How to optimise the online learning experience

How to optimise the online learning experience

More than just a temporary solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering education online is a chance for schools and teachers to innovate and completely embrace the digital era. RMIT University (Vietnam) academics share how the transition can be done.

Delivering education online is a chance for schools and teachers to innovate and completely embrace the digital era. Delivering education online is a chance for schools and teachers to innovate and completely embrace the digital era.

Diversify delivery methods

In order to replicate the face-to-face classroom experience, RMIT lecturers recommend adding a variety of engaging activities to enhance interaction.

RMIT classes are now fully delivered via integrated software on the online learning management system Canvas, which offers advanced features such as group sessions and breakout rooms.

Just like an in-person classroom setting, students can raise their hands, have group discussions, or draw on a whiteboard. Lecturers can also conduct polls and quizzes.

The only difference to the overall student experience is that everything is done virtually.

Advanced online learning platforms can model face-to-face classroom with features like “raise hand” and group discussion. Advanced online learning platforms can model face-to-face classroom with features like “raise hand” and group discussion.

RMIT School of Business & Management Associate Lecturer Phan Minh Hoa said while she has previously used online quizzes in her classes to "change the mood", she now includes this activity twice on average during each class, using free platforms such as Quizziz, Socrative and Kahoot.

“The quizzes help students stay alert and consolidate what they have just learned. I also try to add other activities like group discussions, mind mapping, or polls,” Ms Hoa said.

“Although the duration of each lecture is not long, it is necessary to diversify the activities and spend an appropriate amount of time on each of them so that students won’t get tired from staring at a screen.”

Connect with students throughout the week

In addition to online classes, regular communication with students is necessary to provide a full learning experience. This is also a way for educators to motivate and help their students improve.

RMIT lecturers usually send materials and group exercises throughout the week to reinforce what students are learning.

Students who encounter difficulties can contact their lecturers through a variety of channels, including email, chat and online appointment.

The University also encourages students to reach out to additional student support services for academic advice and online tutoring.

Connecting with learners outside of class is essential to offering students a full learning experience. Connecting with learners outside of class is essential to offering students a full learning experience.

“I often talk to my students individually. It helps us understand each other's difficulties. For larger groups of students, I use after-class online surveys to get feedback,” said Dr Nguyen Manh Hung, an RMIT University School of Business & Management Lecturer.

Ms Hoa added: “The online learning management system at RMIT can measure how much time each student spends on the platform. I use it as a reference to motivate those students who appear disengaged or distracted.”

Apply authentic assessment

Unlike many Vietnamese universities, RMIT has applied authentic assessment to most of its courses. This method of assessment focuses on employability skills and requires students to apply their knowledge flexibly.

That also means students do not have to take final exams or go to campus to submit papers, but complete all reports and presentations online. Assignments are also adjusted to suit the tools students have access to at home.

For instance, Dr Hung’s Introduction to Logistics and Supply Chain Management course requires students to create posters or videos about the operations and common issues of a supply chain. Students can work in groups or individually using digital platforms.

Meanwhile, Design Studies Associate Lecturer Michal Teague asks her Art Direction class to produce three 10-second social media teasers, instead of the usual 30-second TV commercial.

“The students can apply open-source video footage and images. They can use their phone and apps to shoot the clips and do post-production, which is similar to how a lot of content is now produced for social media marketing and promotion,” said Ms Teague.

“This also models after the real world in that not every client has an unlimited budget and you have to be creative with what you have.”

Authentic assessment provides flexibility to educators and learners alike. Authentic assessment provides flexibility to educators and learners alike.

The future of learning

Dr Hung believes that while refreshing the curriculum and delivery style is a challenge, it’s also a good opportunity to improve the student learning experience.

Whereas for Ms Teague, who has taken many online courses herself, online learning is “a great way to keep skills up-to-date and become a better teacher”.

For most learning institutions in Vietnam with limited resources, online delivery may not yet completely replace face-to-face classrooms. However, blended learning is seen by many educators as a trend of the future.

“Some students have asked me whether they will sometimes have online lectures when the in-person classes finally resume. This shows that for some students, online delivery is suitable and can be combined with other methods,” Dr Hung said.

Story: Ngoc Hoang

23 April 2020

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