12 lessons from teaching online
Research and test the platform you want to use before the first class, and keep your learners engaged. By Detlef Reis
Last Friday, I held my first synchronous online class session ever — and it worked out much better and smoother than I had expected.
As a member of Generation X, I consider myself a digital immigrant. I am well-versed in the technology I use every day. However, compared to the digital natives of Gen Y and the digital addicts of Gen Z, I need to put in more effort to keep up with the fast-evolving tech space.
If you’re new to the world of delivering courses or hosting meetings online, you might be interested in my insights from my first online class. Here are 12 lessons I’d like to share with other educators who are going online. Managers who may have to run online meetings with their teams working from home might also find this helpful.
1. Do your homework on the technology. Research the different video conferencing platforms to find the one that best caters to your teaching style. I investigated half a dozen service providers and tested three. I settled for Zoom. us, and I am happy to pay for it.
2. Run a test session. Familiarise yourself with the features and interaction flow of your chosen platform ahead of time in a mock-up class, and test its various functionalities. It’s one thing to read about a feature or watch a video, and another thing to try it out in a real setting. As the Zen saying goes, “To know and not to do is not yet to know”.
3. Make everyone feel comfortable. At the start of a virtual class or meeting, welcome everyone, and invest time in doing a quick check-in with everyone to ensure they are well and ready to learn. Also, take time to explain the key features of the platform to learners. For example, show them how they can raise their hand virtually. And don’t forget to brief everyone on the importance of muting the microphone to avoid background noise or echoes.
4. Take an experimental approach to your first sessions. Plan to fail sooner in order to succeed earlier in becoming a savvy online educator. Resolve to test out various features quickly. For example, set up and use break-out rooms that allow for virtual group work. Check out different options for recording your session. Find out how to use the chat function (or a broadcasting function) to effectively share instructions during group work phases.
5. Take failures lightheartedly. When something doesn’t work out as planned — which will and should happen (see the previous point) — then admit defeat and move on. Tell the learners that after class, you will spend time investigating how to make the feature work and then try again next week.
6. Scale down your content. In an online class, expect to cover slightly less material than in a face-to-face course (due to switching between different modes and at times a slow internet connection). Probably a good rule of thumb is to settle for 80% of the content that you usually would cover in a face-to-face session.
7. Slow down your delivery. Speak more slowly and enunciate more clearly in an online class, especially if you’re dealing with nonnative English speakers or, like me, are one of those yourself.
8. Pause regularly to check for understanding. If you deliver a lecture, stop your shared slideshow every 10 or 15 minutes. Switch to the “all faces” view of your platform to check if everyone is still on board, and allow them to ask questions.
9. To shape up, stand up. Consider delivering your session standing upright instead of sitting on a chair. It’s much more dynamic. If you want to sit down from time to time, consider using a
‘‘ Consider delivering your session standing upright instead of sitting on a chair. It’s much more dynamic. If you want to sit down from time to time, consider using a barstool if one is at hand.
barstool if one is at hand.
10. Dress smartly for online success. Dress like you would in a real classroom in formal or smart casual attire. Resist the temptation to dress down just because you’re working from home. Keep up your professional standards, and your learners or work team will do the same.
11. Keep to the scheduled timing and pauses. When you schedule the online session, set up a waiting room for the learners. Open the online session 10 minutes ahead of time, then admit and welcome the learners as they arrive at the virtual waiting room. Start your session punctually. Admit latecomers as you see them coming to the waiting area. When it’s time for a break, ask everyone to turn off their video and mute their mike. Do so yourself, too. Then, enjoy the break and be back in time to continue the session.
12. Set standards of behaviour. An online course differs from an in-class session in at least two important ways. First, you cannot observe in a real setting all that’s going on in the classroom. Second, you also cannot just walk over to a person who is doing something that could be disturbing or disruptive. So pay attention to learners doing the right or wrong things. Praise those who do something good, such as reminding someone to mute their mike. Also, remind learners of unacceptable behaviour. In my first online class, one student was smoking in class. I sent him a private chat message to stop smoking from now on.
Dr Detlef Reis is the founding director and chief ideator of Thinkergy, the “Know how to Wow” Innovation Company in Asia and beyond. He is also an assistant professor at the Institute for Knowledge & Innovation - Southeast Asia at Bangkok University, and an adjunct associate professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University. Email dr.d@thinkergy.com