Covid-19 has accelerated the need for effective and engaging teaching in an online environment. The world over, teachers and their students have been forced to adapt quickly to these challenges, but how do you approach this if you are not experienced in digital teaching?
At Advance HE, we have consolidated our expertise in teaching and learning to design a New to Digital Teaching course aimed specifically at those new to delivering courses via virtual platforms.
Three quarters of participants who took the online course during the global lockdown said they were likely, or very likely, to try the new approaches and tools suggested such as active learning strategies, creative activities and collaborative learning when designing and delivering their own online teaching.
The majority of participants said they would change their teaching for a digital environment by using a more interactive approach, experimenting with breakout rooms and including more variety of online activities.
Many decided that incorporating more feedback and assessment methods into their digital delivery would also bring change to, and refresh, their practice and value the ongoing support offered by participants.
Tim Hinchcliffe, Senior Adviser Learning and Teaching at Advance HE and course facilitator for New to Digital Teaching, said:
“New to Online Teaching and Learning will improve your confidence to successfully deliver effective courses in a safe and nurturing environment.
"Many of our participants stay in touch with one another once the formal course has come to an end, and so it will provide opportunities to meet other teachers and build a lasting community of practice.”
Our recent participants said:
Tim and Kathy are invested, enthusiastic and committed. This is an engaging course which makes the new online teacher really think about how to design their learning.”Neil Roberts, Journalism Lecturer, Buckinghamshire New University
The New to Digital Teaching Programme was to the point, had the right balance between online training attendance, self-paced work and interaction with the tutors and other participants. It was an enjoyable and useful training programme.”Carlos M. Martins, Tutor, University of Gibraltar