5 Top Education Experts Shares Insight On Teaching Online

Tip 1. Your Student is The Hero, Not You

Having helped 500,000+ STEM students apply to graduate school Jordan Dotson, the founder of WriteIvy.com think that we should always place the benefit of our students first.

He noted, “for new online course creators, they need to realize that digital and live student experiences are utterly different. People take online courses because they want immediately actionable steps toward a better version of themselves. They don’t want empty knowledge. They don’t want to sit at their computer and listen to a digital face for hours—they want to do something, and they want to do it better than they could on their own.”

Going further, he mentioned that, “the student is the hero, not the teacher. The teacher is only the mentor who will push them out into the world, give them the exact tools they need to succeed, and tell them exactly which obstacles to avoid. Our job isn’t to eat up their time, but to help them save time.”

I totally, agree with him and love that he talks about, “a good online course isn’t one in which you sit and talk at the camera for hours. It’s one where you provide a brief, luminous insight, give the student a task, and allow them go achieve something tangible and feel the joy that entails.”

Jordan Dotson

Founder of WriteIvy.com

Tip 2. Create a Supportive Environment for Your Student

Focusing on help guiding aspiring musicians and educators in the digital realm, Alan Senejani, Co-Founder of LVL Music Academy emphasize the importance of attention to detail and commitment to student success by creating a supportive environment where your student can strive and grow.

Here’s what he have to say, “I believe that the key to successful online education lies in creating a supportive and engaging virtual learning environment. Drawing parallels to the meticulous care required in maintaining musical instruments.”

As an expert in music education he have some great steps for beginner online educators and course creators to get started based on his experience,

1. Prioritize creating a supportive and engaging virtual learning environment, much like the meticulous care needed to maintain musical instruments.
2. Utilize tools and techniques to enhance student engagement in virtual music classes, such as live demonstrations, virtual instrument simulations, and collaborative music-making platforms.
3. Offer personalized feedback, mentorship, one-on-one sessions, group discussions, and constructive critiques to provide tailored guidance and encouragement, fostering a sense of community and accountability.
4. Incorporate innovative teaching methods and technology integration, such as virtual reality tours of concert halls, guest lectures from industry professionals, and online music theory games, to enrich the curriculum and spark creativity.

What guide him in his journey as an online music educator is his motto, “With dedication and innovation, you can inspire the next generation of musicians in the digital age.”

Alan Senejani

Co-Founder of LVL Music Academy

Tip 3. Make Online Education a Two Way Communication

If you are having a hard time not sure how to start your online classes and make each lesson exciting and attention grabbing, Dr. Sarah Porter, Psychologist & Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College have a few advice for all new online educators.

She states, “students tune out if you don’t tune into them. Open each lecture with an attention grabber – an image, quotation, song, anecdote, or question – and ask how it might relate to the topic you’re about to discuss. This awakens your audience’s curiosity and helps them connect to the course content from the start.”

And to make your lesson even better, here’s what she advice you’ll need to do, “once your talk is underway, build in interaction – at minimum – every nine minutes thereafter. Anything from a casual show of hands to a poll, a reflective writing exercise to a structured think-pair-share activity will do the trick.”

That’s it!

Keep your audience engaged in any ways every 9 minutes.

Seem pretty simple right?

Dr. Sarah Porter

Psychologist | Workplace Well-Being Speaker | Keynote Speaker | Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College

Tip 4. Break Up Your Content and Make The Learning Experience Dynamic

If you have tried learning a second language, you will know how hard it is to pick up a new language, however, Connor Ondriska, CEO and E-learning expert from SpanishVIP have some tips for you if you are trying to teach a new language online.

And this is what he says, “When teaching online, it is essential to create an interactive and immersive learning environment that keeps students engaged and motivated.”

From his experience here is how it is done, “Try to incorporate a variety of multimedia elements into your courses, such as videos, interactive quizzes, and visual aids. This helps to break up the content and cater to different learning styles, making the learning experience more dynamic and engaging for students.

Connor Ondriska

CEO and E-learning expert from SpanishVIP

Tip 5. Online Education Require Structured Intentional Design

Fail to plan is plan to fail, and if you want to be successful teaching online, Dr. Jason Cherubini, Assistant Teaching Professor at Loyola University Maryland have a few words that will truly inspire any new online educators and course creators.

He states that, “unlike in-person classes where interaction can arise organically, online courses require structured, intentional design to foster community and engagement.”

In his online lectures and online courses, there are a few things he will always do,

1. Encourage student collaboration through forums and discussion boards, moving beyond textbook answers to tackle complex “wicked problems” that require thoughtful debate and defense of positions. This stimulates deeper engagement and critical thinking.
2. Recognizing varied learning styles, by diversifying instructional materials with videos, texts, infographics, quizzes, and polls.
3. Presenting content in manageable segments, allowing students to digest information more comfortably and maintain interest over longer periods.
4. Effective bilateral communication is vital. Thus he offer a comprehensive FAQ section to preempt common questions, provide additional resources for varying academic needs, and ensure timely responses to emails and student meetings.

In his reply, he also stress that, “I think it is important for the instructor of an online course to attempt to garner feedback from students during the running of the course and adjust as needed. Online courses (like in-person courses) are not ‘set it and forget it’; they should grow and change to best meet the students’ needs.”

I totally agree with what he says, and I believe these tips he give will definitely help you as an online educator.

Dr. Jason Cherubini

DBA, CPA, CGMA, CMA, MBA | Executive-In-Residence | Assistant Professor at Loyola University Maryland