With the advancements in science and technology, all the professions have modernized and adapted digital tools working. And our education system is no other exception. Leaving behind the conventional methods of teaching and learning, online teaching platforms are growing rapidly. While many educators and learners have selected this model because of the convenience, comfort, flexibility, and other advantages offered, many are still learning via traditional classrooms.
But in the present pandemic times, when physical meetups are not possible, education is being carried out virtually only. To make students learn and foster their academic, social, and personal skills, ensuring their interaction in the online classes is very important.
Benefits of student interaction in the classroom
- Effective teaching
- Effective learning
- Better communication skills
- Ensures active listening
- Enhanced interpersonal relations among teachers and students
- Better academic understanding to the students
- Enhanced academic performance and scores
- More participative classes
Enhance student interaction in online classes: tips for teachers
For many students, taking online classes is a new experience, and they are still trying to adapt to the new normal. To provide them with quality education, making them interact in the classes is also important. Let us discuss some effective tips that teachers can follow to enhance student interaction in online classes.
1. Have some general talks
Only making students interact on academic topics doesn’t work that better. Not all students enjoy and are interested in academic discussions all the time. To make them speak up in the class, interact with more, teachers should have some general talks with the students. Talking on general topics makes students interested and comfortable to speak up and interact.
All teachers must manage their classes in a way that they can take some time to have general talks in the class. During this time, you can talk about any random topic such as how was today’s day, what are your plans for the weekend, what interesting things we must do in the class or some interesting topics like cricket, hobbies, popular series or a program, etc.
2. Have participatory activities
To enhance students’ interaction in the online classes, they should be allowed to interact too. The monotonous teacher-centered approach makes students simply sit as mere listeners and doesn’t allow them to interact. This must be avoided and teachers should plan interesting participatory activities for the students. Using video API, you can manage to have better interactive and participatory classes online. Some of the examples of such activities such as
- Giving presentations
- Extracurricular activities
- Question answer round
- Collaborative projects
- One by one reading in the class
3. Keep the lecture duration short
Students take online classes via computer, laptops, or mobiles. Sitting in front of the computer screens to take back-to-back academic classes is a challenge itself for students. Long lectures will increase screen time, affect health and make it difficult for students to sit and concentrate properly. To avoid this happening with your students and make them interactive throughout, ensure to keep the lecture duration short. Thirty to forty minutes of an online class is sufficient. This will keep students energetic, well concentrated, and interactive in the classes.
4. Use technology
Only teaching using textbooks and guides is not very interesting for the students. Only listening to what a teacher is reading from the textbooks becomes boring for students. This makes them lose concentration and interact less in the class too. But as we know today’s kids enjoy technology a lot.
Using the same in education will surely help teachers to make the online classes more interactive. Using an online education app and sites, teachers can access several audiovisual tools like PowerPoint presentations, modules, picture cards, educational videos, and more. With the help of visualization, students tend to grab the information better and quicker. They stay interested and interact in the classes more.
Conclusion
In the present pandemic times, teaching and learning have been practiced via virtual means. Online classes have been a new learning experience for many students and they are still trying to adapt to it and perform better here as well. To ensure that students understand well, and achieve academic success, making them interact and participate in the classes is important. By following the above-mentioned tips teachers can enhance student’s participation in online classes and teach them effectively.
