Lessons learned: 9 takeaways from teaching online during COVID-19
By: Damian Radcliffe
Tags: Online Learning, Covid-19, Education, University, Teaching

Like most educators, the coronavirus pandemic forced me to move my teaching online. And quickly.

My institution, the University of Oregon, like many others had to make some rapid calls about the move to online instruction.

Although I had some experience of creating materials for online courses, there is a big difference between contributing a few pieces to a MOOC, and delivering 3 x 10-week classes — at short notice — to a cohort which is both unsettled, and skeptical of the value/quality of teaching you might provide.

That many of these students had yet to take a class with me before, was also a factor. They didn’t know me. And I didn’t know them.

The learning curve was going to be steep. It still is.

Nonetheless, I am pleasantly surprised with how things have gone, and as we rapidly approach the end of term, it’s a good opportunity to pause and reflect on the experience.

With that in mind, here are nine key things that I have learned so far:

1) You cannot just replicate what you do IRL

I knew this, intellectually. But, I didn’t really know this until term started.

Zoom is exhausting. Especially if you’re the host, staring unblinking at a screen, trying to pick up on visual cues, and unable to look away, lest you look disinterested or bored. We just don’t engage like that in real life.

Typical classroom lectures don’t work either. Fortunately, I tend to only teach small classes, and I’m not the lecturing type. I may do a few a term, but they’re really discussions with slides + examples.

Tip: Break lectures up into a series of online quizzes — with questions after every 5–10 mins of presentation.

2) There is a value to hosting live classes

I continue to conduct most classes live. We don’t meet for the full scheduled duration (1 hour 50 mins), but will connect for 60–90 mins, with the rest of the class materials available for students to pursue at their own pace.

Several students have commented that I am the only instructor they have doing this. In some cases, my class(es) are the only ones they have with any live elements at all.

At a time when all the days feel the same, many students also tell me how valuable this is. For some, it is the only fixed point in their weekly calendar.

Especially for students living alone, it not only helps to create some routine, but also a sense of community.

Tip: If you have live classes, try to keep them under an hour. If they are longer, be sure to factor in different types of activities, just as you would do in a physical classroom.

Photo via Ally Osborne, captured during our conversation with University of Oregon alum Isabella Garcia.

3) Record all your classes for later consumption

The digital divide is very real. And, right now, it’s having a bigger impact than ever on the education experience of all students. Whatever their age.

Lack of broadband access, coupled with the closure of coffee shops and many public spaces — making it difficult to access free Wi-Fi — and the fact that online learning can quickly chow through your expensive data plan; are all considerations that instructors need to be cognizant of.

Heck, my internet connection even slows down when it rains, which can be a real challenge given the climate in much of Oregon!

Alongside this, I have students who have jobs that clash with class — and in the current climate I’m not going to tell them to cut their job, I’m going to make sure they can catch class later.

Moreover, mental health considerations may also make it harder for students to show-up, even online, on a regular basis. Flexibility with attendance, especially right now, is therefore vital.

Tip: Record your Zoom classes, so if a student cannot join you, they can catch-up later. Be sure to record + share, the audio, as well as video, version of the class. The audio version consumes much less bandwidth.

4) Seek outside reassurance

Given the anxiety many students understandably felt when the transition to online teaching was announced, during Spring Break I sent a note to each class stressing continuity, telling them what we would be doing, and emphasizing how/why this would help their continued development.

As a Professor of Practice, a major part of my role is to bridge the gap between academia and the media industry. Conversations with industry professionals are a key means of doing this; often reinforcing conversations already being had in class.

This term, more than ever, these sessions have been useful in assuring students that jobs and freelance opportunities still exist, that you can produce good work remotely (including discussions about how to do this), and that remote working was already becoming more commonplace.

Tip: Conversations with young alum are especially useful, as their experience resonates better with students. Many of my Guest Speakers previously took the class (with me) that they are now guesting in, which provides a powerful feedback loop for the next generation.