Teaching Online

How to approach online teaching

The online course environment can seem impersonal at first, especially compared with the more familiar classroom, but it doesn’t have to be. You won’t be able to meet with students in person, but there are many ways to interact with them, get to know them, and create a sense of community.

As you prepare your online course, don’t try to replicate your physical course. You may use many of the same materials, and you will draw on many of the same pedagogical strategies you use in person. You will need to adapt your strategy and your mindset to online learning, though. Most online classes are asynchronous, meaning that students won’t meet or complete assignments at the same time. There are many ways to help students work collaboratively, though, and you, as an instructor, will need to make sure you are present in students' learning. You can do that by taking advantage of video, audio, websites, journals, online discussion boards, and other digital tools to engage students. 

An online course requires considerable preparation upfront, and it is best to have the entire course ready for students on the first day. That way they can get a good sense of the course workload and expectations and can create a schedule for completing assignments. Having the course ready in advance also allows you to focus on interacting with students, monitoring progress, and providing feedback. 

Create a clear path for students

Students will usually get their first exposure to the class in Canvas, so it is especially important to create an introductory page, often called “Getting Started,” that explains what the course is about, what is expected of students, what types of work they will complete, and how they will communicate with you and with classmates. These introductory pages often include these elements:

• Welcome message. This can be written, but a video or audio introduction provides an immediate personal element by allowing students to see or hear you as an instructor and listen to you explain the general expectations for the class. 
• Course objectives. List the objectives on the introductory page and explain how students will achieve those goals.
• Assignment calendar. This helps students plan their online work. Explain the types of assignments (papers, projects, quizzes) they will complete, and when each is due. You can use the calendar in Canvas to list assignments, but a grid or document will all the due dates helps students get a broader picture of the work they will be doing and helps them plan.
• Communications expectations. Provide your contact information and general guidelines for when students can expect a response. (See the communication section below.)
• Required course materials. Provide information about a textbook if you are using one and about any other materials, including technology, that students will need for the course. 
• Academic resources and services. Make sure students know where to go for assistance.
• Introductions. Encourage students to introduce themselves and engage with others in the class. This can be done through a discussion board or through such means as Teams, a OneNote class notebook, VoiceThread, or similar tools.

Use modules effectively

Modules in Canvas break down course material into logical segments, help students find course material easily, and allow them to follow the progression of the class. Some instructors create a module for each week. Others create modules around a topic or a learning goal. Whatever your approach, you should provide learning goals for each module, along with an explanation of how students will achieve those goals. The module should also include readings, videos, or other material you want students to work through; clear due dates for assignments, and any other information or materials students will need to complete their work. 

Communicate frequently

Creating a sense of community is crucial in an online course. You, as the instructor, are the community leader, so you want to communicate with students frequently and make them feel part of a course. Here are some ways to do that.

• Survey students. A pre-class survey provides useful information about who students are, what they know and what they expect from the class. Consider sharing the survey results with students so they get a sense of who else is taking the class. Surveying students again at midterm (or earlier) can alert you to problems they might be having, allowing you to adjust elements of the course.
• Email students or use Canvas announcements at the beginning of each week. A weekly message to students adds additional structure to your online course. It signals to students that a new component of the class is beginning, allows you to explain the focus and expectations for the coming week, and helps you tie up any loose ends or clear up misconceptions from the previous week. Much of this information might repeat what you provide in the weekly modules or folders, but you can use it to add a personal touch, as well. For instance, include personal insights about the class or class material, interesting links or current events that tie in to course material, or other outside material that students might find interesting. 
•  Set communication expectations. Students will want to know how best to contact you and when they can anticipate a response to questions and inquiries. They will also want to know when their assignments will be graded. Because students will submit material at varying times, it is in everyone’s best interest to set expectations at the beginning of a course. Many instructors tell students that they can expect a response to email queries within 24 to 48 hours. Once you set a timeframe, stick to it. Don’t let messages pile up. A caveat: 24 hours is a long time to wait if a student is working in a condensed-format class (four weeks or eight weeks), so you might consider a shorter window for those types of classes. Some faculty members also schedule virtual office hours when they are available via chat or video link (Teams or Zoom, for instance). You can specify times for these or recommend an appointment.
• Set up an online forum for questions. You can do this on Canvas or with other online tools. It’s a great way to provide information to all students when one student asks a question. Students are generally eager to help their colleagues and will often answer questions that others have posted online. Encourage that but also correct any errors or misconceptions. Most forums will allow you to subscribe to them so you will get an email alert when students post their questions. 
• Join online discussions. Online discussions are a great way for students to engage with one another and with you. Students who may not speak up in face-to-face classes often thrive in online courses, which give them more time to think through their responses and reduce the anxiety of being the center of attention. You don’t have to respond to every post on online discussion boards, but do make your presence known. Students want to know that you are paying attention. Highlight good responses, emphasize important concepts, or redirect conversations that go astray. Be careful not to squelch student voices, though. Remember that online forums lack the nuance and inflection you can provide with your voice, so always consider how students will perceive your comments.

Use media effectively

Video and audio provide great ways of leading students through difficult concepts. They also add a personal touch, allowing students to hear you and see you. Students can also stop and replay sections they want to listen to again.

If you plan to use video, though, focus them as much as possible. Don’t just record 50- or 75-minute in-person class sessions and post them online. Most students won’t watch those (would you?), and they aren’t an effective means of learning.

Videos of five to 10 minutes are generally the most effective way of breaking up course content into smaller pieces. Don’t obsess over a time limit on videos, though. Some topics require more time, and many students will watch a longer video if it engages them. Shorter is usually better for both you (and the students), though, because a shorter time frame helps you focus on what is truly important.

• Choose the right format. Keep in mind that video is a visual medium best used when you need to demonstrate something, show images or diagrams, or lead people through a sequence. If you don’t have visual elements to provide, consider using audio only – at least occasionally. There’s no hard and fast rule here. Allowing students to see you on video can help personalize a class. Using long videos in which all you do is talk can be off-putting. Using audio alone can also save you production time.
  • Beware of the PowerPoint trap. Overuse of PowerPoint slides with a voice-over can be just as off-putting as frequent talking-head videos. Most of us put too much information on slides, making it virtually impossible for students to concentrate on the narration and the slides at the same time. So keep text to a minimum and use visuals and good design principles when creating slides.  
• Consider a podcast. Podcasts have become a familiar form over the past decade. Many students will appreciate podcasts because they can listen while doing other things, like exercising, cooking, or driving. Simply recording a lecture and posting the audio isn’t an effective use of the podcast format, though. Instead, consider these approaches:
  • Use a conversational tone. Rather than just lecturing, envision having a conversation with a student. That can help make the audio more intimate and engaging.
  • Use concrete examples. This applies to all forms of teaching, but it is especially important with audio.  
  • Tell a story. Many podcasts take a storytelling approach for a reason. Stories engage listeners and help them envision themselves in a scenario and follow along. There are many storytelling techniques, but all good stories have similar elements:
    • A hook. This is something early on that captures your attention or hints at something important that will follow. This might be an anecdote, a question, or a quick example with a promise to explain more later. A hook is usually associated with the beginning of a story, but you can use it other places, as well. 
    • A beginning, middle and end. The beginning includes the hook, the middle fills in details, and the ending wraps things up, usually with a reference back to the hook.
  • Have a conversation. Invite someone else to join you in a conversation and talk through the things you want students to learn. This is generally more engaging than one person talking at the audience, and it works especially well if one person in the conversation asks the types of questions students might ask.