In the past few year, teaching-learning has taken a hybrid form which mixes traditional and online teaching. However, since COVID 19 pandemic struck the world, most of the schools and universities have taken the classrooms to online mode. Like all kinds of teaching learning situations, the online classrooms too have some benefits and some disadvantages and effective strategies for impactful online teaching should try to tap on the benefits and overcome disadvantages. Some strategies that can make online teaching effective involve:
1. Many of the teachers might be taking live classes. However, it is important that all the classes are recorded so that students who might not be attend live lectures due to illness or bad internet connection can go through it later.
2. Make sure to turn your camera on. Teaching is not just about iterating the important concepts but its about dialogue where students and teacher collaboratively create knowledge. This dialogue is both verbal and non-verbal. Ensure that students are able to gauge your expression and body language by keeping the camera on.
3. If you wish to include teaching resources like video/audio from streaming platforms like YouTube in your classrooms, ensure that these are not longer than 5 minutes. This will prevent students from being distracted in the classroom as an interactive teaching learning situation is more engaging than one-sided communication.
4. If you use ppts while teaching, test your slides before teaching. Ensure that the font and color used in your ppts in both appropriate for those who use mobiles and laptops.
5. Ensure that the lessons have well-designed coherent structure that you can easily follow while teaching. This will prevent students from being disarrayed and distracted.
6. Use breakout rooms so that students can incur the benefit of peer learning and collaboration.
7. Send regular whole class communications to keep students informed about learning objectives, teaching plan and expectations from them.
8. Create an online teaching-learning forum where students can discuss their doubts with each other as you put forth topics of discussion.
9. If you tutor international students, keep time zones in mind while scheduling classes.
10. Use auto-checking to keep tap of attendance and have personal communication with students who remain consistently offline to know and solve their issues.
Teach at Awake University to give your students the best online learning experience.
