Tips on Transitioning Your Face to Face Class to an Online Class
Face to Face & Online Classes Are Not the Same Thing
First off, you need to realize that your class was not set up to be an online class, you have prepared a face to face class that has now been switched to an online class, so don’t expect your online class to be that same face to face class experience that you expected, don’t expect it to be the best online class ever either, online classes take time and effort and editing and planning to be truly great. You had one week. So, take a deep breath and realize that everyone else is going through this too and we will get through it together
Communication is key
Your students are going through an incredible amount of transition and uncertainty. They aren’t sure what is due, what has changed, what is going on, yes there is a syllabus, but let’s be realistic we all have had to make changes in our lives (and in our syllabus). It is important that we keep in contact with our students. Therefore, it is vital you keep in contact with your students. Every Sunday night send out an email with the readings, videos, and assignments that students should be doing that week. This gives them that checklist and structure they are used to, and it helps them stay connected to you and the university.
Online Office Hours
Have online office hours or virtual office hours. Give your students your email, your twitter handle, whatever way they can reach out to you. Have those communication avenues open for them to reach out. I am doing three online live feed office hours where students can come and chat, ask questions, just have a chance to be social. You can join our discussion through early May as we do live feeds Tuesdays at 8am and 2pm and Thursdays at 4pm at http://www.youtube.com/professorwolters .
Answer Your Emails
And really, you should be answering their emails. One of the biggest complaints I get from my students is that professors don’t reply to emails students send. I admit, I too have missed a few student emails over the years, but this is a different time. So, let’s try to be better fellow professors, and answer our students’ emails.
Give a Bit More Grace & Understanding
Give the student a bit of grace and understanding. Some students are leaving the safe confines of a college campus and going home to less than ideal educational situations. It could be a lack of internet, sharing a computer with nine siblings, or having to take care of sick family members. I think at this time we should be showing extra grace. So, don’t just do the live class as the only learning option, have that class recorded so students can watch it when they can watch it. Maybe drop a quiz or two. Adjust your attendance policy. This is a syllabus by syllabus case, but think about what you can do.
Make Your Own Videos
If you are going to make your own videos and not just record the hour-long lecture, I suggest videos of 5-12 minutes long. Think of it like a YouTube video. They do best in short concise points. If you have four main topics for your class that day. Break them up into four 10-minute videos. Students can take in the information better that way. Also, the shorter videos help avoid the dreaded “oh man, it’s a 45 minute long video” thought process that students have when they see that 45 minute time stamp. In general if you are going to make your own videos, make them SHORT, FUN, ENGAGING, INTERESTING, AND KEEP THEM ON TOPIC. Who knows, you might become internet famous! It will give you way more street cred with your students than another A journal article.
What My Students Suggested
I surveyed 300 college students to get their opinion on what they think makes a good and bad online class and these were their suggestions.
Don’t Do the Discussion Boards with Pointless Busy Work
Don’t do busy work discussion boards with two required posts of 200 words or more. They said it seemed like busy work and didn’t bring a lot to the class. This was on about half of the students who did take online classes surveys.
Have Weekly Assignments or Quizzes
Do have weekly assignments or quizzes (your learning management system may have that option). The point being students will be able to stay up on the materials during the semester and don’t have to try and binge watch Stranger Things style all the videos the night before the exam. This was brought up as a suggestion by about 1/3 of my students. I was shocked that they wanted online quizzes and assignments. I didn’t expect students to request more assignments.
Have a Calendar Students Can Look At
Have a calendar on your website or learning management system that lists out what is due and when it is due, what assignments for each week and such. Just so the students can take a quick glance at what is coming up. This was mentioned in a number of surveys as well.
More Online Teaching Help
This was just a quick blog on some quick helpful tips for transitioning your face to face class to online with such short notice. There are tons of tips and advice on how to make a great online class available online and we will be putting out more blogs and videos helping other professors keep educating their students.
Good luck everyone on the transition!
Prof. Mark Wolters
Teaching Associate Professor of Business Administration
Gies College of Business at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
