The Covid pandemic didn’t just change the way people work, it also changed how people learn. That’s as true for students as it is for employees engaged in upskilling. The change was so massive that the global e-learning industry jumped 36 percent in 2020.
Of course, that massive change also came with a host of new challenges. Teachers understand using known technology as a value multiplier in the classroom. That doesn’t mean they can shift effortlessly to the new technologies necessary for remote teaching.
If you face the prospect handling remote teaching, keep reading for five remote teaching mistakes to avoid.
1. Limited Facetime
There are neurons in the brain’s visual cortex that show a powerful response to people’s faces. In other words, we’re hardwired to react to faces. When teaching students online, though, there is a temptation to avoid showing up on camera.
You can just post assignments, after all. Maybe you forget to shave or didn’t brush out your hair. Denying students access to your face will diminish the learning experience.
2. Not Leveraging Available Services
Students of all stripes will take tests at some point along the way. Many of these tests require minimal supervision. For major tests or certifications, someone must proctor the exam.
While you can try to do it all yourself, there are online proctoring services that can lighten that load.
3. Expecting Great Engagement
One of the great benefits of classrooms is that help you create habits and patterns of expectation in students. For example, the classroom environment encourages attention and engagement.
The bedrooms or couches that students occupy while learning at home do not encourage strong engagement. They encourage relaxation or disengagement. You must accept that lower energy level as the price of remote education.
4. Over-Assigning
Some teachers go overboard when assigning homework online. They assume that students enjoy more free time since they aren’t in the classroom. That’s a faulty and often wildly inaccurate assumption.
Students engaged in remote learning often face more burdens because they are home. The expectation there is that the student should help more since they aren’t physically in a classroom.
5. Unrealistic Deadlines
Setting unrealistic deadlines for assignments is another common mistake. It usually comes from the same place as over-assigning. The instructor assumes the students have more time to work on the assignments.
It’s best to assume students will need the same amount of time to complete assignments that would if they were in the classroom daily.
Dodging Remote Teaching Mistakes
Reading the above may make remote teaching sound all bad. Yet, you can see the benefits of remote teaching if you dodge those mistakes.
Avoiding big assumptions is one key to dodging those mistakes. You can’t assume lesser engagement means lesser learning. You also can’t assume that students have more time just because they aren’t in a classroom.
Look for ways you can leverage remote services to your advantage. Let students’ see your face. It literally lights up neurons in their brains.
Looking for more tips on tech and teaching? Check out the posts in our Tech Updates section.