Thinking of Moving Online? 5 Keys to Successful Online Teaching

 Check out these Top 5 Online Teaching Tips from Ashley Chiampo, Senior Director of Learning and Lisa Brem, Director of Global Design at Emeritus, a leader in online higher education. 

Emeritus specializes in providing online education for our partner institutions and corporations, focusing on small, private online courses (SPOCs) of between 50 and 500 enrollments. We conduct over 4,000 live online events every year, and that number is growing.  Our team has decades of experience providing online and blended education, and we’ve found that the right approach to crafting online experiences can make a huge difference for faculty, learners, and administrators. To help institutions think through the challenges and opportunities inherent in online education, we are sharing guidance from our talented team of learning professionals. 

1. Know the tools for online teaching.  To get the best out of the online experience, faculty and staff must become proficient in using the tools available to them.   At Emeritus, we have expertise in using webinar and learning management (LMS) platforms to create a coherent learning experience; one that aligns content and activities to learning outcomes.      
2. It takes a village.  “Hold on,” you might say: “You just told us to become proficient in online technologies – where will faculty get the time to do that?” The solution is to build a support system around your faculty so they can focus on what they do best: delivering the content.  We assemble a team that consists of: instructional designers, subject matter experts, course leaders, and a technical support team.  
3. Train the trainer. Faculty will feel more enthusiastic about moving online if they know they have support, and if they get comfortable with the technology.  Plan time for run-throughs or practice sessions.  
4. Keep it human. At Emeritus, our instructional designers employ techniques during both live and asynchronous activities to get people talking, sharing, and debating. This gives learners a chance to hear other opinions and build a sense of community that can transcend geography, demographics, and time zones.  
5. Preparation and details matter. There are many small details that we have learned through experience that make for a better live online session. Here are a few of the more notable ones:  

• Make sure the space is quiet and free of distractions.  
• Make sure the lighting is adequate.    
• Make sure that the faculty has a timer handy.  
• Employ breaks more frequently – this allows participants, presenters, and moderators time to review the Q&A and chat boards and to bring forth questions.  
• Give the presentation slides a refresh. Make sure they are visually interesting and reinforce, but do not distract, from the learning.  

I hope this overview has given a starting point for those of you who are thinking of moving courses online. If you have questions or wish to consult with Emeritus, please feel free to contact us at ashley.chiampo@emeritus.org or lisa.brem@emeritus.org.