Nowadays, with the advancement of technology and digitalization all over the world, all fields are going through a period of change. The World Wide Web is continually reshaping every sector and its practices. Our fight against the Covid-19 pandemic would have been very different if not for the internet and the opportunities it provides. From facilitating contact tracing of patients to door-to-door delivery of essentials and even nationwide digital vaccination programs, the internet has proved to be a game-changer. It has also been of immense advantage in the field of education. When lakhs of students were locked out of the classroom, due to pandemics, online teaching sites evolved to replace the classroom and grew rapidly to become a bedrock of the Indian education system. Students aside, the pandemic put teachers, especially private tutors in a financial predicament. Fortunately, online teaching sites proved to be a godsend for both teachers and students. Today, in India, online teaching has proved to be a viable career option for private tutors, coaching institutes, school teachers, etc., and also as a means to work from home during these days of uncertainty. Every day thousands of teachers are signing up to teach on online teaching sites. Many teachers would have wondered about how to teach online. Worry not, for we are here to guide you through it and make the journey towards your first online class, a smooth ride. First off, teaching online is simple, especially with quality online teaching sites being developed today, online classes have become even more interactive than offline classrooms. There are, however, a few things a teacher must keep in mind in order to become a skilled online teacher and help the students make most of an online teaching session.
Proper planning for Classes-
The needs of an online teaching class are different from an offline class as in, that there is no physical boundary between students’ study time and their personal lives like an offline classroom. Therefore, teachers need to plan the syllabus and layout study material well in advance so that the classes go as planned. This will provide students time to adjust to your class (deadlines, assignments, and other requirements) and fit it into their lives. This will bring about a sense of organization and structure to a classroom where each entity is sitting at a separate location in a different environment.
Get a grasp on Technology-
Though online teaching sites have increasingly become simpler, still a certain level of technical finesse is required to run an online class smoothly. Firstly, ensure that you have the right hardware and software. Invest in a well-functioning computer, good internet connection, and best online teaching sites to meet your needs. Some good online teaching sites nowadays provide features like online teaching through mobile which can save you the hassle of buying or teaching from a computer. These are one time and only investment you will need for teaching online, so take your time and choose cautiously.
Adequate Work Environment-
You should set up a proper workspace for your online classes. Preferably, the workspace should be kept only for teaching purposes. Keep it free of any distractions like TV, stereo, from relatives & household activities. A well-lit workspace with an ergonomic chair will be a plus too. The workspace should be neat, well organized, and inspiring to look at, as it creates a good impression on students who look up to their teacher.
Stimulate Discussions and Engage Students-
Always try to make the class engaging and look to involve students in discussions that improve their learning and interest in the class. Peer-to-peer discussions and study groups help students learn faster and more efficiently than mere lecturing for it becomes monotonous and sleep-inducing after a while, to put it bluntly. An engaging and active learning environment has shown to improve student learning outcomes considerably.
Regular Communication-
Maintain regular communication with each individual student. A consistent online presence goes a long way in developing student motivation and engagement. Plan courses that involve greater communication rather than just teaching off the notes. At the end of the day, it is about what the students take away from your class and what they retain. So, maintain a regular communication channel is a more effective way of online teaching because if students lose interest, there are hundreds of distractions on the internet to grab their attention when they zone out.
Motivating your Students regularly-
As discussed, positive student motivation is integral to a positive student learning outcome. A teacher should motivate his students to be disciplined and channel their energy towards studies. Find your own groove whether it is through pep talks or an inspiring study session, but ensure that students remain motivated towards learning and don’t drift away.
Timely Feedback-
Always try to give timely and effective feedback to your students and also don’t hesitate to seek regular feedback from your students as well. Some online teaching sites provide features for obtaining and giving feedback. Feedback from teachers proves to be a guiding light for students and motivates them to work on their weaknesses thereby helping to improve student learning outcomes. Student feedback similarly makes a teacher aware of and miscommunication, learning gaps, or any other issue, a student might be having with his teaching style. Teachers can then make the necessary changes to become more skillful in online teaching.
These are some things that any teacher wondering about how to teach online should try to inculcate in his teaching habits. This paradigm shift in education and the rise of online teaching sites is a long-drawn affair and is now permanently changing our teaching and learning behavior as a community. Online teaching has many positive features compared to offline teachings like flexibility, increased interactivity of online teaching sites, digital libraries, and many more. By following a few simple steps like arranging proper hardware and software, an adequate workspace, maintaining an active learning environment and regular communication, motivating students, and giving timely feedback, any teacher can start his career as a highly successful and skilled online teacher.
