5+ Unique Ways for Teachers to Make Online Classes Interesting

The spread of COVID-19 shifted the entire learning atmosphere from school/colleges to smartphone/laptop screens. Connecting students via mobile camera or webcam isn't easy; one needs to be creative to keep them stimulated.

It is no brainer that teachers require a completely different teaching skill set for online teaching than the ones required in-person. 'Young minds' are easily distracted in the virtual world. Thus, it becomes necessary for teachers to have a productive engagement plan to grab students' attention. And obviously, no teacher would ever want a tag of a 'boring teacher.'

Here comes a big question- "How to make online classes more interactive?" Luckily, this piece of information answers the question.

Hello, teachers! Here are 5+ online teaching ideas on how to make virtual classes interesting. Grab a cup of coffee & keep scrolling the page!

How to Make Online Classes Better? Here's the Answer!

Thanks to the convenience & flexibility of the virtual learning environment, students can now learn new skills & embrace education. However, every coin has two sides, and the same applies here as well. The online learning experience isolates the students from teachers, and this is where the problem begins. This "void" can be filled with correct engagement strategies. Here are a few of them:

Choose the Right Tool: Teaching online classes for those not trained is like running head on into a boxing ring without gloves! The right tool becomes the need of the hour. Thankfully, teachers have hundreds of video-conferencing tools that enable them to connect with the students. A few market leaders include Zoom, Google Hangouts, Adobe Connect, etc. Irrespective of the tool you choose, you must be well-versed with the working of the software. Read the instructions, check out the tutorial videos, and test it yourself. The ultimate goal should be ensuring that you can easily resolve a student's queries concerned with the tool.

Know the Audience Beforehand: How about keeping an interactive session with the students one week before starting the online course? Sounds interesting, isn't it? Well, the motive behind this strategy is to know the educational background and interests of the students. When implemented effectively, this step will play a major role in preparing new course material to grab their eyeballs. You must also ensure that the video/audio quality is good, and students aren't facing any problems.

Break Lessons into "Chunks": Timing is a crucial thing in online teaching, and thus, it is a good idea to maintain a fast pace and break down lengthy information into "chunks." For those who don't know it, chunk refers to a small piece of information. In practical terms, it means you need to restrict yourself from using lengthy explanations & slides. Highlighting an essential concept via graphical elements is an excellent way to keep students connected. Moreover, the information portrayed via graphical elements becomes easy to memorize than textual information.

Make Students Feel Valued:Having no classmates and teachers around, students get easily demotivated. As a result, they might think of skipping the class as no one will notice. In such a scenario, it becomes the responsibility of the teacher to make them feel valued. For doing the same, here are some suggestions:

• Learn student's name and use them frequently during the class.
  
• Give a recap of what you taught in the previous session.
  
• Take regular feedback. Build a positive and encouraging presence.
  
  

Bring Classroom Fun Online: Students learn the best when they participate actively in the interactive sessions. Thus, it becomes your duty to bring the classroom fun to their screens. You can organize many activities, such as quizzes, presentations, puzzles, virtual field trips, etc. Do not settle down with just one exercise. Instead, review different activities to find out the one which suits your audience more. The more you get engrossed in the virtual world, the more you realize that mediums that work best in the offline mode also work smoothly in the online mode.

Present Your Best Version: A bodiless voice is not as engaging as seeing you virtually while performing actions. Therefore, it is advised to turn on the webcam/camera & interact directly with students. In this way, you will be able to establish a more personal connection with them. To seek more attention, you should talk directly to the camera. Here are a few things that you must avoid:

• Don't sit too close or too far from the camera.
  
• Save yourself from sitting in a poorly lighted room.
  
• Do not broadcast from a messy room. Avoid distractions (if any).

Take the Road Less Travelled: According to a recent study, COVID-19 is impacting the mental health of students, causing anxiety and stress. Your conferencing tool will undoubtedly facilitate your classroom sessions, but that's not the platform where you are present 24*7 for help. Make sure you are available round-the-clock for their assistance. Thus, it will be a good approach to connect with them via WhatsApp, Facebook, or other social media applications. Try using less-formal language on such platforms as only then will students be able to open up more.

Record the Classroom Session: This practical advice, if followed, can kill two birds with a single stone. A recorded lesson can be used by students who skipped the class. Also, it can help you critique your teaching technique. Doing so may help you know the topics which you missed. Analyze your teaching approach & realize the flaws. Start working on the negative points and present a better version of yourself in the next class.

It's a Wrap!!!

Your coffee is over, and so is this piece of information. Reading so far, you must have known the answer to the question, "How to make online classes more interactive?" So, what are you waiting for? Bring the tips mentioned above into practice & redefine the concept of online teaching.


About the Author:
Mira Smith is a 37-years-old academic writer working at Global Assignment Help. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and has provided essay writing services to hundreds of students across the globe. Apart from writing, she loves cooking and calls himself a big-time 'foodie.' A 'perfect' Sunday afternoon for him is sipping coffee while reading a fiction novel.