The coronavirus outbreak and the resulting social distancing has led hundreds of schools and universities to move their instruction online. For students and educators who are comfortable with in-person learning and instruction, this rush to online education may be overwhelming. Fortunately, we live in a digital era where both students and educators are familiar with digital tools.
If you’re leaning into the discomfort of this change to your normal routine, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that traditional classroom settings and virtual classroom settings are similar—they’re just different mediums.
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Here are a few tips and tricks to support student success in online education if you’re an instructor learning this new way of teaching.
1. Find ways to be interactive
In a normal classroom setting students and educators are able to interact seamlessly, asking questions and promoting discussion. Nothing says you can’t do the same in an online learning environment through the use of digital tools like online forums, web chats, and social channels.
Debbie Fowler is SVP, Student Success, at Western Governors University.