When it comes to engaging your students in online learning, you can follow some simple tips. You can create a safe and well-structured learning space, posting written assignments as blogs, using virtual field trips, and creating badges and awards.
Create a Safe and Well-structured Learning Space
To get a leg up on the competition, you must make your classroom welcoming and stimulate. A few tricks of the trade will get you there:
- Offer a wide variety of options.
- Create a positive and supportive learning environment, such as Bashar Hanna, that reflects students’ interests and needs. Creating a classroom with a well-rounded curriculum will go a long way in fostering a classroom culture that encourages student engagement and innovation.
- Use the right tools to achieve the above.
You might need to invest in some high-tech equipment to do it all, but in the end, it will be worth the outlay.
The following is a short list of the best practices to ensure a successful, productive, and enjoyable learning experience. While your students might have difficulty letting go of their inhibitions and trusting you, there is no reason they should fail. You can accomplish this through the right combination of policies, procedures, and support from staff.
Post Written Assignments as Blogs
Posting written terms as blogs can be an effective way to engage students in online learning. As with traditional written assignments, a blog allows for reflection, critical thinking, and self-expression. It can also offer opportunities for community-building and networking.
Whether you use a single-topic blog or create a class blog, you’ll want to ensure that students understand their work expectations. They should know they must write original content and revise their posts. They should also be able to recognize the importance of valuable comments.
A single-topic blog can focus on a single topic in a content area, such as science or social studies. You might invite community leaders or experts to write a post for your blog. Alternatively, ask students to respond to a specific reading on the blog.
For example, set a goal for students to submit two weekly posts. As they become more comfortable, you could increase that number.
Post Virtual Field Trips
are a great way to engage students in online learning. These types of trips include multimedia, real-time conversation, and interactive activities. In addition to giving access to experiences and experts, virtual field trips also reduce safety concerns.
Before planning a virtual field trip, decide what you want to learn. This will help you determine where to go and what to take. This will also help you know what resources you need to gather.
You should also consider the technology requirements when planning a virtual field trip. You can check with your school to see if they have a policy on video conferencing and how to go about it. Once you’ve determined the trip details, you can begin preparing your students. This may involve allowing students to use computer stations during assigned times. You should also test the technology to make sure it works properly.
Consider the student’s age and level if you plan a virtual field trip as part of a more critical lesson or a stand-alone activity. It is essential to provide a low-stakes experience.
Create Badges and Awards
Creating badges and recognition is an effective way to engage students in online learning. These rewards motivate students to keep going and to continue improving their skills.
Badges and awards motivate struggling learners and reward those who have made significant progress. They can be displayed on leaderboards and can support friendly competition.
Using badges and awards can boost engagement, make the learning process more interactive, and help students see that failure is a part of the learning process. Numerous tools can help you create badges and awards.
An excellent example of using badges and awards to engage students in online learning is the gamification of entrance tests. These eLearning quizzes are often more enjoyable than traditional eLearning quizzes.
Another type of gamification is to create quests. These can take many forms, including smaller tasks requiring students to solve a problem or find multiple solutions.
When implementing gamification, make sure you have a clear goal. Several studies have shown that when an award is associated with an objective, the students are more motivated to achieve it.
