Moving Your Course Online due to the Coronavirus? 10 Tips to Engage Students

With the rapid spread of the Coronavirus, colleges and universities across the world are asking professors to quickly convert their in-person classes to online courses. Many professors are scrambling based on the postings and conversations I've seen on social media. Creating an online course takes considerable work and is not something than can be done easily or quickly. I've been using online platforms and online activities with my in-person courses for years so I thought I'd share some tips.

1. Keep the Course Simple and Straightforward. You have very little time to convert the course so keep it basic. Your main focus should be making sure that students can get their questions answered and can access the various materials they need to be successful. Don't worry about making the online course beautiful or perfect.
2. Present Learning Objectives Right Away. At the start of each online class module share the day's learning objectives so students know what to focus on and how they will benefit.
3. Turn Student Presentations into Videos or Twitter Campaigns. Many courses require student presentations -- but how will students fulfill this assignment during an online course? Instead of requiring class presentations, ask students to record and upload videos of themselves giving their presentations (using their phone or computer) or better yet, let them get creative -- most students have great video editing skills -- and would appreciate the opportunity to showcase their talents in a short video. Another alternative to presentations is hosting a Twitter campaign on a particular subject. Students can prepare research-informed tweets on a topic and engage the larger public using various hashtags. Hashtags also allow you to follow their campaign. Not only are students increasing their student colleagues' knowledge with this assignment, but that of the Twitterverse.
4. Ask Provocative Questions on Discussion Boards. Nearly all online learning platforms have discussion boards. To engage students more fully, ask questions that avoid yes/no answers and instead engage students in debates, philosophical questions, and questions that push students to grapple with the course readings. Make this element of the course part of the class discussion credit. Note that it is important to establish rules of etiquette around discussion board interaction.
5. Add TED Talks to Your Curriculum. Yes, you already have your syllabus crafted for the semester, but things have changed, and quickly. In order to motivate students and break up the course content with voices that aren't always yours, sprinkle TED Talks into your online lectures. Some of my favorite TED Talks, which can be used in nearly any course to provoke student learning are: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's The Danger of a Single Story, Susan Cain's The Power of Introverts, Derek Sivers' How to Start a Movement, Drew Dudley's Everyday Leadership, Joachim de Posada's Don't Eat the Marshmallow, and Adam Grant's The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers. After each TED Talk ask people to share their reactions on the discussion board (including various connections to the course material) and then use this information to foster conversation in the next class. If you aren't a fan of TED Talks, many of your faculty colleagues have recorded great lectures, experiments and how-to videos for YouTube that you can share with your students. You can find some great ones here and here.
6. Use Images on PowerPoint Slides. If you are using a PowerPoint deck to share information with your class, make sure to abide by the rule "less is best" -- I use this rule across the board in life. I suggest using images on at least every third slide and that you limit the amount of words on each slide as well. You can always post the slide deck later and include your lecture notes on each slide if you are worried that you aren't presenting enough content. (Note: Make sure to use your platforms' accessibility tools).
7. Add Non-Credit Quizzes, Surveys, and Polls. In order to increase interaction, use your online platform to create quizzes, surveys or polls that students can take in realtime. This strategy gives you immediate feedback and allows more introverted or quieter students to participate. If you are thinking "but I don't know how to do this" -- it's easy and because so many people have asked this question before you, just put your question into Google and the answer will show up immediately. For example, "How can I create a poll using Webex?" results in the exact instructions to create a poll.
8. Make Video Lectures Short. If you are using a video platform for your lectures, resist the urge to talk for too long. I asked my 20 year old daughter, who is now thrust into taking online course like most college students, what would keep or lose her attention in an online course and the first thing she told me was, "I don't want the professor to talk on and on for a long period of time." She also asked for visuals. Online learners tend to have an attention span that lasts roughly 15 minutes. If you need to lecture for a longer time, break it up into sections, sprinkling in discussion, videos, visuals, or class polls/surveys in-between.
9. Provide Timely Feedback. Because you won't be seeing your students, they will feel disconnected. In addition, due to the uncertainty of the Coronavirus and its impact as well as the sudden shift in how they will learn, they are probably feeling a bit out of sorts and stressed. It is vital to give students timely and plentiful feedback. One of the best ways is to fully participate in the online discussion board, answering students' questions and providing thoughtful comments on their contributions. It's also important to grade any quizzes or homework assignments in a timely manner so that students know where they stand in the course. You should also consider hosting on-line office hours using either a visual platform or the instant messaging feature on your online platform.
10. Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously. If this is your first time teaching online, it's going to be messy and you are going to make gaffes and mistakes. Be upfront with students about the situation and your newness to it. If you mess up, laugh a bit and throw in a bit of self-depreciating humor. Laughter and learning should go hand in hand as we learn the most when we are allowed to make mistakes and can laugh at ourselves.

We are all in uncharted territory and you have little time to prepare for online teaching. Go easy on yourself. Remember to be yourself and focus on ensuring students can learn in the most engaging ways. Good luck!