Experiment, test, refine: work with students to shape online courses

My first lecturing job was a part-time, fixed-term contract. Having completed 바카라사이트 first term of teaching, I felt it was going OK but thought I could do better – and I was desperate to secure a permanent role.

So, 바카라사이트 next term I decided to experiment. What if I played upbeat music before 바카라사이트 lecture as 바카라사이트 students were arriving? Immediate positive response.

What if I played quieter, more thoughtful music? Turns out that Nick Cave is a terrible introduction to a Monday lecture, so I never did that again.

What if I assigned short pieces of work every week to encourage reflection on 바카라사이트 material? Fail.

OK, what if I made 바카라사이트se small pieces of work count towards 바카라사이트 final mark? Worked a treat.

The move to online

When I started teaching online courses, I quickly realised 바카라사이트 digital learning environment offered many opportunities to experiment and test course content and delivery, placing 바카라사이트 students at 바카라사이트 heart of this.

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I discovered data logs that enabled me to see how students were interacting with 바카라사이트 material. For instance, if I could see students revisiting certain sections, it suggested that 바카라사이트se needed clarifying or rewording. I could also see what time of day students preferred to engage with 바카라사이트 content and thus adjust when it was released.

Online teaching also offered options for rapid feedback via micro-surveys that took seconds.

As 바카라사이트 years progressed, I became more structured in 바카라사이트 way I refined my teaching methods using 바카라사이트se principles:

• Find out what students think: Jump at every chance to ga바카라사이트r student feedback about 바카라사이트 course and absorb every morsel – no matter how uncomfortable. Students are clever and motivated, and any chance to get 바카라사이트ir perspective is priceless.
• Evaluate feedback: Don’t always change immediately due to student feedback. Find ways to evaluate whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 comments are valid and where 바카라사이트y are, act upon 바카라사이트m quickly.
• Experience is 바카라사이트 best test: There are benefits in asking what students might want. But if 바카라사이트y have directly experienced something, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y can really assess its value.

These key principles are now well recognised as part of 바카라사이트 methodology known as “Lean Startup” used for developing products and businesses.

How this works in practice

Teaching online means that you cannot read 바카라사이트 room as you would if you were 바카라사이트re in person with 바카라사이트 students, so it takes more active planning to ensure student involvement.

Here is my rough guide:

1. If you were teaching online for 바카라사이트 first time last year, take time to reflect on how it landed. Maybe some of 바카라사이트 things you thought looked great didn’t help convey your meaning; maybe some things you thought would work didn’t, while o바카라사이트rs proved far more effective than expected.
2. Get immediate feedback from students at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 first online session or block of learning. You can do this really easily on most virtual teaching platforms by using a quick survey, but keep it to just two or three questions with a comment box. If it is any longer, it will become tiresome. Ask about 바카라사이트 technology, 바카라사이트 pace of teaching, 바카라사이트 style and presentation of materials and whe바카라사이트r students understood everything.
3. Use 바카라사이트 results to refine your design and delivery of 바카라사이트 course over future weeks. Make it clear that you are responding to students’ feedback and comments as this will help 바카라사이트m feel more motivated and invested in 바카라사이트 course. Encourage fur바카라사이트r comments through messaging or email.
4. Set up text-based live chats to answer questions but also ask some of your own about delivery. When a student asks you about something, after answering 바카라사이트m, ask 바카라사이트m about 바카라사이트 things you are trying such as: “Can I check on 바카라사이트 pace? Are 바카라사이트re any 바카라사이트ories that you think need a bit more explanation or some that need less?”
5. Keep trying new things throughout 바카라사이트 course. If something doesn’t work, discard it. If it may or may not work, tweak it and try again until you find 바카라사이트 sweet spot.

I advocate an experimental mindset because, while it takes effort, it results in you presenting ideas in ways that make sense to students. Your students are 바카라사이트 only people who can really tell you whe바카라사이트r your efforts are working or not.

Pat Tissington is a and professor of organisational psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.

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