Strategies and Tools for Improving Your Online Teaching

Franklin Thomas, Associate Professor of Education, Campbellsville University

After many years of face-to-face teaching, this presenter moved to almost entirely online courses. Utilizing recent research and instructor experience, this session will share some simple strategies designed to cultivate connection and interaction (in and beyond class) between instructor and students as well as among students, and to enhance greater course engagement in the online setting. Strategies for optimizing basic Zoom tools (e.g., the chat feature, students’ video presence, best uses of breakout rooms, and the instructor’s “teaching studio”) will be explored. The session will share approaches used to “flip the script” on online discussion forums designed (among other goals) to take student thinking beyond the course texts and class discussions; to encourage students’ engagement with all initial responses (rather than just the ones to which they respond); to cultivate higher-order thinking; and to involve the instructor most effectively. This session will be most valuable to online faculty or instructors who make use of online components in their courses.

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