AASP Newsletter - September 2020

Amber Shipherd	Chelsea Duncan

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing many faculty to shift their face-to-face (f2f) classes to an online or hybrid format for the upcoming Fall semester. While universities are scrambling to help faculty, many of whom have never taught online before, faculty are still feeling ill-prepared. The purpose of this article is to provide suggestions and tips for faculty teaching online courses, and to address some common challenges teaching online courses. 

Suggestions for General Setup of Online Classes 

Whether f2f or online, it is still necessary to follow effective course design, such as starting with the end in mind (i.e., learning objectives), then creating assessments that match the learning objectives, then move to thinking about content delivery, using both formative and summative assessments.

• Avoid trying to simply convert a f2f into online because you cannot replicate f2f in the online environment. If teaching hybrid, make every attempt to add in f2f time to supplement online content (rather than trying to add online material to supplement a f2f class).
• If you are teaching a synchronous course, think carefully about how you want to use your time in synchronous meetings. For example, this is a great opportunity to flip your classroom. Record short video lectures (keep them short!) and have students watch the videos and complete required readings ahead of time, and then in synchronous meetings use the time to focus on addressing student questions and using active learning strategies to have students engage with each other and the material in more depth. Breakout rooms work well for this (see below for other benefits of breakouts rooms) but should be planned out carefully. For example, provide students with clear instructions on what they are supposed to be doing in the breakout room session (Google Docs or Google Slides work well to use with this to provide guidance and provide a place for the groups to record ideas or answers). Notify groups about how much time they will have in their breakout rooms (7-10 minutes works well). Select roles for them (or allow them to select roles themselves, e.g., a facilitator, recorder, speaker/presenter, timekeeper, devil’s advocate, etc.). The goal should be to have a product they can deliver when finished (e.g. a Google Slide).
• If you are creating videos, do not spend too much time perfectly editing them, but do make sure you have a microphone that works well enough for students to hear you clearly.
• Deliver content and information in multiple formats to address issues related to equity and accessibility (e.g. provide captioning for all recorded videos; videos recorded in your learning management system will often do this for you, or uploading videos to YouTube is a good option too. Make sure to provide written instructions or transcripts from videos as well).
• Consider providing students autonomy in how they are assessed. For example, rather than completing a final paper, give students options for what format they want to use for this final project, can they create a video or a blog instead? 

Overcoming Challenges in the Online Classroom 

Whether transitioning part, or all of your course online, it is important to understand that not all f2f teaching practices work well in the online classroom (e.g. certain active learning strategies). The following are a few common obstacles of transitioning to an online classroom and strategies for overcoming them. 

Challenge 1: It is much harder to “read the room” or get a sense of what topics confuse students. How might you overcome this?

• Consider utilizing a video conferencing program that integrates student polls in live classes. Polls can be useful to quickly read the room and gather feedback, especially after covering intricate topics.
• Low-stakes formative quizzes can also reveal areas of confusion over content.
• If you have limited time for synchronous class meetings, or find more discussion time is needed, it may be beneficial to flip the classroom so the lectures are recorded and use synchronous sessions for question and answer.
• Discussion boards are a useful tool, however keep in mind that pre-decided topics may not always coincide with the content in most need of review. It may be practical to create a "bank" of topics to allow flexibility when deciding which topics warrant further discussion.
• Regardless of the specific tools utilized, it is also important to provide multiple opportunities for students to assess their own understanding of material (e.g. foster self-reflection).
• Build in more opportunities to provide students with feedback. Take time to give individual feedback, short reviews, or debriefs addressing common mistakes or misunderstandings of material. It is also helpful to proactively create "feed forward" by providing information you believe students will need prior to lectures or completing assignments.
• You might need to put in extra effort when setting up the course. Include helpful tips, tricks, and strategies (e.g. how to navigate the course leaning management system or how to use the discussion board) and ensure assignment expectations are crystal clear. For example, have a “start here” section on your learning management system with instructions or a brief intro video. For assignments, make sure to have rubrics or clear assessment criteria available to the students ahead of time. Consider posting good examples from previous students or making a short video that walks students through the assignment itself. Most importantly, always ensure students know where and how to access this information. 

Challenge 2: Building a sense of community can be more challenging in the online classroom. How might you overcome this?

• If teaching an asynchronous course, consider making a video introduction of yourself and asking students to also record a short video introduction of themselves.
• Other ideas include utilizing video updates and feedback, breakout rooms, discussion boards, peer reviews, or starting a synchronous class meeting with ice breakers.
• Engage in proactive outreach by holding/scheduling group office or “coffee” hours.
• Breakout rooms in synchronous classes can work well to allow students to meet/chat with each other, to brainstorm ideas and solutions to problems, discuss case studies, or make progress on a group project.
• Working from home or seeing each other’s home lives can actually help build community as well because you may get to know additional personal information about one another (e.g. showing pets, etc.). Be aware though that some students may feel uncomfortable showing aspects of their home lives to you or the rest of the class so respect their desire for privacy too. The institution might also have regulations to be referenced first. 

Challenge 3: It may be easier to cheat in the online classroom. How might you overcome this?

• Consider allowing students to collaborate with each other on projects or use their resources on exams/quizzes – often in the real world, we can refer to our resources to solve problems.
• If that is not an option (e.g. one of my classes prepares exercise students to sit for ACSM’s EP-C exam, which they cannot use resources on), then minimize students’ opportunities to cheat. For example, put a time limit on exams, consider using Respondus Lockdown Browser/Monitor or other proctoring software. Be aware that students may run into tech issues though, so build in back-up options to address these (e.g. dropping their lowest exam score, having a day/time at the end of the semester for make-ups, etc.). 

Final Considerations for Building an Equitable Learning Experience 

Do not assume every student has a good internet connection so build in back-up plans and perhaps consider added flexibility. Remember, a main goal is NOT to exacerbate disparities, so be open to addressing issues students may have and utilize platforms that can be easily accessed from different technologies (e.g. computer, tablet, phone). Similarly, try to avoid using too many different apps or types of technology; while they can enhance the learning experience, students will likely be unfamiliar with the technology and therefore will have a steep learning curve. Students may also be utilizing multiple technology tools per course, and they may not all be the same, which can lead to "tool fatigue" – so think “KISS.” 

You may need to rethink how you conceptualize and assess participation or engagement – some students may welcome the opportunity to voice their thoughts in synchronous class but others may not feel comfortable turning their cameras on and may find it harder to speak up in a synchronous class so you may need to provide other opportunities to participate in different ways (e.g. discussion boards, chat function, quick polls, raising hand to talk/share in synchronous classes). 

Online classes provide some opportunities not available in a f2f class. For example, it forces you to really evaluate what is important and essential that students be able to do/understand. Learning student names also is much easier because you see their name with their picture feed in synchronous class meetings. The use of asynchronous videos also allows students to work at their own pace (e.g. pause, rewind as needed to make sure they did not miss anything important) and on their own schedule which can be helpful for students who have obligations outside of classes. 

One of the largest challenges we may face is overriding the negative or traumatic experience some students might have had during the quick transition to remote learning in the Spring. It may be beneficial to survey your students at the start of the semester regarding their concerns in an attempt to avoid the same issues. Use this as an opportunity to create an open and engaging environment to foster a more positive learning experience. Similarly, while we all have had extra time to prepare (unlike Spring semester), COVID cases here in the US are still rising in many areas. Be prepared that you may have students get sick or have to care for sick family members, so put some thought into how best to address those challenges. Maybe consider having more flexible due dates or allow students the opportunity to drop an assignment or quiz. Likewise, make sure to provide yourself with time to recharge or take some time for self-care! Refer to your peers and the multitude of online resources that have been shared to help you – you’re not alone in this! 

Recommended Resource

Darby, F., & Lang, J. M. (2019). Small teaching online: Applying learning science in online classes. John Wiley & Sons.