Tips for teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

ONLINE TEACHING

For the past few weeks, schools have been closed across the world, including Jamaica, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to facilitate the teaching and learning process through this period of isolation and social distancing, the use of online platforms has become the new normal for all teachers and students.  Teachers must be commended for their ingenuity in coming up with effective ways to still teach students through online methods. Designing and utilizing online classes take significant time and effort. It is therefore important to plan and prepare for your sessions carefully in order to minimize frustration for yourselves and your students and for an effective online experience. Below are some tips that can help teachers:

​

• As much as possible utilize the online platform that has been provided by your institution to communicate assignments, projects, tests/exercises/activities to your students. This ensures uniformity and greater accountability. If other online platforms are used, there must be evidence of same being utilized. This means that video conferencing should be recorded and information sent via WhatsApp, for example, should be saved.

 

• As much as possible record videos and send to your students instead of live streaming or video conferencing in order to facilitate those students who may be struggling with internet access. You can also utilize podcasts.

 

• Try to keep videos no longer than 15 minutes. If videos are longer, break them into two or three shorter videos or have question and answer sessions/discussions throughout the video presentation (pausing at 15 minutes intervals).

​

• Since most students may be accessing online classes using their phones, make sure you test your slides on your phone before sending to students so that text is readable on small screen phones.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

• With the limited resources available, try to utilize pre-developed resources online, such as videos, audios and activity sheets, as much as you possibly can. Provide students with clickable links that can open to access same.

​

• Create an email address for students to submit assignments other than your personal email. This ensures easy retrieval and read. Receiving assignments via WhatsApp can be tedious and requires a lot of phone storage space which may slow down your phone.

​

• Try to provide work for students in a timely manner. Try not to give too much work at one given time. In the same breadth allow enough time for assigned work to be submitted. Remember students need enough time to complete them and you need enough time to mark them. SET REASONABLE DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS.

​

• Ensure that you provide feedback to your students on activities completed, in a timely manner. Make yourself available to clear up any misconceptions or misunderstandings or for those students who may need clarity about something.

​

• Utilize online platforms that encourage interactive learning at least once per week. Do not just send assignments and class activities.

​

• Keep a record of students who have been participating and submitting assignments over the time period. If possible enquire about the lack of involvement/participation of other students by making contact with parents and or student

​​

• For teachers with children, time management is very important as you have to balance helping your own children with online learning while preparing for your students. This can be difficult and frustrating especially if you and your child/children are using the same device.

 

Reference:

Lee, Kyungmee (2020). COVID-19: 14 simple tips for better online teaching. Retrieved from https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/03/27/covid-19-14-simple-tips-for-better-online-teaching.html