Anxiety is in the air. So, too, is anger, depression, bewilderment, and disappointment. With their lives in limbo, college students, with good reason, fear that their family’s finances, their academic plans, and, indeed, their future have been upended. Insecurity is rampant.
For those of us who will teach large online classes in the fall, the challenge is clear: We must design and deliver courses that are engaging, interactive, well supported, and responsive to the times.
Here are some simple, straightforward ways to ensure that Round 2 of online learning is measurably better than it was in the Spring.
1. Build a personal connection with your students.
Instead of simply introducing yourself, consider conducting a student survey. Then share the results with your students, while inserting your own responses to the questions.
An anonymous survey can provide many insights into your students’ current circumstances, their assessment of how the Spring semester went, and their thoughts about how online education can be improved. It can also help you understand students’ motivation for taking your class, their expectations for the Fall semester, their special areas of interest, and the kind of support they’d find helpful.