5 Ways to Effectively Deliver an Online Class

In the wake of ongoing class cancellations that aim to curb the further spread of the current pandemic, learning institutions around the world are compelled to integrate online learning as a means to continue providing education remotely. The past weeks have seen teachers and students conducting classes through online platforms and even web-based chat rooms to make sure that lessons are still carried out.

With online classes becoming the new norm in the academe for the time being, it’s important for school administrators to make sure their teachers can replicate, if not improve upon, the learning experience of a physical classroom. The benefits of online learning can further be maximized if teachers can effectively deliver their lessons.

The Elements of an Effective Online Class

An online class succeeds in delivering the learning experience to learners if it has the following elements:

1. A tried-and-tested pedagogy: As online classes aim to replicate the learning experience of a physical classroom, it makes sense for teachers to utilize effective learning pedagogies as well.
2. A structured experience: The course should build around a central theme, or a bigger picture.
3. An out-of-the-box approach: In creating an online course, teachers must also maximize new formats and digital resources.
4. A new community: Online classes should also support a collaborative environment among its students.
5. A focus on students: Learners should feel that these classes are built around their own learning needs and goals.

How to Make Online Classes More Effective
Online classes can be more effective in enriching the learning experience through these techniques.

• Prepare all aspects
  This goes without saying, but an online class can only help achieve the goals of its learners through proper preparation. This entails not only the preparation of all necessary resources, but also the creation of backup plans in case of unforeseen circumstances and events. Proper preparation is crucial to deliver learning in a seamless manner.
• Engage with students
  Online classes are often conducted without any eye-to-eye contact with one another, though at times instructors opt to make use of videoconferencing platforms to establish rapport among learners. It’s up to the teachers to encourage participation among their learners by keeping them engaged with the class every four minutes or so.
• Expect multi-tasking
  As the main facilitators of an online class, teachers are expected to be well-versed with the platform being used. This means keeping track of how the content is delivered, how activities are delivered, and how the participants are responding. These tasks often overlap one another most of the time, and teachers must flex their multi-tasking skills to keep track of all of them.
• Know how to handle challenges
  Unforeseen circumstances, such as sudden disconnections or background distractions, should ideally be kept at the minimum. Should these occur at inopportune moments, teachers must know how to handle them smoothly to avoid shifting the focus away from the learning experience.
• Open a platform for feedback
  Online classes can only be effective if it caters to the specific learning goals of its learners. With that said, teachers must encourage feedback from their students through online forms or surveys. Use their feedback to improve upon and personalize the current online course.

As online classes become the norm of the academe, these techniques will be crucial not only in the coming days, but also in the near future. 

ADEC Innovations Knowledge Management combines tried-and-tested learning principles and innovative tools in creating learning solutions. We are relentless learning architects capable of developing capacity-building programs responsive to the digital age.