Engaging with Students
In-person instruction is different from online instruction. Because students are attending from their own spaces and not physically present in your classroom, it can be difficult to keep them engaged or stop disruptive behavior. And yet, many of the techniques you have already used are also appropriate for online teaching.
To the extent possible, try to emulate your classroom routine.
- Look at your camera to create eye contact. This helps create a more personal connection when teaching online.
- Ask students to "rename" themselves using their preferred name and pronoun so that everyone knows how to refer to them.
- Periodically check the chat to get feedback and answer questions.
- Speak as if you're face-to-face and for the best audio experience, sit at an appropriate distance from your microphone.
- When sharing a presentation, images, files, or video, stop for a moment or two so that students can open or take in what you're sharing.
- Include pauses at the end of your comments to allow student reactions. Watch their body language and answer any questions.
Online teaching is more conversation and participatory experience than a medium for lecturing and passive listening.
Keep things moving, build in reflection time, and encourage conversation. Give them something interesting to lessen their tendency to click away to check email, Insta, and Facebook.
Proven engagement strategies include:
- Pairing students to help keep each other accountable. Encourage 1:1 calls where they regularly check in.
- Booking guest speakers, especially those who bring a different perspective or viewpoint.
- Assigning students as presenter to share projects.
- Providing periodic breaks.
- Breaking lectures into chunks of 8–10 minutes.
- Encouraging use of the Speed Up/Slow Down feature to indicate that they are following the lecture. Adjust accordingly.
- Measuring comprehension by periodically saying, "If you're with me, select the Thumbs Up button".