The Booming Business of Online Teaching: Top Challenges and Possible Solutions
Shivani Manohar
July 16, 2024
‧
5 min read
Given the number of teachers who have gone digital with their teaching during quarantine, it is apparent that online learning is quickly becoming the next big thing. And while digitized classes have a tremendously long list of advantages, as all things must, they have some disadvantages too. These disadvantages, if not tackled properly, can get the better of unsuspecting educators.
If you’re someone who is struggling with teaching online, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a list of the most common e-learning challenges - along with ways to overcome them:
Technical problems are one of the main stumbling blocks when it comes to online teaching. Before taking a class online, you’ll need a certain degree of technological proficiency, which includes the ability to successfully log in, conduct classes, put up assignments, and communicate with your learners efficiently. Insufficient computer skills together with poor infrastructure, like a slow or lagging internet connection, can inhibit your ability to engage your students and get them involved in your class. In such a situation, it can be useful to spend some time beforehand to learn this new skill and gain familiarity with the platform on which you will be conducting your classes.
Solution: Embrace user-friendly tools. Look for an online teaching platform with an intuitive interface that requires minimal technical knowledge. Consider platforms that offer pre-made templates and resources, specifically designed to empower educators who are new to the online teaching world.
When all is said and done, the fact remains that students are too accustomed to sitting in a classroom and learning, to be able to bridge the gap between offline and online classes immediately. The online world, no matter how enriching, can become too small for the student and they may need a physical space where they can resolve their queries and practice with real tools.
Solution: To resolve this issue, try and combine online courses with some kind of classroom training. Organise debates between the students, arrange weekly or bi-weekly group activities to humanize the learning process and get your students to be more comfortable with you, their classmates and thereby, online classes.
Online classes provide students the ability to choose their preferred time of study. As opposed to regular classes with fixed schedules, online learning gives students flexibility, and while that’s considered to be one of the foremost benefits of e-learning, this flexibility can often result in inaction.
Solution: Create a clear and consistent schedule for your students so they can easily adhere to it. Break down your course into brief, manageable modules that can be completed in a short amount of time to keep students focused (let’s face it, it is tough to not get distracted during online lectures) and prevent them from feeling overwhelmed. Establish a clear and simple calendar indicating when the student should have completed each part of the online course and put systems in place to monitor their progress and punctuality.
Pro-tip: Platforms with built-in calendar features can be a game-changer, allowing you to schedule lessons, set deadlines, and track student progress effortlessly.
Given that there is no authority figure present to ensure diligence and focus during online classes, there can be a severe lack of motivation in students. Some online learners may start out fully engaged and then discover that their motivation wanes. We live in an age where attention is at a premium and learners have access to more information than they can consume, so you have to show them the value in taking your course if you want them to actively participate. You must provide them with an interactive and immersive e-learning experience that piques their curiosity and interests.
Solution: Make learning interactive and engaging by incorporate microlearning techniques and using gamification elements like points, leaderboards, or challenges.
Students are habituated to learning using both theoretical and practical resources. With the shift to online classes, the practical aspect of learning is lost and students have to rely more heavily on theory. Dry subject matter is the bane of every teacher’s existence, leaving students uninterested and distracted during class.
Solution: Incorporate a healthy dose of innovation, creativity, and every engrossing resource you can get your hands on to transform your material into something engaging and exciting. Try and come up with ways in which students can make use of what they learn in their daily lives. Handing some control over to your students and encouraging them to get involved in creating their own content can also produce valuable results. Look for platforms that allow you to integrate multimedia content like videos, podcasts, images, and even student-generated content to keep your lessons fresh and engaging.
When we shift to an online learning environment, assuming that one teaching approach will work for all can be detrimental to learning. Creating generic assignments and course structures works fine if you have a one-on-one class, but for a larger number of students, each with their own learning styles, a personalised teaching experience is almost a necessity.
Solution: Mix it up - use audio, video, text, quizzes, flashcards and more to get your point across to a diverse set of students (with the rise in EdTech, the options are never ending!) Instead of giving only one assignment or activity to your students, offer them a choice between two or three varied topics, so they can choose what is best suited for them. It also helps to establish in the very beginning, that students are encouraged to raise doubts or questions they may have or share their insights and opinions on the subject matter, at any given point.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of online classes is that as an educator, it becomes difficult to provide each student with personal attention. Thus, it becomes important to foster personal interaction within the online world as much as possible. Facilitate conversation between you and your students as well as among the students themselves. Stress on the importance of feedback and show the students that their individual voice matters.
Solution: Look for platforms that have built-in communication tools to facilitate discussions between students and instructors. These should allow you to organize webinars, groups or forums where students can exchange notes, discuss concepts and resolve their queries. One popular method of making sure that your students don't feel isolated is introducing the concept of Happy Hour. It's a digital replacement to the ‘water cooler conversations’ that students would otherwise engage in during breaks.
If you are new to the field of online teaching or are looking for ways to promote your existing classes, you can go through our Guide to Teaching Online Effortlessly.
Classcard, the simplest way to manage your classes, can be your friend in your online teaching journey. With its practical and easy-to-use features, Classcard helps you keep track of attendance, schedules, payments and collaborate seamlessly with staff and students, alike.
So while online teaching does come with its set of challenges, remember, the right tools and strategies can make all thedifference.