Online learning is now a part of the new normal and is becoming the primary mode of imparting education. Online learning is opening new doors for learners and helping them gain top-notch learning experiences. But, at the same time, the primary challenge of online learning is keeping the students engaged. Yes, “The74” states that more than 55% of students have not attended virtual classes regularly.
Virtual learning is mostly about engagement via videos. It can be either in the form of live or pre-recorded videos. Brilliant online teaching apps like Teachmint provide a platform where teachers can conduct online classes seamlessly.
However, the success of any learning course depends significantly on the engagement of the students. But owing to the present state of social isolation, it is more likely for the learners to get easily distracted. So, here we are with some fantastic tips on making student video engagement seamless while enhancing the learning experience.
7 tips to make student video engagement seamless
- Face-to-face interaction
The best feature of a traditional classroom is that the students get to study in the company of their peers and teachers. If somehow this feature could be replicated in learning through videos, the learning experience and outcomes would dramatically improve. This can be achieved by scheduling live video sessions for students. Each student can be allotted a particular slot for one-on-one interaction with the mentor, or there can be group discussions as well. Live videos can also help both the teacher and the students to see each other’s facial expressions, which will increase the engagement level. Moreover, live videos give students a sense that the teacher is physically present and, thus, more approachable.
2. Take breaks
As in schools, where after each class there is a short break, design your whole video lecture in a similar fashion. If it is a one-hour lecture, give a break of 10-15 minutes in between. This will help the students to reflect on whatever is being taught or just get a glass of water to refresh them. They can even communicate with each other during that time as happens in traditional classrooms.
3. Keep the content short and interactive
When it comes to online learning, students have the option to fast-forward the videos or skip them altogether. So, the way lectures are designed in a video is totally different from that in a classroom. Even the attention span of students reduces to 10-15 minutes while listening to videos. Thus, it is better to develop the content for a shorter duration. Break the topic into smaller sub-topics and prepare video lectures of 10 minutes on each of these sub-topics. Also, keep some time for open discussions at the end of each video. This will considerably enhance the learning experience.
4. Build a learning community
Students learn effectively in classrooms because they feel a sense of belongingness there. They feel that the classroom is their own space and thus express themselves freely. The lecture videos should be made keeping the same thing in mind. They should give students the feeling of belonging to a community. For this, create a platform where students can communicate during or after the class. They can discuss their learnings, express problems, share ideas, help each other, and do a lot more. Divide them into groups for certain tasks. This will definitely keep them excited to attend the next video lecture.
5. Get students to implement their learnings
Practical application of concepts is the best way to engage your students through videos. Just listening to lectures virtually is no fun at all. The videos must be made activity-based where the lecture is a combination of theory and practice both. The students must be given tasks that they can complete on their own and share the results with everyone in the next video. For instance, if it is a biology lecture related to some plants, you can ask the students to experiment with the plant at home and share pictures.
6. Regular feedback is crucial
It is quite natural for a student to feel isolated in an online learning environment. Learning from a video from the confines of your home, instead of in a classroom filled with 20 more students like you, can be boring at times. You easily tend to get distracted. Soliciting feedback from the students can be a great way to bring their attention back. Students should be asked regularly if they are comfortable with the teaching style if there is any topic that needs further discussion, or what changes they would recommend in the course or curriculum. The videos should be made in a way that these feedback questions are put at the end of each video to make the next video even better. This way the students will also feel engaged and enjoy a fulfilling learning experience.
7. Cater to each student’s learning requirements
The online learning environment gives us the benefit of monitoring and tracking each student’s performance easily and effectively with the help of technology. Thus, the strong and weak portions of a student can be assessed, based on which individual learning plans can be developed. You can then adjust the pace of videos, take some extra effort, and also schedule mentoring sessions for that particular student. All these efforts by the teacher will definitely encourage the student to engage and perform better.
Wrapping Up
As we enter the new era of distance learning, you will have ample opportunities to keep your students engaged. And, video learning is one of them. It helps you make the online learning experience fun and more engaging. You can leverage several tools, technologies, and tips as mentioned here to make video engagement seamless for your students.
To bring ease and efficiency to the table, it is of utmost importance to digitize your school. With a brilliant suite of features, the Teachmint Integrated School Platform makes the process of management, teaching, learning, and analysis- easy, effective, and practically consolidated with one another. Check out the features here.
