10s-10s-10s Across the Board: 10 Tangible Tips for TAs Transitioning to Online Teaching
The current pandemic has changed the way most classes will be delivered in the upcoming Fall term. Many teaching assistants (TAs) will be doing their work online for the very first time. In a virtual workshop hosted by the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Dalhousie University in May 2020, many TAs expressed concerns about potential changes to their TA work. The aim of this blog is to further the conversation and provide 10 tangible tips for TAs transitioning to online teaching that arose from the workshop and are helpful across all disciplines. TAs are encouraged to discuss these tips with the course instructor during class management planning.
Tip 1 – Try a Survey
Try sending out a survey to students at the start of the course to get a sense of their needs, current situations, and any potential concerns they may have about online learning. You could ask them:
Have you taken an online course before?
Have you used Brightspace before? You can also add a question about familiarity with other technology that might be used in the course, like Collaborate Ultra!
What time zone are you in?
Do you have consistent and easy access to an internet connection?
Do you know who to contact for IT issues and Brightspace technical help?
Tip 2 – Know How to Get Technical Help
Make sure to have the contact information for technology support handy, so you can refer students when they need help. Provide it for them in several ways, for example, send a Brightspace notice about it, include it in an email, and have it posted on the course’s homepage.
Click here to check out Dal’s great Academic Technology Services (ATS) and here for the Information Technology Services (ITS) teams.
Tip 3 – Practice in the Online Environment
Remember to set aside extra time to get acquainted with Brightspace and other teaching tools used in the course for which you’re TAing. You may need prep time to learn all the different functions in Brightspace, Collaborate Ultra, and Panopto, as well as any other eLearning tools you may be using.
Click here to check out Brightspace training sessions on Dal’s eLearning website
It’s recommended that you learn about the gradebook, discussion tools, and other features of Brightspace that you might be expected to manage when you mark or facilitate in the online environment. ATS and the Libraries have a collection of free training and videos to help you.
Click here to check out Dal’s Remote Teaching website and resources
Tip 4 - Keep Communication Clear and Concise
As a TA, communication with the students and instructor is essential. Students are receiving a number of messages about the transition online and will need to process and keep track of a lot of important information. Providing clear and concise course communication will help students recognize what’s most important for them to be successful in the class. However, be aware that clear and concise communication in an online environment often requires more planning than in a face-to-face environment, so make sure to factor that into your time management.
Tip 5 - Create a Short “Start Here” Video
This can be a 1- or 2-minute video that shows students where to find the course syllabus, how to navigate the course Brightspace site, where to go for virtual office hours, and other useful information. It’s also a great way to introduce yourself to the students and build rapport by showing that you’re more than just text on a screen.
Tip 6 - Keep Communication Timely and Consistent
Students, especially online and across many time zones, appreciate communication that’s timely and consistent. Frequent and responsive communication can help reduce stress and anxiety for students because it signals to them when, where, and how they can access key information about their course. Creating a communications schedule is useful because you can plan when you’ll need to spend time creating and sending messages to students. A strategy will help you stay within the parameters of your contract hours.
Tip 7– Be Friendly
Making communication personal and friendly is essential for building relationships with students. An awareness of some of the limitations of online communication may help. For example, remember that the lack of body language and ability to “read” a person is often absent online, so subtleties of communicating, like tone, can be difficult to assess. It’s best to reread your communications a few times to make sure the tone is professional and friendly, and hopefully avoid misunderstandings. A simple trick is to start the email or feedback post with the student’s name.
Bonus Tip: To build more meaningful relationships with your students, try recording emails or feedback using video or audio. This can add a personal touch and provides an opportunity for the students to see, hear, and feel your presence more strongly in your teaching.
Tip 8 – Host Virtual Office Hours
Setup a time each week to hold virtual office hours. This can be a quick way for students to ask questions and build rapport. It may also save you time writing out multiple emails to answer student questions since you can record your office hour sessions, and post them online for students (unless the information discussed in the session is personal or confidential). If you’ve sent out a short survey (see Tip 1), you may find that students are located all over the world, so thinking about offering short 30-minute virtual office hours 2 – 3 times a week at different times to provide more accessibility.
Tip 9 – Give Balanced and Specific Feedback
Marking is one of the main duties of many TAs. Evaluating and providing feedback can be different online. It’s helpful for students to know what type of feedback you’re giving so that they know what to expect. Are you following a rubric? Have you given it to them before they start the assignment? Try to avoid vague feedback and be as specific as possible.
Tip 10 - Be Flexible and Compassionate to Students
The current situation is stressful, and many students may be dealing with a lot of additional stressors that you don’t know about, so try to approach students with flexibility and compassion. If another week is requested by a student to finish an assignment, ask yourself if it’ll make a huge impact if you extend the deadline. Sometimes students need a bit more flexibility in periods of transition.
Another Bonus Tip - BE KIND to yourself
One more bonus tip is to remember to be KIND to yourself. This is an unusual time and we’re all trying to figure things out. You don’t need to be perfect. Reach out for help if needed, connect with other TAs, connect via social media, @DalCLT, #DALonline, #selfcare
There’s a community here for you!
References
Anderson, A. n.d. 4 Secrets to Giving Feedback Online [WWW Document]. GoReact Blog. URL https://blog.goreact.com/2017/02/23/4-secrets-to-giving-feedback-online/ (accessed 4.16.20).
Kilgore, W., 2016. Let’s talk: Effectively Communicating with your Online Students, in: Humanizing Online Teaching and Learning. Whitney Kilgore.
Tomar, D.A., 2018. Synchronous Learning vs. Asynchronous Learning in Online Education [WWW Document]. TheBestSchools.org. URL https://thebestschools.org/magazine/synchronous-vs-asynchronous-education/ (accessed 4.16.20).
Venable, M. (July 22, 2015) “Make a personal connection in your online classroom.” http://www.onlinecollege.org/2013/07/22/make-a-personal-connection-in-your-online-classroom/