Updated: July 13, 2020
Whether you have had a lot of teaching experience or very little, chances are you have not had many opportunities to teach in a fully online environment. This is not surprising as online programs do not make up a large percentage of K – 12 instruction. So, now that we have hit a point where the majority of classrooms are transitioning online due to COVID-19, how do we take face-to-face classroom instruction and translate it to an online classroom? How can we switch seamlessly to being a brick-and-mortar teacher to an online teacher? And not only that but how can we engage students effectively in that environment? How can we be an amazing online teacher?
Did you know that according to a 2017 Educause study, only 9% of academics preferred teaching in a completely online environment? Can you believe that – only 9%? That means 91% do not! I was absolutely floored when I read that. I have been teaching in a completely online environment for over 10 years and I absolutely, unequivocally LOVE it. Now, I understand that teaching online is not for everyone. It’s a completely different environment than a brick-and-mortar school and learning how to interact with students through a different medium can be extremely disconcerting. However, I did not think that 91% of educators would prefer not to teach in an online environment.
The COVID-19 Effect
After looking at the study data mentioned above, I suppose reactions have not been surprising. No one set out to be an online teacher. But yet, here we are. The vast majority of classroom teachers had little to no experience teaching in an online classroom. Additionally, a vast majority of students had never experienced online classrooms and had very little exposure to distance learning tools.
Let me assure you that the online learning that did or did not happen this spring is what we are calling crisis learning. It is not true online education as it is meant to be done. While it is true that crisis learning is not working and crisis learning is not effective, the same is not true about online education and it’s important that we remember that.
Looking Towards The Fall
As we look towards making plans for school in the fall, the possibility exists that many teachers and students will still be in online classrooms. The coming summer months will afford educators a greater opportunity to evaluate their online practices and better prepare for online instruction. However, one question still remains. How can we make our online pedagogy as effective and satisfying as that in brick-and-mortar? And it’s that question which brings me to the focus of this guide. Let me share with you what I’ve learned in the past ten years as an online educator.
Online Teachers Bring Your Personality
If your district has encouraged synchronous online lessons with students, there are a few things to keep in mind. When you are an online teacher, don’t be afraid to let your personality come out in full force. Be over the top. The more energy the better because some of that energy is lost when viewed from another computer.
As much as this generation of students is known for their online time, synchronous online classes can be intimidating for many of them. Year after year, my experience has been that it takes students a good month of online classes to begin warming up, to start feeling comfortable having their camera on, to begin using the microphone in addition to the chatbox. It helps students’ comfort levels to have a teacher who is not afraid to crack a joke or be silly.
In my own classes, I have a tendency to be goofy. I joke around with the students a lot and I’ve been told that one of the things that my students remember the most after leaving my classes is my laugh. I have also had previous students tell me that it was my easy-going nature and ability to have fun that helped them feel comfortable in online classes. To me, that’s a win. Never underestimate the power of those little things.
Be Specific And Detailed
When it comes to asynchronous tasks and assignments, it is imperative that an online teacher is as specific as possible. Detailed descriptions surrounding expectations, materials to use, various methods of displaying learning, and how students will be graded are a must.
I encourage teachers to use visual cues in written descriptions. For example, you can include emojis, varied font sizes, numbered lists, and bold/underlined text. I do caution against using “fancy” fonts and/or multiple fonts. We don’t want to cause visual fatigue. However, tasteful use of visual cues can help students as they navigate through instructions.
Additionally, I recommend not only providing a written description of instructions but also providing an audio version or video version of those instructions. There is something to be said for providing multimodal instructions. Finally, providing a rubric for how students will be graded will help them as they work on providing evidence of their learning.
Flip Your Class For Maximum Effect
Simply put, flipping your classroom is when a teacher takes the lecture portion or direct instruction portion of learning outside of the group class time. For example, teachers can create or curate instructional videos or resources for students to view outside of class. They can then use the class time to facilitate meaningful collaboration and application of concepts. I have found that this is a much more effective use of my time, as the teacher, and allows for engaging content in class.
I have been using various forms of the flipped classroom for many years now and the benefits have been incredible. As mentioned above, it allows more time for student collaboration. Students can also challenge themselves more. They can go beyond rote memory of facts and figures to apply what they know. Students can learn at their own pace. A video lecture provides students with the ability to pause and rewind the teacher if necessary. Another benefit is that it can help train students to come to class prepared. Now, don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t happen automatically. There is definitely a training process involved. 🙂
Things An Online Teacher Should Consider
There are some drawbacks to consider. Equity is definitely a major issue to consider here. Because I work at a completely online school, our students are expected to have Internet access and a device to join class and do their assignments. However, the majority of families in schools across the country have not signed up for online school. Most families signed up in-person classes and have suddenly found themselves in online school. Those students/families may not have reliable access to those tools. If the school is unable to provide access for those families, this creates an equity issue.
Another drawback to consider is student accountability. How can you be guaranteed that students are going to do the work to prepare for class? How will you know that they watch the videos that you prepare? The simple answer – there is no guarantee. However, tools like Nearpod and Edpuzzle can help facilitate student follow-through. Both of these tools allow teachers to assign videos with questions embedded. It helps to add a layer of accountability. I have used both of these tools before. My experience with Edpuzzle has not always been a positive one. However, I can’t say enough good things about Nearpod.
Let's Be Interactive
Since we’re on the topic of Nearpod, it actually goes along with my next point. Conducting synchronous classes online can be a struggle when it comes to student attention. It’s important that content is broken down into small chunks and it is as interactive as possible. I’ve written more in-depth about what my online synchronous classes look like in the post, How To Teach Students Online.
One tool that I use to make my synchronous class sessions interactive is Nearpod. I want my students to be more than just passive observers. With Nearpod, I am able to create fun lessons with a variety of assessment activities. I’m also able to do it all from within my Google Slide deck with the Nearpod add-on. Not only is it a great tool in my teacher arsenal, but my students LOVE it! Take a look at the video below to see some of the things you can do using Nearpod.
Don't Reinvent The Wheel
I think this was the best piece of advice I was given years ago when I first plunged into flipped classroom instruction. There are a lot of quality, free/low cost resources already out there. It can be overwhelming to try and create all of your own resources for teaching online. Trying to do it all yourself will inevitably result in burnout.
YouTube is a great place to look for instructional videos. I have created a number of different content-area playlists that I still use in my classes (you can view them HERE). Each year I add more and more of my own content to personalize the experience for my students. However, I do rely on work other teachers have provided in those areas where I have not been able to create my own videos yet.
