes as needed, allows you to be more connected to your students as individuals. This is also a significant opportunity for your students to see you as a source of support.
Creating interactive opportunities that are purposefully designed and integrated into the curriculum. In addition to having an introduction or icebreaker activity, other ways effective instructors build in student-to-student interaction include online discussion forums, peer-review activities, collaborative work, and group video conferencing.
9. Maintain a Safe and Welcoming Environment:
The culture you create should be conducive to active participation, where all students feel free to ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate with peers. Collaboration provides opportunities to work together, build knowledge collectively, and support each other’s understanding. Serve as a role model by creating an environment in which students feel safe to communicate and contribute. Make sure that all communication and interaction is productive, thereby creating a positive and inclusive environment. Monitor trust levels and respectful interaction in all discussions and communications. A sense of safety will help students become more engaged, leading to more open sharing of beliefs and values. A safe environment also provides valuable lessons on how to engage in productive and respectful interactions with others who might hold opposing viewpoints.
10. Instill Ongoing Motivation:
Motivating your students to remain engaged is a primary and ongoing task. Incorporate motivational strategies and activities throughout your course, including use of encouraging language, and acknowledgement of perseverance, milestone achievement, and success. Encouragement can come in many forms, including check-ins through emails, phone calls, and video messages, including one called “Midweek Motivation”. Students often need reminders to be able to see beyond the present because their instructor believes in them.
Employing Multimodal Strategies in Online Teaching
1. Engagement is Front and Center:
Research supports a clear link between instructor engagement, learner engagement, learning, and persistence. Offer multiple ways for your students to engage in the course, and commit to ensuring a learning experience that promotes deep learning. As an instructor you have a responsibility to recognize which tools and formats (document and media) support accessibility and which do not. Be aware of using content and materials thoughtfully and inclusively, including both synchronous and asynchronous activities. Keep open channels of communication at all times. If you are able, consider posting a video check-in for students at the same time every day.
2. Facilitate Ongoing Interaction:
Thoughtful facilitation methods and combinations of methods facilitate interaction, and build student engagement and persistence. This includes creating opportunities for frequent interactions between instructors and students, students and course content, and among students. Collaborative learning is a way for students to work together on assignments or tasks, build knowledge collectively, think critically, and support each other. Frequent interaction combats isolation, increases the sense of connectedness and ongoing engagement, and builds a sense of community.
3. The Multimedia Principle:
Working in the online educational environment provides access to a variety of tools and resources. Based on the multimedia principle, the role of an online instructor can and should extend beyond verbal and written communication to include audio and video modes of communication and teaching, which is vital to engage learners and ensure their academic development. The technology that is currently available allows you to increasingly diversify your instructional strategies by creating alternative ways of communicating information, thereby broadening engagement opportunities, and expanding the ways in which learners can understand the content, and express and present their learning.
4. Asynchronous Tools: What are These?
In the online environment, students are learning the same material at different locations and time zones. Asynchronous tools include communication and teaching methods that do not occur in real-time, such as discussion boards, Prezi or PowerPoint presentations, YouTube, Screencast-o-Matic video, and podcasts. Social media options can also be used to creatively and meaningfully to deliver learning educational content, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, Kahoot, and Padlet. The announcement/chat tool in the LMS enables ongoing communication, forming an essential first point of contact, and a touchstone for students every time they log into the classroom.
5. Asynchronous Tools: How and When to Use?
Use discussion boards and the announcement tool wisely and often so that student feel your presence. Effectively incorporate audio and visual materials by rethinking face-to-face teaching materials and transforming these into content that makes best use of the online medium. Rather than simply transcribing and posting face-to-face lectures, amplify the learning experience with images to make abstract concepts easier to understand and remember. Often publishers will post figures from your textbook in the online instructor manual. To ensure that video materials are accessible, include captions, allowing learners to read the text together with viewing the images.
6. Advantages and Disadvantages of Asynchronous Teaching:
Asynchronous collaboration tools account for time-zones and students’ work and family commitments by allowing them to access, listen to, or view lessons at the time, pace, and place of their choosing. This can potentially lead to greater engagement since students will have more time to explore the course material. This also creates an accessible archive of past materials. One disadvantage is that students may feel dissatisfied without the social interaction between their peers and instructors. Additionally, course material also may be misunderstood or misconstrued without real-time interaction and without the opportunity to ask questions and receive explanations “in the moment”.
7. Synchronous Tools: What are These?
Incorporating synchronous techniques creates interaction and fosters connectedness and community. Synchronous tools include real-time communication methods such as instant messaging, group chats, video or web-conferencing, and phone communication. Applications like Google Hangouts, VSee, Zoom, Skype, and GoToMeeting allow instructors to participate in and monitor synchronous chat sessions, instant messaging, providing video and audio interactions with a single student, a select group of students, or the entire online class. Some video and web-conferencing tools offer combinations of communication mechanisms affording learners opportunities to simultaneously text, chat, share material, and video conference.
8. Synchronous Tools: How and When to Use?
Use of synchronous tools requires you to coordinate with students and set times and dates to meet. Consider scheduling multiple video or web-conferencing opportunities on different dates and at different times. Another consideration is to offer multiple synchronous options at different times, thereby allowing for greater access and participation. To enhance engagement, open a regular synchronous session using Adobe Connect or a chat function where students can talk with you. Provide regular office hours so students can contact you for in-person meetings via multiple synchronous tools so that your presence and availability is ongoing.
9. Advantages and Disadvantages of Synchronous Teaching:
Fostering dialogue is essential to online learning. Immediate personal engagement increases enthusiasm for learning because it occurs in “real-time”, can lessen feelings of isolation, and create greater feelings of community. More responsive exchanges between students and instructors may also prevent miscommunication or misunderstanding. Despite these benefits, active learning activities are challenging to implement when students are “going to class” at different times and are not located in proximity to one another. A further challenge is the requirement to coordinate availability so that everybody has equal access, because many students face technical difficulties.
10. Employ Multimodal Combinations:
Plan how to best engage students and make their learning meaningful by making use of a combination of tools. You may choose to design a learning activity that begins with asynchronous posting on a group discussion topic and culminates with a synchronous chat session. You can even creatively combine Zoom and PowerPoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psPpv1rWyTI. Remain flexible and keep an open mind so you do not overlook the ways that different technologies can enhance or limit students’ interactivity. Be aware of the ways you like to communicate and present information since you may tend to over-use those techniques. Thoughtful facilitation methods and combinations of options will ensure inclusivity, leading to greater engagement and persistence.
Research supports a clear link between instructor engagement, learner engagement, learning, and persistence. Offer multiple ways for your students to engage in the course, and commit to ensuring a learning experience that promotes deep learning. As an instructor you have a responsibility to recognize which tools and formats (document and media) support accessibility and which do not. Be aware of using content and materials thoughtfully and inclusively, including both synchronous and asynchronous activities. Keep open channels of communication at all times. If you are able, consider posting a video check-in for students at the same time every day.
2. Facilitate Ongoing Interaction:
Thoughtful facilitation methods and combinations of methods facilitate interaction, and build student engagement and persistence. This includes creating opportunities for frequent interactions between instructors and students, students and course content, and among students. Collaborative learning is a way for students to work together on assignments or tasks, build knowledge collectively, think critically, and support each other. Frequent interaction combats isolation, increases the sense of connectedness and ongoing engagement, and builds a sense of community.
3. The Multimedia Principle:
Working in the online educational environment provides access to a variety of tools and resources. Based on the multimedia principle, the role of an online instructor can and should extend beyond verbal and written communication to include audio and video modes of communication and teaching, which is vital to engage learners and ensure their academic development. The technology that is currently available allows you to increasingly diversify your instructional strategies by creating alternative ways of communicating information, thereby broadening engagement opportunities, and expanding the ways in which learners can understand the content, and express and present their learning.
4. Asynchronous Tools: What are These?
In the online environment, students are learning the same material at different locations and time zones. Asynchronous tools include communication and teaching methods that do not occur in real-time, such as discussion boards, Prezi or PowerPoint presentations, YouTube, Screencast-o-Matic video, and podcasts. Social media options can also be used to creatively and meaningfully to deliver learning educational content, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, Kahoot, and Padlet. The announcement/chat tool in the LMS enables ongoing communication, forming an essential first point of contact, and a touchstone for students every time they log into the classroom.
5. Asynchronous Tools: How and When to Use?
Use discussion boards and the announcement tool wisely and often so that student feel your presence. Effectively incorporate audio and visual materials by rethinking face-to-face teaching materials and transforming these into content that makes best use of the online medium. Rather than simply transcribing and posting face-to-face lectures, amplify the learning experience with images to make abstract concepts easier to understand and remember. Often publishers will post figures from your textbook in the online instructor manual. To ensure that video materials are accessible, include captions, allowing learners to read the text together with viewing the images.
6. Advantages and Disadvantages of Asynchronous Teaching:
Asynchronous collaboration tools account for time-zones and students’ work and family commitments by allowing them to access, listen to, or view lessons at the time, pace, and place of their choosing. This can potentially lead to greater engagement since students will have more time to explore the course material. This also creates an accessible archive of past materials. One disadvantage is that students may feel dissatisfied without the social interaction between their peers and instructors. Additionally, course material also may be misunderstood or misconstrued without real-time interaction and without the opportunity to ask questions and receive explanations “in the moment”.
7. Synchronous Tools: What are These?
Incorporating synchronous techniques creates interaction and fosters connectedness and community. Synchronous tools include real-time communication methods such as instant messaging, group chats, video or web-conferencing, and phone communication. Applications like Google Hangouts, VSee, Zoom, Skype, and GoToMeeting allow instructors to participate in and monitor synchronous chat sessions, instant messaging, providing video and audio interactions with a single student, a select group of students, or the entire online class. Some video and web-conferencing tools offer combinations of communication mechanisms affording learners opportunities to simultaneously text, chat, share material, and video conference.
8. Synchronous Tools: How and When to Use?
Use of synchronous tools requires you to coordinate with students and set times and dates to meet. Consider scheduling multiple video or web-conferencing opportunities on different dates and at different times. Another consideration is to offer multiple synchronous options at different times, thereby allowing for greater access and participation. To enhance engagement, open a regular synchronous session using Adobe Connect or a chat function where students can talk with you. Provide regular office hours so students can contact you for in-person meetings via multiple synchronous tools so that your presence and availability is ongoing.
9. Advantages and Disadvantages of Synchronous Teaching:
Fostering dialogue is essential to online learning. Immediate personal engagement increases enthusiasm for learning because it occurs in “real-time”, can lessen feelings of isolation, and create greater feelings of community. More responsive exchanges between students and instructors may also prevent miscommunication or misunderstanding. Despite these benefits, active learning activities are challenging to implement when students are “going to class” at different times and are not located in proximity to one another. A further challenge is the requirement to coordinate availability so that everybody has equal access, because many students face technical difficulties.
10. Employ Multimodal Combinations:
Plan how to best engage students and make their learning meaningful by making use of a combination of tools. You may choose to design a learning activity that begins with asynchronous posting on a group discussion topic and culminates with a synchronous chat session. You can even creatively combine Zoom and PowerPoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psPpv1rWyTI. Remain flexible and keep an open mind so you do not overlook the ways that different technologies can enhance or limit students’ interactivity. Be aware of the ways you like to communicate and present information since you may tend to over-use those techniques. Thoughtful facilitation methods and combinations of options will ensure inclusivity, leading to greater engagement and persistence.
Identifying and Supporting Struggling Students in Online Courses
1. Set Clear Expectations:
Make the path for success seem realistic and doable by setting clear goals, and clarifying requirements. Provide details about how each class will be conducted, and how students need to prepare. Explain when live-streamed lessons will occur, whether sessions will be recorded, and if so where recordings can be accessed. If lessons are asynchronous be clear about how to create a weekly schedule, review course activities, access discussion boards, and respond to discussion threads when necessary. Share time management tips to ensure that students stay on track, and encourage them to reach out to you for help as needed.
2. Show that you genuinely care!
Demonstrate that you sincerely care about your students' performance and attainment of goals. You can learn all the “do's and don’ts” of online teaching, but if you are not able to exercise empathy and recognize possible feelings of fear, apprehension, insecurity and even despair over the circumstances surrounding them, then any technical skills and subject matter expertise won't matter. We must be able to step outside of our own minds, egos and professorial way of doing things in order to really understand what students need at any given moment. Sometimes all they need is a simple "I believe you've got what it takes and I'm here to help you get there."
3. Monitor and Address Progress and Development:
Struggling students rely heavily on structure and receiving specific instructions, and so they will need additional support. Develop a warning system to identify those who are at risk, so you have a better chance of guiding students toward success. Implement early and frequent “check-ins” to monitor progress, determine potential barriers, and address any signs of distress or failure. Many textbook websites and courseware systems have built-in online quizzes and chapter-ending exercises that can be set for homework. In this way you can assess progress as students proceed, rather than wait for the mid-term to discover who is struggling.
4. Nurture a Growth Academic Mindset:
Students with a “growth mindset” hold the attitude that intelligence can be developed through experience, effort, and support from others. Counter uncertainty by promoting a growth mindset to support endurance and motivation. Offer clear and explicit guidance for improvement, and provide acknowledgement and praise for good work. Be intentional in encouraging a “can-do” attitude to ensure that you focus your instruction on how students can keep persevering to realize their potential. Because they feel autonomous, they will view tasks as doable, and strive to achieve their goals, even in the face of setbacks.
5. Encourage Ongoing Engagement:
Online learning can be a lonely and solitary experience, so your goal is to help increase student engagement with you and with the course content. “Humanize” the online learning environment so that your students will have a greater sense of buy-in because they see you as a “real person”. Communicate that you are “here for them” and focus your time and energy to assist and support them in achieving their goals. To counteract isolation and develop a sense of community assist students in creating study groups so they can connect with, and learn from each other.
6. Provide Scaffolding:
By scaffolding, you “chunk” tasks into manageable sub-tasks, thereby stimulating ongoing motivation and deeper learning. Scaffolding helps struggling students to complete course-specific assignments, and teaches them valuable skills regarding completing work independently without becoming overwhelmed. Don’t overload students with too much content at any one time. Provide higher levels of scaffolding for those who lack prior knowledge or who have high anxiety or low motivation. You may also need to provide additional layers of scaffolding, and determine the right balance of scaffolding that is necessary at any one time.
7. Make Assignments Transparent:
Transparent assignments helps students navigate their educational work more successfully. Communicate what knowledge or skills they will gain from completing the assignment and how that knowledge or skill will be valuable to them. Clarify the steps that they should take to complete the assignment. Well before the assignment is due, share the rubrics or checklists that you will use to evaluate students’ work, as this will help them complete assignments to the best of their ability. Help students overcome their view of errors as failures by conveying the message that we learn by addressing and correcting our mistakes.
8. Be Flexible:
There is no “one-size-fits-all”, so don’t overlook individual differences regarding learning preferences and abilities. Make sure that all your students are able to communicate with you in multiple ways and allow them to select the mode of communication that works best for them. Be reasonable and adjust as needed. Some students may need more time to achieve mastery, so flexibility with deadlines for assignments is often necessary. Allowing students to submit a series of drafts for review means they can revise errors in preparation for the actual assignment. The chance to resubmit a failing assignment also extends the learning window, enabling students to apply corrective feedback to improve their work and grades.
9. Ensure Visibility and Presence:
Online learning should not be thought of as “alone learning.” A central aspect to promoting engagement and ongoing success, is your sense of “presence”. Convey the message very loud and clearly that you are here for your students! Maintain open lines of communication so they feel more comfortable in in approaching you for assistance or support when necessary. Listen to your students’ requests so that you can accommodate individual needs, and make changes accordingly.
10. Remain available and accessible:
Set regular office hours and provide details regarding availability and methods of contact. Remind students that questions are always welcome and that you are available to discuss their work. Encourage them to let you know when things are not going well or if additional time or accommodations are needed. When students contact you, respond as soon as you are able, because leaving them “hanging” is discouraging. If you are going to be away, let students know who will assist them during your absence.
Make the path for success seem realistic and doable by setting clear goals, and clarifying requirements. Provide details about how each class will be conducted, and how students need to prepare. Explain when live-streamed lessons will occur, whether sessions will be recorded, and if so where recordings can be accessed. If lessons are asynchronous be clear about how to create a weekly schedule, review course activities, access discussion boards, and respond to discussion threads when necessary. Share time management tips to ensure that students stay on track, and encourage them to reach out to you for help as needed.
2. Show that you genuinely care!
Demonstrate that you sincerely care about your students' performance and attainment of goals. You can learn all the “do's and don’ts” of online teaching, but if you are not able to exercise empathy and recognize possible feelings of fear, apprehension, insecurity and even despair over the circumstances surrounding them, then any technical skills and subject matter expertise won't matter. We must be able to step outside of our own minds, egos and professorial way of doing things in order to really understand what students need at any given moment. Sometimes all they need is a simple "I believe you've got what it takes and I'm here to help you get there."
3. Monitor and Address Progress and Development:
Struggling students rely heavily on structure and receiving specific instructions, and so they will need additional support. Develop a warning system to identify those who are at risk, so you have a better chance of guiding students toward success. Implement early and frequent “check-ins” to monitor progress, determine potential barriers, and address any signs of distress or failure. Many textbook websites and courseware systems have built-in online quizzes and chapter-ending exercises that can be set for homework. In this way you can assess progress as students proceed, rather than wait for the mid-term to discover who is struggling.
4. Nurture a Growth Academic Mindset:
Students with a “growth mindset” hold the attitude that intelligence can be developed through experience, effort, and support from others. Counter uncertainty by promoting a growth mindset to support endurance and motivation. Offer clear and explicit guidance for improvement, and provide acknowledgement and praise for good work. Be intentional in encouraging a “can-do” attitude to ensure that you focus your instruction on how students can keep persevering to realize their potential. Because they feel autonomous, they will view tasks as doable, and strive to achieve their goals, even in the face of setbacks.
5. Encourage Ongoing Engagement:
Online learning can be a lonely and solitary experience, so your goal is to help increase student engagement with you and with the course content. “Humanize” the online learning environment so that your students will have a greater sense of buy-in because they see you as a “real person”. Communicate that you are “here for them” and focus your time and energy to assist and support them in achieving their goals. To counteract isolation and develop a sense of community assist students in creating study groups so they can connect with, and learn from each other.
6. Provide Scaffolding:
By scaffolding, you “chunk” tasks into manageable sub-tasks, thereby stimulating ongoing motivation and deeper learning. Scaffolding helps struggling students to complete course-specific assignments, and teaches them valuable skills regarding completing work independently without becoming overwhelmed. Don’t overload students with too much content at any one time. Provide higher levels of scaffolding for those who lack prior knowledge or who have high anxiety or low motivation. You may also need to provide additional layers of scaffolding, and determine the right balance of scaffolding that is necessary at any one time.
7. Make Assignments Transparent:
Transparent assignments helps students navigate their educational work more successfully. Communicate what knowledge or skills they will gain from completing the assignment and how that knowledge or skill will be valuable to them. Clarify the steps that they should take to complete the assignment. Well before the assignment is due, share the rubrics or checklists that you will use to evaluate students’ work, as this will help them complete assignments to the best of their ability. Help students overcome their view of errors as failures by conveying the message that we learn by addressing and correcting our mistakes.
8. Be Flexible:
There is no “one-size-fits-all”, so don’t overlook individual differences regarding learning preferences and abilities. Make sure that all your students are able to communicate with you in multiple ways and allow them to select the mode of communication that works best for them. Be reasonable and adjust as needed. Some students may need more time to achieve mastery, so flexibility with deadlines for assignments is often necessary. Allowing students to submit a series of drafts for review means they can revise errors in preparation for the actual assignment. The chance to resubmit a failing assignment also extends the learning window, enabling students to apply corrective feedback to improve their work and grades.
9. Ensure Visibility and Presence:
Online learning should not be thought of as “alone learning.” A central aspect to promoting engagement and ongoing success, is your sense of “presence”. Convey the message very loud and clearly that you are here for your students! Maintain open lines of communication so they feel more comfortable in in approaching you for assistance or support when necessary. Listen to your students’ requests so that you can accommodate individual needs, and make changes accordingly.
10. Remain available and accessible:
Set regular office hours and provide details regarding availability and methods of contact. Remind students that questions are always welcome and that you are available to discuss their work. Encourage them to let you know when things are not going well or if additional time or accommodations are needed. When students contact you, respond as soon as you are able, because leaving them “hanging” is discouraging. If you are going to be away, let students know who will assist them during your absence.
Making Online Learning Accessible
1. Adopt an Equitable Instructional Approach:
Accessibility refers to the features and attributes of instruction that ensure its ability to be used or understood. Web accessibility refers to a set of standards that guide the design of online websites, tools, and applications to ensure ease of use for all students, including auditory, visual, cognitive, and physical aspects of technology. Consider the unique needs of every individual. Work with your institution’s instructional designer and disability specialists to ensure accessibility for all. Be sure to make accommodations regarding learning preferences and technical competencies as needed.
2. Build in Accessibility Right from the Start:
Designing for accessibility means creating content that is accessible to the greatest number of diverse learners. Ensure that all students have the equipment they need and run a series of online tech checks. Make sure that content supports all students and ensures inclusion; and that it provides multiple opportunities for engagement, interaction, and challenge. You will need to know how to make the course materials accessible by way of (a) making a clear path for success in the way you present your materials; (b) integrating useful guidelines and tips; and (c) thoughtful use of a combination of synchronous and asynchronous tools. Good practice means ensuring too that an accessibility statement is clearly included in every syllabus.
3. Refer to Universal Design for Learning Framework (UDL):
Ensure accessibility by using the Universal Design for Learning framework. Principles of this framework indicate that supports benefit all learners, not just those with disabilities. This framework operates on three principles: (a) Provide multiple means of representation (the what of learning); (b) Provide multiple means of action and expression (the how of learning); and (c) Provide multiple means for engagement (the why of learning). The key phrase here is multiple means. Accessibility and universal design depend on a variety of means - or methods - across these three areas.
4. Make Assignments Transparent:
Making assignments transparent helps students navigate their work more successfully, and sustains engagement. Communicate to students the purpose of the assignment, what knowledge or skills they will gain from completing the assignment, and how that knowledge or skill will be valuable to them. Be clear about the task at hand by communicating the steps that students should take to complete the assignment. Well before the assignment is due, share the rubrics or checklists that you will use to evaluate students’ work so they are aware of the requirements, expectations, and grading criteria.
5. Address Individual Learning Preferences and Abilities:
Each individual has preferred modes of receiving and processing information or demonstrating knowledge and abilities. To ensure inclusivity, be flexible in the ways that information is presented, in the ways that students can become engaged, and the ways in which they can respond or demonstrate their knowledge and skills. The goal is to create an environment of support and challenge that can reach and inspire all students. Minimize barriers in instruction by providing appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and always maintain high achievement expectations for everybody!
6. Create Accessible Text Content:
Certain strategies can assist you to ensure and maintain inclusivity. Run the accessibility checker as you create Word Docs, PDFs, and PowerPoints and correct the errors and warnings as you work. Provide links to online resources and/or order a digital course packet for hard to come by resources. All visuals should be accessible to all students. Use the formatting tools in your text editor to enable screen readers (a tool to help visually impaired learners). Pictures, graphs, and formulas need alternate text descriptions (again, for screen readers).
7. Make Digital Content Accessible:
Videos are increasingly being integrated into online courses. While effective, this can create barriers for students with hearing problems. To ensure inclusivity, it is good practice to create a text supplement at the same time that you create a video. You create accessible video by including captions that appear within the video itself, allowing learners to read the text with the images. A common way to caption videos is to do in two steps; creating the transcript and then adding it to the video. Alternatively, you can use appropriate software that creates the captions automatically from the video.
8. Ensure Easy Access to All Resources:
Establish clear academic, administrative, and communication policies for instruction. Include an accommodation statement in your syllabus or curriculum. Be sure to provide easy access links to libraries, learning resources and appropriate social media, with both synchronous and asynchronous options. These options must be available on mobile devices as well. Make sure that equity content is accurate. Navigation processes and tools should be simple, consistent, and intuitive; including explicit organization and clearly labeled course segments. At all times, your pedagogy and teaching approach--not the convenience of technology--should drive your accessibility enhancements!
9. Use Milestone Planning:
A milestone plan or work schedule will clearly outline what is going to happen and when. A visual flowchart can support the structure of your course design, including weekly previews and summaries. These connections illustrate the course structure and allow students to understand the progression of the topic they are studying. Make sure that the flowchart includes the following: an overview to introduce the whole course, a preview for each unit or week, a summary of how a completed week or module relates to the upcoming week or module, and a summary at the end of a unit and its connection to the upcoming unit.
10. Make Changes as Needed!
Even the most accessible online programs can still pose challenges for students. Be sure to include a feedback or review component throughout the course and/or at the end. This allows you to make changes or revisions accordingly. Be willing to receive constructive feedback from your students, and actually utilize this feedback to enable you to continue to make necessary and beneficial accommodations. Seeking feedback ensures that students will see themselves as valued partners in the learning process and that their perspectives are heard and respected.
Accessibility refers to the features and attributes of instruction that ensure its ability to be used or understood. Web accessibility refers to a set of standards that guide the design of online websites, tools, and applications to ensure ease of use for all students, including auditory, visual, cognitive, and physical aspects of technology. Consider the unique needs of every individual. Work with your institution’s instructional designer and disability specialists to ensure accessibility for all. Be sure to make accommodations regarding learning preferences and technical competencies as needed.
2. Build in Accessibility Right from the Start:
Designing for accessibility means creating content that is accessible to the greatest number of diverse learners. Ensure that all students have the equipment they need and run a series of online tech checks. Make sure that content supports all students and ensures inclusion; and that it provides multiple opportunities for engagement, interaction, and challenge. You will need to know how to make the course materials accessible by way of (a) making a clear path for success in the way you present your materials; (b) integrating useful guidelines and tips; and (c) thoughtful use of a combination of synchronous and asynchronous tools. Good practice means ensuring too that an accessibility statement is clearly included in every syllabus.
3. Refer to Universal Design for Learning Framework (UDL):
Ensure accessibility by using the Universal Design for Learning framework. Principles of this framework indicate that supports benefit all learners, not just those with disabilities. This framework operates on three principles: (a) Provide multiple means of representation (the what of learning); (b) Provide multiple means of action and expression (the how of learning); and (c) Provide multiple means for engagement (the why of learning). The key phrase here is multiple means. Accessibility and universal design depend on a variety of means - or methods - across these three areas.
4. Make Assignments Transparent:
Making assignments transparent helps students navigate their work more successfully, and sustains engagement. Communicate to students the purpose of the assignment, what knowledge or skills they will gain from completing the assignment, and how that knowledge or skill will be valuable to them. Be clear about the task at hand by communicating the steps that students should take to complete the assignment. Well before the assignment is due, share the rubrics or checklists that you will use to evaluate students’ work so they are aware of the requirements, expectations, and grading criteria.
5. Address Individual Learning Preferences and Abilities:
Each individual has preferred modes of receiving and processing information or demonstrating knowledge and abilities. To ensure inclusivity, be flexible in the ways that information is presented, in the ways that students can become engaged, and the ways in which they can respond or demonstrate their knowledge and skills. The goal is to create an environment of support and challenge that can reach and inspire all students. Minimize barriers in instruction by providing appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and always maintain high achievement expectations for everybody!
6. Create Accessible Text Content:
Certain strategies can assist you to ensure and maintain inclusivity. Run the accessibility checker as you create Word Docs, PDFs, and PowerPoints and correct the errors and warnings as you work. Provide links to online resources and/or order a digital course packet for hard to come by resources. All visuals should be accessible to all students. Use the formatting tools in your text editor to enable screen readers (a tool to help visually impaired learners). Pictures, graphs, and formulas need alternate text descriptions (again, for screen readers).
7. Make Digital Content Accessible:
Videos are increasingly being integrated into online courses. While effective, this can create barriers for students with hearing problems. To ensure inclusivity, it is good practice to create a text supplement at the same time that you create a video. You create accessible video by including captions that appear within the video itself, allowing learners to read the text with the images. A common way to caption videos is to do in two steps; creating the transcript and then adding it to the video. Alternatively, you can use appropriate software that creates the captions automatically from the video.
8. Ensure Easy Access to All Resources:
Establish clear academic, administrative, and communication policies for instruction. Include an accommodation statement in your syllabus or curriculum. Be sure to provide easy access links to libraries, learning resources and appropriate social media, with both synchronous and asynchronous options. These options must be available on mobile devices as well. Make sure that equity content is accurate. Navigation processes and tools should be simple, consistent, and intuitive; including explicit organization and clearly labeled course segments. At all times, your pedagogy and teaching approach--not the convenience of technology--should drive your accessibility enhancements!
9. Use Milestone Planning:
A milestone plan or work schedule will clearly outline what is going to happen and when. A visual flowchart can support the structure of your course design, including weekly previews and summaries. These connections illustrate the course structure and allow students to understand the progression of the topic they are studying. Make sure that the flowchart includes the following: an overview to introduce the whole course, a preview for each unit or week, a summary of how a completed week or module relates to the upcoming week or module, and a summary at the end of a unit and its connection to the upcoming unit.
10. Make Changes as Needed!
Even the most accessible online programs can still pose challenges for students. Be sure to include a feedback or review component throughout the course and/or at the end. This allows you to make changes or revisions accordingly. Be willing to receive constructive feedback from your students, and actually utilize this feedback to enable you to continue to make necessary and beneficial accommodations. Seeking feedback ensures that students will see themselves as valued partners in the learning process and that their perspectives are heard and respected.