Whether we are new to or familiar with online learning, we endeavour to create a meaningful and impactful educational experience for our students. This is all the more relevant given the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To support SMU instructors during this period, the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) has put together some tips and strategies to help make your online lesson more engaging. These resources have been curated and organised to help you locate information aligned to your needs or interest. As the general principles of online and face-to-face teaching may converge in certain areas, you may also be directed to the relevant resources within our website.
In addition to these resources, we have also incorporated practical tips by instructors as well as feedback from students. Students generally found the interactive synchronous sessions conducted via Webex helpful, especially when instructors engage them in discussions either through the chat function or providing opportunities for them to express their views verbally and in turns. Students liked the use of recorded Webex sessions, pre-recorded videos, slides with narrations, as these resources gave them the flexibility to pause, take notes, and study at their own pace. Students also suggested the use of forums/collaborative tools and breakout sessions as an extension of class participation to facilitate group discussions and consultations with their instructors. They welcomed the use of classroom response systems, such as Wooclap and Kahoot at appropriate junctures to further increase interaction and engagement and also indicated that online quizzes would be helpful in consolidating their learning. Since mid-July 2020, IITS has also introduced Zoom for Teaching and Learning and this will open up new possibilities such as the use of breakout rooms to cater to online group discussions
In response to feedback from both students and faculty members, we have tailored a series of online workshops (see below) aimed at providing tips, strategies, and hands-on practice in facilitating various activities in your online class. These sessions are designed to help you to plan, prepare, and teach your courses in a flexible range of online environments. We hope you can join us for these sessions. The workshop slides can also be accessed via the links below.
As you plan how to deliver your online lesson, do take some time to consider the key questions below:
Enquire & Explore
Plan & Design: How do I go about planning and designing my course?
Development: How do I go about preparing and producing my online content?
Review: What is the perspective from my students’ point of view?
Deliver: How am I interacting with my students to help them learn?
Evaluate
We understand that there are many things to consider when converting your course to an online format and would like to invite you to look through the following sections to explore some tips and strategies that may be helpful to you.
Bibliography
There are three common frameworks in designing an effective online course and developing accompanying online teaching materials:
Details of these frameworks can be found at this link.
While key Teaching and Learning principles, such as crafting clear learning objectives, designing effective instructional strategies and assessments that measure learning outcomes (see link) remain important, there is a need to reconsider other factors such as changes to course requirements due to the online format, student expectations, affordances of technology and how you can leverage Edtech tools to enhance student learning. Here are some points to consider:
Redesigning a F2F lesson into an effective online lesson:
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
In an online classroom environment, learning activities that are conducted ‘live’ and offer meaningful interactive face-to-face interaction are commonly referred to as synchronous learning activities (Harris et al., 2009; Simonson et al., 2012). Such lessons require instructors and students to be on an online platform at the same time where students participate in learning activities while instructors are present to respond to their learning needs. Studies have shown that participants in such learning interventions experience high levels of social presence and active learning due largely to the immediacy of real-time and dynamic interaction (Bower et al., 2015).
CTE has compiled a set of best practices, contributed by SMU instructors, which aims to provide practical and useful tips for planning a synchronous WebEx lesson. The Instructor and Student WebEx quick guide can also be downloaded for your quick reference.
Instructor Quick Guide (link) Student Quick Guide: (link)
Zoom
Zoom Instructor Quick Guide: Link
Planning to teach in a synchronous online environment for the first time may seem daunting. Questions such as how students will react to your instructional strategies and how to engage them to ensure lesson objectives are met will no doubt come to mind.
Design your lesson:
The Community of Inquiry (COI) Framework featured in E.D.G.E. Issue 1, suggests that a positive online learning experience involves three presences – social, cognitive, and teaching.
In the context of using WebEx, you could plan your lesson to ensure that:
Get support from your Teaching Assistant (TA):
Arrange to do a test session with your TA and brief them on how they can support you during the actual session. If your TA is not familiar with the use of WebEx, you can refer them to eLearn team or CTE. Having a TA’s support is helpful as this allows you to focus on conducting the session while your TA monitors students’ progress and any students' requests for assistance. If your TA is in the same room, it is advisable that they use headphones with a microphone to follow the lesson. They should also mute their microphones so as to avoid sound interferences.
TAs could support you in the following areas:
Check your equipment and test in advance:
Do conduct your lesson in a quiet area and advise students to do likewise as a noisy environment is likely to interfere with learning. Students have also been similarly advised in the Student Quick Guide.
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Check that your computer or laptop is connected to the internet, either via Wi-Fi or ethernet cable (preferred), and that your headset (microphone and headphones) and webcam is working. While the laptop microphone and in-built speakers typically work well, a dedicated headset with microphone (see sample picture below) will reduce any external noise, avoid feedback, and enhance clarity. <Refer to Step 3 of Instructors’ WebEx Quick Guide to check your audio settings> |
Unlike face-to-face sessions, non-verbal cues and other class routines which are often taken for granted in class may not always be available as part of your teaching repertoire. Hence, providing students with a clear set of instructions and routines is critical in ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted online learning experience.
Provide clear instructions to your students:
Prior to class, do provide clear instructions such as the date and time of your WebEx session as well as login instructions. This can be done during the previous lesson, email, or through the eLearn platform. You could also point students to the WebEx quick guide that CTE has developed (click here to download). A copy of the student quick guide has also been sent to them via email at the start of the term.
Arrive early; check audio and slides:
To ensure your lesson begins on time, do advise students to access Webex early, preferably 5-10 minutes before the start time. Make use of this time to test your microphone and to check if students can see the slides.
Here are 3 quick steps you could follow:
Create a welcoming atmosphere:
When students join an online session and do not hear or see anything on the screen, they may get panicky and wonder if they are in the right WebEx session. To set up a warm welcoming mood, it is recommended that there be an introduction slide with a note which says something like "Welcome! You have successfully joined the (course name) session. The session will start shortly at 9:00 am".
Here are recommended baseline best practices when facilitating your WebEx session.
Communicate and follow a set of clear expectations:
Start by informing your students about the format of the online session, expected duration and topics that you would be covering. Announce how you would like to take their questions. It is recommended that Q&A segments are introduced at appropriate checkpoints in the session and also at the end of the session. The questions can be asked through the chat function and you can respond verbally through your microphone.
Present effectively:
Consider using a deck of presentation slides as your base presentation materials for students to refer to. The recommended minimum font size is 18. Avoid streaming of videos during the WebEx sessions to avoid lag. Instead share the video link for students to view on their own prior to class. <Refer to Step 4 of Instructors’ WebEx Quick Guide to share your slides>
Do note that when you share a presentation via the ‘Share File’ function, animations do not work but this option enables your slides to be displayed side-by-side with the Participants and Chat panel on the right and the Annotation panel on the left.
You can inject energy into your presentation by using a variety of annotation tools. Highlight key points and information as you talk about them. Use the annotation tools like pencil, pointer tool, or laser pointer to direct your students’ attention. <Refer to Step 4 of Instructors’ WebEx Quick Guide to locate the Annotation tools.> This is in line with the Signaling principle where the attention of the students is directed to the critical aspects of the learning material. Studies have shown that such a technique helps students learn better by positively influencing information processing, namely visual selection of relevant information from a complex perceptual stimulus and its organization and integration of that information with prior knowledge and the verbal explanation provided by the instructor (Jarodzka et al, 2013).
(Optional: If you wish to show PowerPoint animations, you can instead use the ‘Share Application’ function, accessible via menu or via the icon found at the bottom of your screen. However this option will cause your slides to be partially blocked by the participant and chat panels, hence the ‘Share file’ is recommended.)
Consider recording your session as part of your own review process to see if there are any areas to improve upon. The recording, which will be automatically emailed to your SMU email account, can also be distributed as a link or a file for students who may have missed the session or wish to review the session again.
Click on the Recorder icon to record your session (see screenshots below).
Engage and interact with your students:
Interact with your students and keep them engaged and focused on your presentation. Consider segmenting your lecturing segments with various activities such as the use of polls or chat. Experimental tests have shown that students learn more deeply when they are allowed to process what they have learned before having to move to the next topic, yielding a median effect size of d= 0.79 (Mayer & Chandler, 2001).
You could introduce polls and ask specific students if they agree with poll results and invite them to defend their stand via the chat function. As part of the preparation process, you could prepare poll questions in advance and insert them into the presentation.
You could also leverage the chat function during your presentation as an informal way of getting students to ask questions or to provide feedback. This provides a backend channel for your students to share their ideas and allows you to collect valuable information from them. <Refer to Step 5 and Step 6 of Instructors’ WebEx Quick Guide to call up chat and poll functions respectively>
Not every question needs to be answered by you. Just like in a real class, you might have certain highly capable students wanting to jump in and contribute. Simply check if anyone would like to respond via the chat function.
Wrap up the session:
Do a final check-in on your students and allow them some time to ask questions or seek clarification via the chat function. Use a slide to show students what they are expected to prepare before coming to the next session. Thank the class and hang around for another 2-3 minutes before ending the session in case students would like to ask questions.
EPTL: Basic Webex features & Best Practices:
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
Bibliography
While students are used to the ground rules and routines of a face-to-face classroom, they may not be so familiar with how to behave in an online environment. Instructors need to establish rules and set expectations of their class by setting up a conducive learning environment that is structured and engaging. Here are some suggestions on how to do so:
Bibliography
1. Wolpert, H. (2017). Extending Classroom Management Online. Retrieved June 2 2020 from: https://www.edutopia.org/article/extending-classroom-management-online
In this section, we would like to feature our very own SMU faculty members, who have tried out various online instructional strategies and successfully made their classes more interactive and engaging for students. Let’s find out what they have to say.
Conducting a synchronous online class
“Manage expectations and keep the experience ‘fresh’. Have a clearly structured lesson plan with multiple segments to avoid screen fatigue (mini-lectures, Kahoot quizzes or Wooclap brainstorm sessions, etc.) and share this in advance so students know what to look forward to. Just like in a F2F environment, have a short social chat with students as they are entering the classroom or at the start of the seminar to check how they are coping with the recent changes.” |
Maartje DE VISSER, Associate Professor of Law, SOL |
Abhijeet K. VADERA |
“For a synchronous online class, I followed CTE’s recommendations ... I gave very clear and detailed instructions. These instructions helped me to design and conduct the class and it also helped students understand what to expect in class. It is also important to express the same level of enthusiasm for the online class as it is for a face-to-face class. I shared the same stories and jokes online as I would have done in a face-to-face class.It is my belief that students can easily figure out if a faculty member is not enthusiastic or not prepared for a class." |
Additional tips from other faculty members:
Designing and preparing for online content delivery
![]() LIN Mei, Assistant Professor of Information Systems, SIS |
“Prepare the board work in advance using PowerPoint and use animations to illustrate the board work step-by-step during online lectures. Always adjust window size to show board work and another application side by side. For example, in my class I would show the Python code on the left side and the board work that illustrates the logic on the right. Always use a second monitor to display the WebEx window, so that it is quick and easy to refer to students’ questions by chat at any time without having to switch windows. Always repeat the questions asked via chat to class before answering the questions.” |
Additional tips from other faculty members:
Student Interaction and Engagement
“I encourage students to turn on their microphones when they have great ideas to share. Most of the time, students will type their responses into the chat box, and I would read the responses aloud to the class (in case some students miss the message) before proceeding to respond to the question. Also, if I have read the message and think that the student has made an important contribution, I would invite them to unmute themselves and share a little more about their thoughts, and explain further the reasons for their perspectives. I try my best to ensure that all contributions are engaged with, but when this is not possible, I ask my TA to add these questions to the eLearn discussion forum, and we continue our discussions there, so that the regular class may continue.” |
![]() Aidan WONG, Assistant Professor of Humanities (Education), SOSS; |
Additional tips from other faculty members:
Use of pre-recorded videos
“When I heard that classes will have to be transferred online, my first thought was not how to convert the content for online use, but rather how to transfer the entire classroom experience online, exactly as it used to be before the interruption. Creating video lectures for an economics course is not easy because the lesson contains both narration segments and technical analysis shown in the classroom screen. During this process I learned quite a few useful tips:
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![]() Kosmas MARINAKIS, Senior Lecturer of Economics, SOE |
“I pre-recorded my lectures for my online teaching and use discussion forums on eLearn for class discussion. It works very well. Pre-recorded lectures ensured that my teaching is smooth without being affected by internet connection issues. Students are also able to revise better since they can review the videos again anytime. To make the pre-recorded lecture more engaging, instructors can consider including more visuals and narratives on the slides. If instructors are using many videos in the lecture, a pre-recorded lecture would have its advantage since it ensures a smooth transition. A weekly online discussion forum on eLearn increases the quantity and quality of my students' participation. It encourages thoughtful responses and in-depth reflections as students are not constrained by the limited class time.”
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![]() Andree HARTANTO, Assistant Professor of Psychology (Education), SOSS |
Additional tips from other faculty members:
Facilitating online group discussions: Breakout Rooms
![]() Timothy CHAN, Teaching Consultant, CEC |
"In regular face-to-face classes, I would normally have periods of Self-Directed Learning (SDL) when individual groups (each comprising 4-5 students) would discuss, research, and work on specified tasks. In these physical sessions, I would move around the groups to listen in to the discussions and if necessary, offer ideas or suggestions. For our online sessions, each group leader was tasked to set up a separate group discussion room for their respective groups. This allowed me to “drop-in” on their group discussions. Additionally, each group also put their discussion ideas on a shared Google document which I was able to access anytime during the lesson. Specific questions from the group within the document could also be addressed by responding to the comments within the document. To round up the session, all the students gathered back in my WebEx meeting room. Each group could then share with the rest of the class their findings or ideas. Classmates were encouraged to respond with questions or feedback via the mic or the chat function. Additionally, I would email a general agenda of the lesson, along with the link to my WebEx room prior to the lesson. Students commented that this also helped them mentally prepare for what was expected of them during the lesson.” |
Additional tips from other faculty members:
Assessing students’ learning
"Many students find it difficult to contribute meaningfully to class discussions in an online setting. Consider giving students the opportunity to submit written reflections as another avenue to contribute to discussions. To get an accurate sense of students’ reactions to a synchronous online class, we can conduct regular post-class feedback sessions (perhaps using a simple google form) as a means to obtain feedback on our teaching style, material, etc."
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![]() Clarence GOH, Assistant Professor of Accounting (Practice), SOA |
Additional tips from other faculty members:
Redesigning a F2F lesson into an effective online lesson:
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
Engaging students through Classroom Response Systems: Click here to register!
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
Wooclap
A Classroom Response System (CRS) is a set of hardware or software that facilitates teaching activities. A typical use of a CRS allows instructors to intersperse questions within their presentations to students who would respond either via a handheld transmitter (a “clicker”) or their mobile and computing devices. The instructor would collect the responses, display them usually in charts, and adjust their instructional choices accordingly. The use of such response systems, essentially supports educators to create interactive and effective instruction in classrooms (Caldwell, 2007). Wooclap is a Classroom Response System (CRS) that enables students to actively participate online. It allows students to give opinions and respond to questions (in the form of multiple-choice, open-ended, and even Post-its format for brainstorming activities). Get started by clicking on this link.
The use of interactive synchronous sessions conducted via Webex is helpful in engaging students in active discussions and clarification of doubts. Some instructors also use pre-recorded videos, recorded Webex sessions, slides with narrations to complement these interactive sessions.
The use of videos has become an integral part of higher education as it serves as a cornerstone of many blended learning courses. Videos offer students the flexibility to pause, take notes, and to study at their own pace. Several studies have shown that videos can be a highly effective educational tool especially in self-directed learning (e.g., Kay, 2012; Allen and Smith, 2012; Lloyd and Robertson, 2012; Rackaway, 2012; Hsin and Cigas, 2013). Here at SMU, instructors also use pre-recorded videos, recorded Webex sessions, slides with narrations to complement other interactive learning strategies.
In order for videos to serve as a productive part of a learning experience, there are three key elements to video design and implementation:
Cognitive Load
The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning builds on the Cognitive Load Theory which posits that working memory has two channels for information acquisition and processing: a visual/pictorial channel and an auditory/verbal processing channel (Mayer and Moreno, 2003). Based on this premise, effective learning experiences through videos could be enhanced through the following:
Active Learning
Consider the use of active learning strategies to help students process the information and concepts in your video and to monitor their own understanding.
Student Engagement
Try to include elements that help promote student engagement so students will go through your entire video.
For more tips, please access our e-bulletin ‘Designing Effective Videos for Blended Learning’ at this link.
Creating effective videos:
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
Kaltura Mediacast
Kaltura Mediacast is a streaming media platform where faculty and students can view SMU’s media online via desktop and mobile devices. Create screencast and interactive video quizzes and share the videos with your students.
Visit https://mediacast.smu.edu.sg or this link for tips on using Mediacast
Webex Recording Feature
Record your synchronous session using the recording feature and share it with your students. The Webex best practice guide can be found here.
Other options:
PowerPoint with narration
Record a slideshow with narration and slide timings, see link.
Screencasting with Loom
Create screencast videos and narration, see link.
Creating Doodle videos e.g. Doodly
Create screencast videos and narration, see link
Bibliography
Asynchronous online discussions
Complementing online asynchronous discussions with synchronous Webex sessions can help to stimulate more in-depth discussions, as well as help students, apply what they have learned. Through the use of collaborative platforms e.g. eLearn Discussion Forum, Google Docs, students are able to share their opinions and develop arguments in support of such opinions. This approach facilitates in-depth discussions and provides more opportunities for students to apply what they have learned. This blended approach of facilitating both asynchronous and synchronous discussions lends itself well when oral participation in class may be limited.
Here are some practical tips to consider when you facilitate online discussions:
Swapna, from the School of Information Systems, shares her experiences in using online discussion forums:
![]() Swapna GOTTIPATI, Assistant Professor of Information Systems (Education); |
“Online discussion forums are advantageous as they provide an equitable space and flexibility for all students. They offer an alternative means for encouraging interactions between the students and the instructors. I have observed that the students are reluctant to use the discussion forum if it was a mere repetition of the course content. Hence, I’ve come up with a design, where the forum questions prompted students to do research on the topic before participating in the forum. Based on my observations, students found questions related to topics beyond the class, more interesting and this motivated them to be more active in the forum. At the same time forums are the repositories of knowledge. They not only enable collaborative learning but also provide knowledge and ideas for students in their projects and exams. To achieve this collaborative learning, I also summarise weekly discussions and share the learning points with the students.” |
For more general tips on ‘Designing Effective Online Discussions for Blended Learning’, , please access our e-bulletin at this link.
For general tips on ‘Facilitating Class Discussions’, please access this link.
Synchronous Online discussions
Incorporating small group online discussions in your lesson can be an effective way of increasing interaction and encouraging collaborative learning. Certain online tools are designed to help you for this purpose by allowing you to organise virtual breakout sessions for students to carry out online discussions.
Students usually start in the main meeting room and upon instruction, break up into small groups and gather back for a debrief. The use of these virtual breakout sessions work exactly like physical groups in an offline setting and offer online classroom tools, such as a virtual whiteboard to jot down notes that everyone in the room can see, plus the ability for every member to interact and collaborate possibly on a Google Doc. Do join our workshop and see how you can incorporate this in your online class.
Discussions
Discussions tool in eLearn is a course-related collaboration area where you can post, read and reply to messages on different topics, share thoughts about course materials, ask questions, share files, or conduct group discussions for assignments/projects. Click link and access ‘Discussions’ under the ‘Interactive Learning’ tab.
Webex
Creating Breakout Sessions in Webex Training (not Webex Personal Room): Link
Zoom
Zoom Instructor Quick Guide: Link
Facilitating effective online breakout sessions:
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
Facilitating effective online discussions (Forums):
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
The Art of Facilitation: (Jointly organised with Centre for English Communication)
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
Bibliography
Besides managing online teaching, another important component to consider is how you would assess your students’ learning according to course requirements and share feedback with them. Regular face-to-face assessments are different from online ones. In a typical face-to-face classroom, assessments usually consist of a variety of question types in one test administered on a single day. However, when conducting online assessments, we often have to segment the various components of our assessments in order to match the type of assessment with the appropriate online tool. Should the assessment be synchronous or asynchronous, group or individual, iterative or one-time? How should feedback be communicated to students online?
When designing online assessments, generally the same principles for paper assessments apply:
Specific to online assessments, you may want to consider the following:
The Centre for Teaching Excellence has created a step-by-step guide for setting quizzes and exams, for effective checking of students’ understanding through these assessments. Please refer to this resource (link) for more details.
Redesigning a F2F lesson into an effective online lesson:
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:
Giving & Using Feedback: (Jointly organised with Centre for English Communication)
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
Bibliography
Access quick guides to various SMU-supported EdTech Tools (e.g. Zoom, Wooclap, Kaltura etc.) at this link.
A general listing of all other SMU-supported tools are found at this link.
Here are some useful resources that you can share with your students to help them manage their online learning:
Webex Student Quick Guide: Link
10 Study Tips for Online Learners: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/media/administration/office-of-digital-learning/10-Study-tips-for-online-learners.pdf
Tips for Success in Online Learning: https://www.uis.edu/online/getting-started/tips-for-success-in-online-learning/
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SoTL Webinar: Pedagogically driven course design: Moving beyond technical solutions to create truly engaging and impactful learning experiences by Dr. David Lefevre | |
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In addition to the above workshops, the Centre for English Communication and the Centre for Teaching Excellence jointly offered the SMU teaching community an extended exploration into two vital aspects of SMU’s interactive pedagogy - Giving Feedback and Facilitation
SMU’s hallmark interactive seminars involve faculty interacting dynamically with students in lessons, fostering open intellectual discussions, and a vibrant exchange of ideas with peers and educators. Unlike the more traditional didactic teaching model of old, students are guided and facilitated to construct their own meaning and learning.
This active teaching and learning partnership is best executed when underpinned by an appreciation and understanding of two key dimensions – how to facilitate meaningful learning, and how to effectively provide students with feedback.
Due to COVID-19 measures, both workshops were conducted online, mirroring a facilitated e-learning approach that educators can adapt to their own classrooms. Similarly the workshop slides can be accessed via the links below.