Virtual Instruction Is Here to Stay

Seven tips that will transform virtual instruction for more effective learning.

Laurie Manville, an instructional coach and teacher who works for both virtual and brick-and-mortar schools in California’s Anaheim Union High School District.

1. Show teachers how to access their inner talk show host

   In a virtual learning environment, Manville said:

   Asks students a lot more questions.

   Put questions out there that might be silly, but that the students would love to answer.

   Your voice has to have more energy. Have fun. Laugh.

   Be a little entertaining. You need to bring them in because they’re all by themselves in front of a screen.

2. Make students feel welcome and connected immediately

   Play music at the start of class or ask kids what they’ve been watching on Netflix or other streaming services lately, Manville suggested. That helps get natural conversations started.

   AskClass has the feature “open questions” with various categories. Teachers don’t have to think about the topics to ask the students. The background music makes the environment entertaining. AskClass help students engage in answering the questions. The virtual classrooms with AskClass will help students feel welcome and naturally connect in conversation.

   Teachers can pick students who can be responsible for roles in a virtual class such as chat-box monitor, timekeeper, and linker.

   What if the class remains silent when teachers ask students to participate in the class? AskClass has a “Random Person Selector” that allows teachers to pick random students.

3. Build meaningful strategies to encourage greater collaboration

4. Integrate active, hands-on learning into virtual environments

5. Be deliberate about how you use time

6. Have a plan for determining when students can turn their videoconferencing cameras on and off

7. If you go with a packaged curriculum tailored for online learning, be choosy