Ways to Become Interactive in Online Classes

Ways to Become Interactive in Online Classes: Learners may gain new abilities and improve their education regardless of where they reside due to the ease and flexibility of the online learning environment. However, for all of its advantages, online learning may be isolating for students and educators. The challenge is, how can you foster a sense of belonging in your online classes? One strategy is to encourage greater engagement between you and your pupils and between the students themselves.

The Covid-19 epidemic has an impact on every aspect of life. Students were unable to attend a typical classroom due to the lockdown, which negatively influenced their schoolwork. As a result, India’s educational authorities decided to create online classes for pupils to complete their studies. 

This will increase the demand for online educational approaches, and the value of online education will be realized at this time. Many colleges, schools, and educational institutions have stepped forward to offer students online courses. Courses that will assist students in improving their skills and gaining knowledge from the comfort of their own homes via the internet.

Ways to become interactive in online classes, online learning, Use a variety of communication methods. One of the keys to ensuring that learners learn well and get the most out of what they’re doing is to keep them engaged in your online learning programme. Making something interactive is one of the most effective methods to get students more involved in what they’re doing. 

Learners have no choice but to get involved and take an active role in their learning while using interactive online learning experiences. Here are five easy strategies to make your online learning programme more engaging and engage your students.

Top Ways to Become Interactive in Online Classes

We look at how online learning may be made truly effective as schools struggle to adapt to the digital classroom.

• Having a clear understanding of what is expected of you
• Having a learner’s mindset when it comes to online education.
• Assuring that real learning takes place.
• Choosing an Appropriate Time Frame.
• Being Aware of Problems at Home.

Here are five easy strategies to help students become interactive in online classes and further engage them.

Also Check: How Online Education Aids Professional Development

Real-time interactivity should be included

• When you teach an online course that is fully asynchronous, there is typically little interaction between you and your students and amongst class members. Consider that real-time dialogues don’t happen during a video lecture, announcements, or when students post on a discussion board. The lag in response time destroys the momentum of a back-and-forth conversation and might lead to misconceptions in some cases.
• Integrating real-time interaction opportunities into your online course can assist in changing that and foster a feeling of community in the classroom. Consider how impromptu talks outside of the classroom help form bonds, clarify ideas and create new ideas.
• Set up opportunities for class members to meet online both formally and informally to support these interactions. You can generate a range of synchronous contact opportunities using web conferencing tools, such as office hours, small group discussions, entire class discussions, and study groups.

Use discussion forums to your advantage

• Online courses have traditionally relied on discussion boards for communication, but there are methods to make this experience more engaging, allowing for much broader and deeper engagement. Only a small fraction of pupils in a typical classroom participate in class discussion. You can frame your talks in an online environment so that everyone participates, and they’ll have more time to think about what they want to say before answering.
• The size of the class influences how you organize conversations. Set up smaller discussion groups of 20 or so students in a larger class of, say, 100 students to get to know their classmates. Smaller groups (5-7 persons) can be formed for more intimate engagement, and these groups can be rotated to increase interaction. This method also works with smaller groups of students.
• Making open-ended conversation prompts, such as forcing students to submit examples or asking them to interpret an idea from several angles, is one strategy for fostering richer dialogue. You might also organize student-led discussions, in which students create the debate prompt and lead the conversation.

Also Check: How Online Learning Can Reduce the Cost of Higher Education

Non-task interaction can help you increase engagement

• Non-task interactions are exchanges that are not directly related to learning but aid in forming a supportive learning community. Many learning management systems include social networking features like chat and web conferencing that can help you foster these types of connections. Students can form study groups or special interest groups using the group functionality. Suppose your LMS lacks the functionality to allow a social network. In that case, you can establish one using a private Facebook page or one of the many group messaging tools available, such as Telegram or Slack.
• Academic social networks, it should be noted, necessitate planning and continual upkeep. Before a social network becomes a popular location, its worth must be apparent. Many schools start by having students write bios and upload profile images, but these activities will not keep students returning to the network. Frequent updating of material (monthly or, if possible, daily) and incorporating contributions to the social network into lessons are two techniques for developing the social network into a destination (e.g., using the social network tools for group work; asking students to post their discussion contributions into their social network feed).

Use a variety of communication methods

You’re not the only one who wants to improve student engagement and interaction. Schools can, for example, develop a program-wide social network that allows students to keep in touch with one another from course to course. Administrators and support staff can use direct messaging, announcements, and live events to increase student involvement in the programme through this private social network.

However, you do not need institutional backing for your class to be interactive. Students can meet in real-time on Skype, Google Hangouts, and other social networking sites like Facebook, Telegram, Slack, and WhatsApp. Pre-recorded communication, such as introductory films, content presentations, and emails, is still crucial for online learning, but student engagement can help students learn more quickly.

Make a strategy for using the tool

From a pedagogical standpoint, a tech tool is only as good as how you utilize it. Consider how the interaction will assist the learning goals in your course when you relocate a face-to-face course online or design an online course from scratch. You may take an already tremendous learning opportunity for all of your students to the next level by improving the options for engagement in your online classes.

Inquire about comments

Any option for learners to provide feedback is a fantastic opportunity for interaction. How we respond to feedback can have additional benefits in simplifying and making programmes more relevant.