Anxiety is a common feeling. Anxiety, depression, anger, bewilderment, and disappointment are all common. College students are worried about their financial future, academic plans, and their families finances. Insecurity is rampant.
As the world is turned to online education, it’s important for teachers to make it as smooth to perceive as possible. This is why we prepared this article. To help students, we address teachers with those tips.
1. You can build a personal relationship with your students by conducting a survey.
An anonymous survey can give you many insights into students’ current situation, how they felt about the semester, and what their thoughts are on online education. You can use it to understand your students’ motivations for taking your course, their expectations for next semester, their interests, and what kind of support they would like. Remember, no pressure, tell them “Please take my online course as a possibility, not a duty”.
2. Motivate your students.
Motivation is key to effective learning. The course’s perceived relevance is perhaps the most important factor in motivating students. It is crucial to discuss the utility, value, and application of the course from the beginning. Your students should be able to understand how your course will provide a foundation for advanced courses, how it will help with particular skills or how it addresses specific issues.
3. Students can be helped to keep their focus.
An inability to concentrate is a major factor in student failure in online courses. This problem has been exacerbated by the current health crisis.
Multiple dimensions are involved in the problem of focus. Many students struggle to focus, prioritize, plan their time and stay on task without the structure of traditional school days. It is essential that you give them the structure they require.
Here’s how it works: Write down the tasks students need to complete each week. Your instructions should be easy to follow. Students should be reminded of due dates, assignments, assessments, or activities frequently.
Some students have trouble staying focused during online classes. Because their attention spans are short, distractions and interruptions can be distracting, which can make it difficult for them to focus or think clearly.
Your students are your best resource. Be sure that each class session is purposeful. Make sure students are aware of the session’s structure and goals. Also, let them know your expectations.
You can also organize your class sessions around shorter sequences of activities (polls or breakout sessions, questions). You can interrupt the class to ask questions or pose them.
4. Encourage a sense community
Students should get to know each other. Split a large class into smaller units. Have students take part in icebreakers within the smaller groups. Students can also share their knowledge and experiences during breakout sessions.
Make yourself available for synchronous classes before and after. If you’re easy to reach, students are more likely to reach you. Stay online after a “live” session ends. Ask questions, comments, and provide feedback.
5. Engage in meaningful discussions
No matter if a discussion is held orally, in breakout sessions or via text, chat, or a forum, it should be meaningful and contribute to students’ learning.
These strategies work: Students can brainstorm ideas and present different approaches to a topic or problem. They can also help each other understand complex topics. There are critiques where students challenge an argument or interpretation. Diagnoses where students dissect a problem. Sharing activities allow students to share their experiences.
6. Student engagement can be increased
Motivation tends to wane over time so it is important to keep students interested and motivated.
Check on comprehension, conduct polls, and pose questions during individual sessions. Students should be encouraged to participate in class sessions by asking them questions or responding to questions.
Active learning is encouraged. Students should research the answer to a question. Have them analyze a case. Ask them to analyze text, video clips, or other evidence. It will help them to learn more by doing less.
Project-based learning is possible even in a socially distant environment. For example, students might contribute to a class blog or create a podcast, video story or poster, make a policy brief, respond to controversy or do genealogical research or study something in their immediate area.
7. Equity issues should be addressed
Remote learning has made equity issues more difficult. All students may not have the same access to technology, reliable internet connections, or a quiet study area. Recognize the difficulties students face and be mindful that they all have different comfort levels with online learning. Some students are in different time zones. Many people worry that their classmates might cheat.
You can be flexible with how students participate in class. For example, you could include both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities. Students can access course materials in multiple ways. They can download PowerPoint presentations, view videos at their own pace, or take quizzes from their phones. Students can earn extra credit points by offering them opportunities. Change your assessment strategies so that they include project-based and authentic assessments.
8. Support struggling students by identifying them and providing support.
Our students are experiencing many difficulties during the current crisis. Some students need academic support, while others require technology assistance. Many, perhaps most, need non-academic support. Many mental health issues are not being addressed. Others may need assistance in balancing their priorities and responsibilities.
What can you do to monitor their engagement? You can monitor their engagement. Regular check-ins can be done. If a student falls behind, you can contact them proactively or send alerts. You can also send alerts.
