Converting blended learning to fully online: tips and challenges

Professor LAW, Nancy W.Y. of the Faculty of Education shares her experience in converting a course designed for blended learning with intensive group work and interactions into a fully online course.

Tips

Adapting an intensely interactive design-studio course for fully online implementation:

1. Provide clear instructions to students on each element of the course and how each will be implemented.
2. Check if students have the appropriate access, technology settings and skills to participate in online activities.
3. Prepare students in using zoom. I provided an online learning guide for students soon after class suspension. I converted the first online session into an optional one-hour online tutorial for students to try out the different  Zoom functions, such as sharing screen, going into break-out rooms, raising hands
4. Hold short full-class sessions, since large zoom classes could be alienating for both students & teachers.
5. Schedule small group meetings separately to encourages student interaction.
6. Use the polling function in zoom to enhance online engagement and feedback, especially in a large class.

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