Ten Ways to Engage and Instruct Students Remotely

alt:ArtsyBee/ via: Pixabay.com

Distance learning is a method of study where the educator and learner can participate in their classes remotely through the power of the internet. In the new age of information, the education sector has been greatly facilitated by technology. The tutor and tutee need not meet live for teaching and learning purposes.

While online learning has a great many benefits, it also possesses some challenges for the students and teachers. Even though they are the primary people involved in distance education, the parents must also contribute by navigating remote learning with their children for effective learning.

As the novel coronavirus has been spreading its effects globally, the challenge in the education sector has been rising. Thankfully, remote learning has made it possible to conduct the classes regularly. However, under E-learning, it is difficult to engage and instruct the students effectively. Only with the correct methods can teachers draw their students' attention and direct them from a distance. Here are some tips on how to engage and instruct scholars properly.

1. Start strong:

Contrary to live classes, when the students log on to their virtual sessions, an awkward silence while waiting for the remaining tutees. At such times, you can show some useful and meaningful facts on the screen. Also, welcome the learners with a warm salutation and a tender smile, greet students, and talk about the previous day's session before starting the formal session.

2. Create tutorials:

The use of tutorials is found to be effective and engaging in the course of remote learning. Scholars prefer tutorials over books or lectures as it is more interactive, specific and it teaches using examples.

3. Use educational games:

The concept of edutainment has been trending in recent years. It refers to the use of multimedia in content intended not only to teach but also to entertain. The objective of edutainment is to make the learning process engaging, enjoyable, and fun while not diminishing its educational value by using:

1. Art
2. Colors
3. Word alignment games and others.

4. Shorter and frequent classes:

Attending a long session in one sitting can fill students with boredom and apathy. As such, keeping the learning periods short can prevent the students from passiveness. Using the 10:2 method, meaning: allotting two minutes to process every ten minutes of instructions, you can increase enthusiasm in students during the session.

5. Focus on relationships with students:

It is best if educators invest time and energy to know their students and develop a closer relationship with them. You can build familiarity with students by:

1. Sharing about yourself
2. Teaching social and emotional learning
3. Asking follow up questions frequently
4. Asking how they're feeling
5. Asking about their personal aspects (Like their pets, swimming classes, etc.)

6. individualized support:

Some students require individual attention and support. You can help such scholars and provide individualized support by:

1. Asking what they enjoy in class
2. Asking about the challenges they face
3. Assessing them through content-based questions
4. Testing their skills

7. Provide engaging assignments:

Unlike live classes, it is impossible to give classwork in online courses. However, one can provide home assignments to the students to keep them busy. Assigning scholars with fun mini projects can keep them occupied while teaching many skills. Students can also benefit from tips for doing their homework during the period of distance learning.

8. Teach self-assessment techniques:

During remote learning, self-assessing is of utmost importance. Students can reflect on their learning and performance by setting their goals, creating action plans, and self-assessing. It can be done by the BDA method that comprises:

1. Before: Teach them to identify their goals and how to achieve it
2. During: Teach them to assess if they're making progress towards their goal and if their strategies are effective
3. After: Teach them to find out if they've achieved their goal, if their plan was effective, and identify their flaws during the process

9. Get students to teach each other:

In any class group, some students are forward than the rest. Given a chance, such students can assist other students who are comparatively weaker. Learning from friends makes the process fun. It not only helps teachers save time but also facilitates students' engagement.

10. Work on your presentation skills:

In the online classes, the educator needs to work harder on their presentation. Distance learning requires the tutor to level up their presentation skills, and it can be done through:

1. Presenting an eager face.
2. Working for a better voice tone, facial expressions, and hand gestures
3. Making the slides funny and engaging
4. Adding animations and multimedia

Unlike regular classes, educators need more preparation for the remote classes as they demand more. It can be challenging to keep the students engaged in a particular subject matter. However, with the proper collaboration of educators, learners, and support of parents, such problems can be mitigated.


Guest Blogger: Alina B. is a professional writer with over 25 years of experience in education. She has been writing about homework help websites to facilitate young students in their academic pursuit.