Various types of teaching methods and pedagogy in online teaching

TOI-Online / Dec 20, 2022, 12:53 IST

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As online learning in schools gains prevalence, the right way of approaching it also becomes very important. The method of teaching is important as it decides the effectiveness and impact of teaching for students. The article discusses the important types of online teaching and pedagogy, involving ways of approaching the students provided by Fordham University of New York, US.

Various types of teaching methods and pedagogy in online teaching

In these courses, the educator and all the enrolled students interact online at the same time
The students interact in these classes through text, video or audio chat just like a webinar. It allows students to learn a course remotely but in real-time

Asynchronous online learning environment:

In asynchronous teaching, courses are not taught don't take place in real-time
Here, the students are educated by providing content and assignments that are to be completed in a certain time frame
Exams are conducted after the completion of these assignments and content delivery
Interaction usually takes place through discussion boards, blogs and wikis and thus there is no class meeting time
This method is good for students who are faced with a time crunch, have busy schedules and want flexibility

Hybrid online learning environment:

This is also called blended learning combines both traditional physical learning and online interaction
In a hybrid learning environment, students meet in person several times a year in a semester and also avail of virtual interaction with their teachers and peers in face-to-face sessions

The pedagogy in online learning is as important and helps in bridging both the communication and understanding gap. Here are some important teaching methods that can be applied to get the maximum in online learning:
Proactive communication:

Students should be informed in advance about any changes or interruptions that may happen in the classes and should be assured that they wouldn't be held responsible for the problem caused due to technical glitches
They should also be informed about their responsibilities and teachers’ expectations in sticking to scheduled assignments and syllabi
Teachers should also inform students about how frequently they would interact with students, and how quick to expect a response from the teachers
Teachers can even set an automatic reply through their email accounts
A group email can also be sent when the class gets disrupted

Distribution of materials:

Students should be provided with an updated syllabus, modified course activities, assignments, content and due dates in case of an interruption
The students can be emailed these materials as attachments or links to online resources like videos, websites or even podcasts
Alternatively, the content can also be shared and stored in a designated folder in Google drive

Creating and curating content:

Care should be taken to create content in a mobile-usable format so that it can be used by even those students who don't have access to laptops or when travelling
Mobile-friendly formats should be utilised for creating content like word documents, excel and PowerPoint
However, all the content need not be created beforehand as different multimedia resources can also be employed while teaching to explain various concepts

Lastly, using the right means of document transfer, tools and flexibility in the deadline owing to interruptions are also important in the assessment and evaluation of the students in online learning.

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