The campus is closed and you have been charged with the task of transitioning your courses to distance based instruction. Whether or not you have experience teaching online, this post provides some advice to help you get started and put the task into perspective.
Start with the Basics: Your course in Moodle does not need to be perfect or complete. It's okay to add content one week at a time. When students log into your course on March 30 they need to know that you are there for them and that you are working on transitioning your course to an online format. Go back to your syllabus and review the learning outcomes. When you originally planned your course, what did you want students to learn? This will help you determine what is essential for your students as you transition to online. Evaluate what learning outcomes are yet to be achieved and use that information as your starting point for preparing the remaining activities in the course.
Set some ground rules: Anxiety shows up in unanticipated ways when you are teaching online. People don't understand the social norms. Establish those norms so that during a Zoom session, no one takes their computer into the bathroom, or participates while laying in bed, or forgets to tell their roommate that they are online and the roommate is getting dressed in the background! It has happened! However, we do want everyone to be seen and feel like they belong and have the opportunity to contribute to the conversation. Your objective as the instructor should be to create a space that feels safe and connected. Let your students know that this is new and awkward for everyone, including you.
Offer a Zoom practice session: If you are planning to use Zoom for synchronous meetings, a practice session can provide the opportunity for students to practice keeping themselves muted when not talking, raising their hand when they want to talk, and posting to the chat. You can use the practice session to get used to sharing your screen, using breakout rooms, and recording the session. Start by going over the rules of engagement and ask students to contribute their ideas of what those rules should be. You could get the conversation started with a check-in such as asking participants to give one word that describes how they are feeling about finishing the semester online. This will provide an opportunity to practice taking turns speaking and muting, etc. in a low-stakes atmosphere.
Check your expectations: Do not assume that every student has the same attention span, the same level of Internet connectivity, access to a private space, and supportive people in their housing situation. Check your expectations and work with students at the level they are comfortable with.
Provide small chunks of instruction: Best practice is to provide instruction that is no more than 30 minutes for synchronous sessions or for recorded lectures. Watching a recorded lecture in which the instructor is a talking head is much different than a 75 minute in-class session. Consider recording a series of short videos rather than one long one. This will not only help with attention span, but also with Internet bandwidth while viewing. If you do plan to use videos in your course it is essential that you provide captioning so that all students have equal access to the content. The Instructional Technology Resource Center can assist you with checking your videos for accessibility.
Schedule Synchronous (Live) Class Discussions: If class discussions are in integral aspect of your course, you can schedule synchronous class sessions via Zoom. However, be sensitive to the fact that your class probably isn't the only one your students are having to participate in online. If you have a large class, utilize the break-out rooms feature to send students into smaller groups to make the discussion easier to manage and participate in.
Adapt to Asynchronous (Moodle-based) Class Discussions: Consider adapting some discussions to an online format. You can post the readings, videos, and other materials in Moodle and have students respond to guided forum discussion prompts. The time lag for asynchronous discussions does take away from some of the spontaneity, but on the other hand those students who prefer to think before they enter a conversation may make more contributions in an online format. Be sure to participate in the discussions so that the students know that you are present and ready to offer your expert insights.
Keep Communication Flowing: Students will be wondering how the closing of the campus will affect their grades. They will be anxious about finishing the semester and/or graduating. Keep the communication flowing with your students and reassure them that you are there for them and are committed to their success. If you need to change the method of assessment, clearly communicate those changes to your students so that they have plenty of time to prepare. For example, if you were planning to give a seated final exam, look for ways to change this final assessment to something students can do at home and then submit through Moodle. If group presentations were scheduled, encourage your students to use collaborative tools such as Google slides to do the planning and then schedule Zoom sessions in which the groups can give live presentations.
Remain Flexible: Students are just as stressed about this transition as you are. A simple note to students that you're doing your best on short notice and that their support and ideas are welcome will help to decrease some of the anxiety and expectations that everyone has. According to Quirk (2020), it is important to consider the context of these hectic, uncertain conditions as you transition your course content to a distance based format. Students want flexibility, feedback, and connection. Grade and comment on work quickly and in ways that demonstrate empathy. Make yourself available through Q&A forums in your courses and answer emails promptly. Schedule Zoom or Google Hangout sessions in which students can "drop-in" to see you and their classmates. All of these considerations will show your students that they are part of a supportive educational environment.
You can ace this transition if you are someone who is driven to show up for your students; if you are willing to be a learner and agent of change; if you are willing to stay curious; and if you are willing to change course when something isn't working (Brown, 2020). Don't hesitate to ask for help. The staff at the
Instructional Technology Resource Center are willing and ready to assist you.
References:
Quirk, James (March 12, 2020).
Online Learning: Some Notes for Going Online Midsemester.
Educause Review.
Brown, Brene' (March 21, 2020).
Collective Vulnerability, the FFTs of Online Learning, and the Sacredness of Bored Kids.
