Online Activity 3.1.

3 elements that I consider most important for web-based teaching are communication, relationships, and limited lecture time. Firstly, when I refer to limited lecture time I found when I taught online for PSIII students lost focus when I talked too much. I created a script afterward to stay on track and deliver the content concisely. Research shows that preparation of their material to be the most time-consuming part of the process, thus the instructor's role is moving from provider of content to designer of student learning experiences. (Henry & Meadows 2008). On the red web, there are tips that fellow students teachers, and I deemed important.

Secondly, In the physical classroom teachers can take a break and gauge the classroom however communication is often asynchronous and commonly in written form in online learning (Henry & Meadows 2008). For communication, have parents email as well as students. Depending on the age level, the chain of communication can be delivered through parents. When teaching Grade 2 I posted a weekly update to keep parents in the loop when teaching online for 4 weeks. To improve the class structure, this can also be done by creating a simple delivery method of content. When using google classroom break down course content into weeks than days. Label the week matching the calendar (Jan 25-29) and drop-down menu using Monday to Friday. More so, simplicity is so important for smooth online teaching. Laying out assignments that are age/language friendly and directions to help alleviate student stress can make a teacher's life much easier. Explore the green web, for different tools a teacher can use to improve class structure.

Finally, the key idea of creating and maintaining a relationship with students is at the forefront of teaching no matter the location. Create a safe place for students to share things that they are doing, jokes, memes, etc and open zooms or google meets to talk with students. Smith & Wortley (2017) state that personalized instruction incorporating humor encourages student engagement and results in increased information retention. On the purple web, there are tips for effective ways to building relationships, on the yellow web are ways a teacher can bring humor into the online setting.

Explore the map below and the different elements of effective online teaching. Explore the web and focus on the key ideas of relationships, communication, structure, and community building to help enhance your online class.

References

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Smith, V., & Wortley, A. (2017). EVERYONE’S A COMEDIAN.” NO REALLY, THEY ARE: USING HUMOR IN THE ONLINE AND TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM. Journal of Instructional Research, Volume 6. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1153377.pdf

Henry, J. & Meadows, J. (2008). An absolutely riveting online course: Nine principles for excellence in web-based teaching. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology / La revue canadienne de l’apprentissage et de la technologie, 34(1),. Canadian Network for Innovation in Education. Retrieved from: https://www.learntechlib.org/p/43238/.