Online teaching and learning is a new challenge for all of us in schools, universities and training centers. Both teachers and students need to be adaptable and to learn new skills to make the process efficient. When you do it for the first time, online teaching can be frustrated, but with more training, patience and trials, it becomes fun for all of us involved in it. Here are some technical and content-related tips to help getting our lessons and training sessions online in a way that is smooth and happy:

  • Choose a learning management system (LMS) which suits you the best. There are similarities and differences between LMSs – take your time to discover, try and decide among options (e.g. Webex, Zoom, Moodle, Edmodo, Google Classroom and others).
  • Make up to 50 minutes (one hour) session/presentation, followed by 10 minutes breaks for relaxation-allowing students to better grasp the material and follow up the course.
  • Make the session interactive. Zoom and other LMSs allow break-up small rooms for discussion. This helps in animating the material and encouraging students to reflect, give feedback, analyse, and then “report” back in the bigger group.
  • Ask students questions during the presentation-in specific points to refresh the material.
  • Let students to share the screen and present as well, then encourage discussion on their viewpoints.
  • Allow students to use the chat box-ask questions, send comments and in this way-have a stimulating participation in the online class.
  • Switch on the camera while teaching, and encourage the students to do the same: “face-to-face” communication is much more effective than just voice and slides.
  • Show videos that are short, because many online platforms slow downloading if the video is longer and make it difficult to watch from the side of the viewer/participant.
  • Make sure that your slides are visible on small screens (from phones and tablets), not only from laptop and desktop.

Read also these tips:

10 Essential Principles and Practices: https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-online-teaching#1

Common Misperseptions: https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/advice-online-teaching#2

10 Best Practices to be an Effective Online Teacher: https://elearningindustry.com/10-best-practices-effective-online-teacher

5 Strategies to Improve your Online Teaching: https://elearningindustry.com/5-strategies-improve-your-online-teaching

What Makes a Great Online Teacher: https://www.connectionsacademy.com/support/resources/article/what-makes-a-great-online-teacher

Photo credit: Unsplash.com

 

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