As a wellness scientist, I cannot emphasize enough how much we need to comply with guidance from CDC and WHO. I have spent ten years in academia and six years teaching public health and healthcare courses online. We are in challenging times that require us to be calm, yet prepared. Delivering knowledge online is a totally different approach to pedagogy – the practice of teaching – and student engagement.
For my educators out there, here are a few starter strategies for you:
1. Host classes via videoconference and upload the recorded lectures to the online classroom.
2. Require students to be present online each day in a discussion forum.
3. Set conduct standards for the dispassion forum including no online bullying.
4. Specify the number of original posts a student may post on the online forum each week.
5. Specify the number of replies a student must make in the online forum each week.
6. Directly message any students who have not participated by Wednesday of each week for accountability and support.
7. Privately message any students who are breaking conduct standards in the online discussion forum right away as to not publicly escalate the issue.
8. Offer online office hours using a video conference platform.
9. Request online assignment submissions and upload grades within a specified timeline.
10. Load all course materials (announcements, slides, quizzes, etc.) into the online platform including the syllabus and enter the final exam using the exam function as applicable. Check out Camtasia and Panopto for lectures. Ensure your uploads are ADA compliant as necessary.
11. Make use of any automations the online learning platform may offer.
I hope this helps. While mostly geared toward the collegiate level, this may help K-12 teachers as well. Join me on Live Well, the podcast, as we get through COVID-19 together. And join me in the Wellthy Academy as well all take time to re-prioritize what’s important fore wellness and work. We’re in this together.
Live Well is a women’s empowerment lifestyle brand focusing on mental health, money, and motherhood. Established in 2010 by Dr. Jenn Edwards, Live Well specifically helps women avoid burnout, holistically invest, and parent with resilience. Jennifer is a wife, mother of two children, scientist, author, speaker, professor, and fourth generation entrepreneur.
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