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The internet has brought about many changes in our lives. It comes with so many advantages, including a world of information at our fingertips, entertainment, and ways to stay connected with loved ones who’re far away. Many venues, such as classrooms, casinos, and stores, now occupy virtual space.

Whether you’re visiting a casino online, carrying out research, or doing distance learning, the endless possibilities can have some downsides. There’s a chance that they can be overwhelming or just incredibly distracting. When it comes to learning, motivation and focus are essential attributes.

ately, online educators can assist learners on their training courses. Put these seven tips to engage participants into practice.

Customize Materials

Building rapport is essential to passing on information to students in an effective way. However, that can seem like an insurmountable challenge when it comes to online learning. Not everything, including warm personalities, translates well via camera and screen. One way around that is to add some of your personality into different aspects of the training course.

You can still use the official materials but add your own twist to the presentation slides. You can follow the curriculum but adjust the session structure to your teaching style. That could mean relaxed discussion sections, more group work, or competitive quizzes and challenges that stimulate the imagination.

Mix Media

Receiving information via a video screen can feel flat. There are ways to add more dimensions to it, but you might need to think laterally. Also, getting the help of someone who’s tech-savvy will work wonders if you’re not sure how to pull off your ideas.

If you don’t want to queue up too many presentations and videos during the course, you could provide a reading list with helpful resources. Instead of focusing on websites and printed media, try to add videos and podcasts into the mix. It’ll give your students different ways to engage and a broader understanding of the subject.

Give and Receive Feedback

For a connection to build between you and your course participants, you’ll need to open a dialogue. It could be via chat, comments on assignments, or verbally over video. Once established, use the communication channel to give precise feedback on how the student is progressing. When students know where they stand, it can give them the determination to proceed.

Worded in the right way, it’ll act as motivation and a guide to improvement. Giving constructive feedback can be challenging. It might help to make it a two-way process, where the students can make suggestions for how the course is handled, including materials, timings, and your teaching style.

Make Space for One-to-One Chats

Online learning doesn’t provide as much space for quick chats or chance encounters. While it might seem forced, it’s necessary for you, as the course leader, to create that space. Timetables are the obvious challenge in this scenario, but the value of one-to-one sessions will make the changes worth it.

If you can’t add some time during the week for conversations with your students, you could set aside 10 minutes of a scheduled class. You could combine it with tip two and provide a video for the other students while you offer dedicated support. Speaking out in an online classroom can feel particularly daunting, so it’s essential to create a safe space for questions.

Use Collaborative Tools

Another way to keep learners engaged is to have them work out solutions to problems on their own. Instead of having to listen to you explain everything, participants can benefit from discussing the course content with their peers. However, some online learning platforms are limited in their capacity for group work.

If that’s the case, it’s worth looking at other online collaboration tools that you can use in session or recommend to students for assignments. Shared note-taking workspaces, also known as digital whiteboards, such as Jamboard, can help facilitate discussion. Besides recommending applications, your role could also include assigning tasks and roles to challenge your students.

Set Active Assignments

Another way to overcome the one-dimensional feel of online learning is to move away from sedentary research and writing assignments. While essays and filling out online quizzes might be necessary, getting your students active will surely boost their engagement. Try to find a balance between the two approaches for the best result.

Active assignments don’t mean they need to be running laps, but they should get them away from the desk and computer screen. Fieldwork, such as interviews of those in the profession or within the community, is an ideal option.

Review Accessibility

If you’re noticing that specific students are struggling with the course or aren’t engaging, there couldn’t be an underlying issue. Finding out about their learning needs will help you move forwards, which is why feedback and one-to-one sessions are crucial.

Once you’ve identified their needs, or even if it hasn’t come up yet, it’s worth looking into ways to make your course more accessible. If you’re not sure where to start, begin by using technology to adapt your materials.