Embracing online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic
Learn how four instructors are keeping students on track using remote learning environments
Growing numbers of colleges and universities are shuttering their doors to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In turn, educators have had to respond by taking their courses online within a matter of days. Many of them lack experience teaching online and are now scrambling to figure out how to make remote classes work for their courses.
The good news: Online teaching and learning can be just as effective as an in-person classroom. We talked to several educators who were able to respond quickly to school shutdowns and move their classes online. They shared their tips and best practices on how to do so successfully.
Be present with the right tools
Whether you’re using remote conferencing software like Zoom or Google Hangouts to live-stream your lectures or post slides in an online classroom, your personal teaching style can get muddled, especially if you are used to interacting regularly with your students. The divide between students and professors can become heightened in online classes, making it all the more important to ensure you remain accessible and within easy reach.
Since his classes were moved online, Bobby Butler Jr., lecturer in the Supply Chain and Logistics Technology Department at the University of Houston, has been running Zoom-recorded lectures and managing an open discussion forum on Top Hat to mimic the in-person class environment. This allows students to see and hear him, ask clarifying questions, and comment on course material throughout the lecture. “One of my classes is 90 percent seniors who are graduating this year and need this class to get their degree,” Butler Jr. said. “I’m doing everything I can to make sure they get there.”
Approach online teaching with a learning mindset
For many educators, the prospect of moving their classes online is daunting—but how you embrace it will make all the difference.
Paul Cooper, a lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Yale University, believes that a positive attitude is key. “With an open mind, it’s all possible,” he said. “Yes, there is a learning curve for instructors who have never used classroom technology before, but it’s also an important opportunity to become a better educator.”
Since moving his courses online, Cooper has been challenged with figuring out how to account for in-class lab activities he would normally run in his Physical Chemistry course. With a little bit of ingenuity and willingness to try something new, he’s now developing supplementary assessments delivered through Canvas, a learning management system (LMS), and ensures students can easily engage with him through Zoom.