Communications of the ACM
Nine Tips for Successfully Moving Your Face-to-Face Course Online
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While even technologically savvy instructors may struggle in moving a strongly Web-supported course to fully online delivery, there are simple solutions to address most of the most common concerns instructors have about teaching online. These solutions address everything from how to get students to show up, to how to keep them engaged. The goal is to turn a potentially chaotic online classroom experience into something that is structured and defined. If these challenges in online course delivery are properly managed, they not only allow students to grow in their content knowledge, they also afford students opportunities to develop the skills and confidence needed to become self-directed learners.
Start by thinking of ways to get students to show up for online classes. Educators have to manufacture the motivation to inspire students to virtually attend class and provide a means for them to be proactive in their learning. Plan your course calendar from the beginning. Try and make similar assignments as regular as possible, but don't try to fill up every day. Having assignments scheduled on a regular basis helps students develop a routine and plan ahead, yet allows them the flexibility to fit your class into their busy schedules. Communicate in short, timely messages. Although you might lecture for 15-30 minutes uninterrupted in your face-to-face course explaining the details of a particular assignment, don't bother preparing elaborate e-mail messages, since ultimately, your students won't read them. Think instead in terms of what would fit on a tiny phone screen.
Another important consideration is engagement. While the regularity of a routine can help students plan, too much of the same old stuff can lead to boredom. Include variety in the materials you prepare for them, as well as a range of ways they demonstrate their mastery of the concepts in your course. Think of ways to deliver material that use multimedia: short virtual lectures of 10 minutes or less used to orient students to the course, to introduce a module, or to demonstrate how to solve a particular style of problem are efficient teaching tools that students can access again and again. Create assignments that are challenging yet relevant to them. Making course material relatable to their own experience can better ground their mastery of course information. Building bridges between broad concepts and students' own experiences also allows you to get to know the students better and makes grading less dull.
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