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Just sent some tips for live, large-class (e.g. 50+) online teaching and may as well share them here. Note, this is just how I would do it and it might not apply to everyone’s situation. Let me know what you think?
Also, remember that live classes are not the only or best way to teach online. https://twitter.com/timbocop/status/1291619970233831425
If possible, get someone to teach with you and present as a conversation. More engaging for everyone and less pressure. There are ethical issues with people working for free so a) minimise the preparation they have to do, b) reciprocate if possible, c) make it useful to them.
It sounds like more work in total but I guarantee the lowering of pressure and boost in energy if you pick a good partner will be worth it. If you can reciprocate, both of you win. https://twitter.com/Anda19/status/1361317299119087620
If there’s a mismatch in subject expertise, consider an interview format where they ask questions to which you respond. In this case, it doesn’t matter all that much who helps you as long as they can ask interesting questions.
More advanced versions include student reps interviewing you and/or you interviewing them—not to test knowledge but to get their perspective on the topic and course, e.g. “what parts of this do you find most challenging and why?” You can then respond and suggest ways forward.
If you are confident and know your subject, spontaneous conversations can be great and can mean less time spent preparing content. But other time spent on planning and thinking about the session will make things go better. In particular, think about what learners will be doing.
With lots of students, chat is probably the most inclusive format to let them contribute, but you could let students send questions beforehand, or put virtual hands up for voice questions, or tell them how they can follow up after the live session.
Good use of chat is much easier with a teaching partner—they can encourage learners to ask questions and then pose these to you as you go. With 50+ students, I think that’s probably better than leaving a pause and waiting for brave souls to speak up, but you could do both.
If you use chat, spend time at the start encouraging them to use it for questions and comments. Let them know it’s ok to talk between themselves there too.
Your students will have had different online experiences. Spend time explaining how you’re running things. I like informality, letting them know it’s ok to make a cup of tea, get a snack for their kids or whatever. Humanity and comfort are particularly important online.
Break things up. Set a task they can do for 20 minutes and report back. They might work together—let them decide and work out the tech. This gives you all a change of scene (even better if they do it away from computers). Make sure the task is simple and clear though.
Final tip: if you’re working really hard, something might have gone wrong in your design. Maybe it has become too much about you. Some of the best teaching involves setting a task and then just checking in lightly with learners as they go.
Ultimately, there are limits to what can be achieved in a single online class. There are far more possibilities if you think beyond the bounds of the live session.
https://twitter.com/timbocop/status/1327906089573240832
But I hope these tips are helpful to some.
https://twitter.com/timbocop/status/1327906089573240832
But I hope these tips are helpful to some.
