Here are some ways in which we can communicate with our learners and support collaboration online.
1. Welcoming students
Warmly welcome students into your online learning environment. A welcome video or audio recording provide a personal touch and extend teaching continuity. For students who have seen you in person, the videos help connect the on campus and online experiences. For students who have not been able to come to campus, the videos help establish your teaching presence.
2. Settling students into the online learning environment
Host your students and help them feel settled into the changed way of learning. After welcoming students, set some expectations and dive some settling in guidance so they know where to start in your courses. You may want to encourage your students to connect, The University of Wisconsin has prepared this useful Icebreaker Activities guide.
3. Course materials
A clear course outline, timetable, and a list of e-tools with links to help guides can go a long way with helping students adapt to the online learning environment. In Canvas, the materials should be presented consistently using the template provided. Similarity between courses supports familiarity and helps students focus on communication and collaboration patters that they have used in other courses.
4. Study guidelines
Provide students with a weekly ‘to-do’ checklist to provide structure, reassurance and a sense of community.
5. Tikanga/codes of conduct
These can provide guidance to keep everyone safe and help to maintain wellbeing. Establishing tikanga online can ensure that everyone is aware of the behavioural expectations and that positive learning experiences are had by all.
Inform students of your chosen methods and frequency of communication and how they should contact you. We recommend using Canvas Announcements to the group at regular intervals (daily or weekly) to provide a sense of continuity. Create a FAQ discussion forum on Canvas to establish a sense of community – note, this may need to be moderated. Setup online office hours to provide an opportunity for two-way communication in real-time. We may face unexpected technical difficulties along the way, communicate this with your students and invite them to inform you, via email, about any expected difficulties they may have face with online learning. This will ensure that everyone feels supported and at ease.
Utilise the Canvas and Panopto communication tools to stay connected with your students.
Consider ways to recreate activities
One of the main challenges in online teaching is to facilitate the kinds of active learning that takes place in the classroom (QnA sessions, role plays, debates, paired and group discussions). We would be very happy to work with you to explore how such activities could be supported online Connect with us.
Let students construct content
Another prompt for active engagement is to involve students in compiling a summary (e.g. using the blogs and journals on Canvas) that covers the key points of the week’s teaching and learning. Perhaps a different group of students could be invited to contribute this for the benefit of the wider class group each week.
Give students an opportunity to lead discussions
Online discussion forums are often a go-to in the online learning environment and yet notorious for inactivity. While it helps for the lecturer to be present in the forum space, providing feedback and facilitating discussion, putting students in the driving seat may further lift engagement. This approach will require your students to be confident within the online learning environment and be given very clear guidance on the purpose of the discussion.
Foster peer to peer collaboration
Fostering communication and collaboration among students can build and maintain a sense of community. Having a clear purpose or outcome for collaborative activities will help students see (or determine) their relevance. Defining how an activity helps students meet course outcomes or prepare for assessments may enhance engagement for some.
