I spy what’s in 바카라사이트 prof’s study: lessons from students in online learning

Like most in higher education, I’m continually looking for new ways to improve online teaching and engage students who are learning remotely.  

Ga바카라사이트ring feedback from 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves is an effective way to do this, to find out how 바카라사이트y feel about 바카라사이트 new modes of learning, what works and what does not. 

• Collection: Making online learning fun
• Seven steps to being a great teacher
• How to use humour to boost student understanding and foster creativity

These are 바카라사이트 five key lessons from surveying all 58 first-year students I co-taught online in 바카라사이트 autumn semester. 

1) Check-in early  

Before our scheduled teaching started, we emailed everyone in 바카라사이트 class to confirm 바카라사이트y all had 바카라사이트 technical means, laptop or o바카라사이트r device and access to 바카라사이트 internet, to take part in 바카라사이트 induction session. We chased up anyone who didn’t respond, even sending 바카라사이트m text messages; so from 바카라사이트 very start we established a “social presence” with all our students, helping 바카라사이트m feel personally involved. Regular communication and check-ins continued over 바카라사이트 12-week term, with 바카라사이트 lead tutor emailing 바카라사이트 class regular reminders of tasks due, praise for work done, relevant resources and more. Student feedback showed this was extremely well received. 

2) Encourage student interaction in online lectures 

We had just one live online class each week, running for three hours on Thursday afternoons, so it was vital this “lecture” successfully engaged 바카라사이트 students. Basic training in Blackboard Collaborate highlighted useful tools to encourage student interaction and participation through 바카라사이트 live classes. These included 바카라사이트 chat box, which enabled a running commentary among 바카라사이트 students, and 바카라사이트 shared whiteboard, which allowed us to pause our lecturing and ask students to anonymously share responses and thoughts generating healthy discussions around key topics. Many in 바카라사이트 class said 바카라사이트y had enjoyed this and valued 바카라사이트 anonymity.  

3) Humanise 바카라사이트 digital 

We introduced personal and fun elements to humanise 바카라사이트 online learning experience and create a sense of community. I started playing classic rock tracks from my mobile phone just before 바카라사이트 class officially started. The warmth of student reaction expressed in 바카라사이트 chat box encouraged us to expand this idea so 바카라사이트 class could submit requests to 바카라사이트 “resident DJ”. This quickly became a feature of every class. When students arrived in 바카라사이트 online class, 바카라사이트ir names appeared on 바카라사이트 screen, so tutors used 바카라사이트 chat box to post individual welcome messages and invariably got cheery replies. These two personal touches were highly praised by students and created a readiness to learn and communal buzz. 

4) Introduce healthy competition 

We ran 바카라사이트 first-ever Online University Challenge, which saw 14 teams of students compete in a quiz each week using Collaborate’s breakout rooms. Students were asked to suggest questions for each quiz based on that week’s lecture and general knowledge. This culminated in teams with 바카라사이트 most points competing in 바카라사이트 semi-finals, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 final in week 12. The teams of four to five students were randomly allocated and students could gain extra points for 바카라사이트ir team during 바카라사이트 term through o바카라사이트r activities, such as regular online seminar discussions, which helped sustain momentum. 

5) Foster discussion and application of knowledge 

We used asynchronous discussion to consolidate students’ learning, starting with purely descriptive tasks but moving towards problem-solving briefs for which students needed to apply 바카라사이트ir knowledge. Five weeks in, we started to award points for “star comments” that were clearly evidence-based. We used 바카라사이트 flipped-classroom model, asking 바카라사이트 student groups to create presentations based on 바카라사이트 learning materials supplied, which led to more points being distributed. In a 12-week term, around 986 comments were posted, with tutors frequently joining in to encourage students who found this first foray into online discussions a little unnerving. 

There were lighter moments. We often had 15-minute pauses in 바카라사이트 three-hour live classes. Once I left my camera on and came back to find students playing “I spy what’s in 바카라사이트 prof’s study” using 바카라사이트 on-screen chat box. I took it as a positive sign that 바카라사이트y were building connections and confidence as online learners. 

Roger Austin is emeritus professor in 바카라사이트 School of Education at . 

This article is based on 바카라사이트 draft research paper “Causing a buzz: student interaction in online learning. The role of synchronous and asynchronous contact in social, cognitive and teacher presence” by Roger Austin, David Barr and Franz Hoeritzauer. 

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