EdTech 521: Online Teaching Style + Strategies

Although I am not currently in a traditional teaching role, I believe my teaching style has been a combination of teacher- and student-centered for the majority of my career.  As much as possible, I have tried to stay away from lecture-driven lessons.  This is in part due to the age groups I have taught (elementary and middle school mostly) and the diverse subject matter.  Looking at a live meetings in an online classroom, I can see the efficiency and personalization that is possible with posting asynchronous "lectures" in advance of a communal, real-time discussion. This allows students to work in their own time and at their own pace in previewing information that will come up in the synchronous meeting.  Students will enter the discussion with greater confidence and understanding, as they have the background information that is required to take part in the online meeting.

To ensure that the lecture portion of an online course is effective and accessible to the students, I would consider a few important aspects.  These are the same strategies I would incorporate in a blended environment, particularly if flipped learning was the principle format.

1. The lecture should be like a polished performance -- it should have audiovisual components as well as written text.  This ensures that most learning styles are accommodated in the presentation of the material.  Along those lines, the text and graphics within the presentation (e.g. the slides) should be meaningful and easy-to-read/interpret.
2. The lecture should be filmed with high quality picture and sound, with thoughtful and purposeful editing.  It should paint a picture and set a proper tone through the use of background sounds, graphics, and teacher enthusiasm. At the end of the day, the lecture should be succinct and professional, or else it will detract from the focus of the content.
3. Provide opportunities for students to interact with the presentation if possible.  This could include screen-captured images uploaded to a collaborative whiteboard.  Drawing tools are a great way to incorporate kinesthetic learning and engagement. Other options are collaborative mindmapping or notepad bulletin boards. Throughout the synchronous lesson, students should also have the opportunity to interact with one another via backchanneling (such as through TodaysMeet) or by texting their ideas on a public message board.
4. It will be important to make sure all student participants understand the expectations for their participation in the synchronous component of the lesson. Not only that, but they must also know the etiquette that surrounds their involvement (such as when and how to ask questions, what to do it someone is very quite or very dominating, basic troubleshooting for technical glitches, etc.)
5. The teacher must also be sensitive to her students' schedules and the time required to devote to the course.  The instructional videos and reading resources he/she provides the students in advance should not be overwhelming, and the online discussion should not drag on or get off-topic. The teacher must be prepared to redirect and model throughout the entire live meeting.  This includes factoring in "thinking" time, trying out specific questioning techniques, and summarizing at the end of both the asynchronous lecture and the synchronous discussion.

Another valuable resource is the article "Tips for Synchronous Chat" from a Teaching with Technology wiki.  There are more specific reminders for a successful online class session.

A lesson introduced with by a lecture does not inherently need to come across as dull, dry, and antiquated. This meaningful skill- and fact-gathering step is a scaffold to a rich and transformative synchronous discussion.