Online classes have become the new norm in the pandemic due to social distancing restrictions. Be it students wanting to continue their education or employees learning new skills, everything is being delivered virtually.
Because of the lack of social interaction, online classes tend to feel boring after a point. A lot of teachers struggle to keep students interested in their virtual sessions. This makes the online classes inefficient and students end up learning nothing from them.
To help you out, we have listed below 5 strategies to deliver a better student learning experience:
1. Use a simple tool
To ensure a seamless learning experience, it is necessary to use the right tool. Having a complicated tool can make it difficult for students to log in and participate in the class. Moreover, they will waste a lot of time navigating through the tool to find the right information.
Thankfully, there are options like Blackbaud LMS that make academic learning experiences effortless and uncomplicated with their user-friendly interface. The best part is that it offers mobile learning support so students can be a part of the virtual classroom regardless of the device they own.
2. Keep interacting with students
Bonding with students is paramount in an online class because there are very high chances of students feeling disengaged. This happens because the teacher and students are not in the same room.
When teachers keep talking to students and asking questions via polls, students stay alert and pay attention to what is being taught. As a teacher, this will help you develop connections with the students and prevent them from feeling isolated.
3. Share the learning schedule in advance
Not having clear instructions and a learning schedule in advance can keep students confused. This reduces their interest in learning and increases their chances of being distant in the virtual classroom session.
Successful online classes involve great organization so students look forward to learning from them. Knowing what topics will be covered on a particular day allows them to be well-prepared for it and be mentally present to retain information.
4. Deliver learning in small chunks
The more complex the learning material is, the longer students will take to understand it. This makes them lose interest in learning and disengage. Make sure the language you use to explain concepts is simple and straight-forward.
At the same time, break down the learning material in bite-sized chunks to ensure students are able to consume they easily. With smaller micro-modules of learning content, students are able to pay attention better and stay involved in the learning process.
5. Encourage discussions
Learning becomes a drag when it’s one-sided. Students are able to stay involved in classroom sessions because it gives them an opportunity to immediately interact with fellow students. You need to create similar opportunities in an online class.
Leave some time for discussion at the end of an online class for students and to share their questions. Involve them in discussing how they can apply their knowledge in real life. This gives them an opportunity to get a better understanding of the learned concepts with help from the teacher as well as other students.
Conclusion
In addition to all these strategies, it is equally important to keep asking for student feedback on what’s working and what needs to be changed. After all, they are your audience and they must be satisfied by your teaching methods for the learning to be effective. Taking student feedback seriously will make the online classes fun and keep them interested in learning. Are there any other tips you would like to add to the list? Share them in the comments below!
