How to Tackle Study Engagement in Distance Learning?

Covid-19 has changed many things, including the way kids learn. Schools have adapted by transitioning to distance learning. High-speed wireless internet access for remote learning has been crucial and has made it possible to connect students and teachers, making it possible for students to engage in plenty of learning opportunities online. However, in many of the classes, engagement was a challenge, with many of the students saying they were less engaged during their online classes compared to when they were doing in-person classes.

If you’re taking online classes and find yourself with the same problem, here are tips to tackle the hurdle and help you improve engagement levels in your sessions at the onlinehigh school Japan.

Understand the Issues

What are the factors that affect the engagement of the students? Is it the dry delivery of the lessons through video? For many, yes. It’s cut down on the interaction, which hurts engagement levels. For some, though, the problem is the technology itself. You might feel at times that you’re talking to a computer and waiting for the students to answer back. Knowing the problems, though, can help you figure out ways to address them properly.

Master the Technology

You’ll need to be proficient at using the technology first. It’s going to take time and you’re going to need to adapt to a lot of tools and digital solutions, especially if you’ve never done an online class before. Are you proficient with the technology, the software, the programmes? Are you comfortable using them? Excellent knowledge of how to use the online tools will help build a supportive relationship between you and the kids as well as boost student engagement.

Explore a Variety of Tools

If a learning tool that works for some of your peers don’t work for you, that’s all right. Try another one. And another one. Keep looking until you find tools that fit your needs and help you overcome the unique challenges that come from delivering content through technology.

Switch Up Your Styles

Trying out different tools, though, isn’t enough. You need to switch up your learning style, too. Which styles are proving effective online? Which ones get the most engagement from your students? You’ll want to consider that when you plan your next online sessions.

Become an Entertainer

The dry nature of the video is one of the things that’s been hurting student engagement. For many teachers, that means bringing out their inner entertainers to grab their student’s attention, with many of the teachers setting up a board and mini classroom at home. If possible, refer to past lessons or activities to help kids remember the lessons they enjoyed. That could help revive their engagement, too.

Choose Social Activities

Think social and fun when you designate activities where the kids interact with each other. This could involve projects and discussions along with games and group work. Giving the kids time to interact helps improve engagement as well. Also, if the kids are involved in an activity, they are more invested in what’s happening. They’ll pay better attention than usual. Sustaining that attention is the goal.

Talk About Why

Before you get started, then, explain the learning goals of the exercise. If they don’t understand why it matters, or if they don’t get why they’re doing it in the first place, that compromises engagement. Students feel and demonstrate greater engagement if they know why they’re doing the activity. That’s also why just asking them or giving them instructions to do the exercise will only bore them more.

Show That You Care

Reach out to your students. Do you know their names? Do you know anything about them beyond that, what they’re like outside of class? Have you asked them how they’re doing or how their family is doing? Build a relationship with every child in your class. That helps contribute to engagement. Show them that you care about them, that you are invested in their learning and growth. The kids will respond positively to that attention.

Work on Your Notes

Have detailed notes on every child. Record your interactions. This might seem tedious but having all that to look back on can help you figure out what tactic to take to get the child interested in the online lessons. Also, work hard to ensure that you and every child in your class have a positive interaction. Now more than ever, that positive interaction is needed and can make a huge difference in the child.

Use Humor

There are a lot of things that aren’t going right in the world right now. What you can do is help the kids feel safe and secure in your online classes. Help them move past the anxiety and worry that they might feel over what’s going to happen.

With these tips, your online sessions will definitely see much improvement.