While there are a plethora of benefits that online tutoring brings along, there are a few pitfalls too. Undoubtedly, it allows online tutors to connect with remote students and facilitate knowledge transfer. However, capturing student attention during an online session stands as a major problem. Virtual sessions where the tutors are not physically present lead to distraction of students, compromising on their attention. Therefore, online tutors are now adopting creative practices to capture student attention during an online class-
Engage them in a dialogue
To begin with, you need to engage students in a dialogue, rather than just delivering a monologue. When students have to listen to just you speaking for about 60- 90 minutes, their attention will waiver. On the other hand, if you engage them in conversation by asking them questions and in other ways, they will be alert. Do not treat them as passive audience at the receiving end of your lecture. Rather, consider them as an active member of your group who can add value to the discussion. Active engagement is bound to boost up energy and student attention.
Use different teaching aids
As monologue leads to distraction, so does the use of only one teaching methodology or teaching aid. If you just log in to your session and deliver only a verbal lecture, it is bound to react back. Students have a short attention span and cannot concentrate on a single form of teaching for a long time. Rather, juggle up the lesson by incorporating presentations, case studies and other teaching aids to add a little excitement. Unless you make an effort to make the session a little attractive and fun, it will not catch the attention of your students. Teaching methodology and aids are generally a personal choice and you can shuffle between different ones to break the monotony.
Modulate your voice
Next in line comes the need to modulate your voice to boost attention in your next online class. If you deliver the entire lecture in a single tone, it will get boring few minutes. On the other hand, if you modulate your voice and keep it heavy at some parts, it is bound to catch attention. Modulate your voice in a way to emphasize more on the important parts of the lesson. This will help students understand what needs their attention the most. Additionally, voice modulation during an online lecture keeps the session engaging. A single tone is bound to put the student to sleep.
Offer constant feedback
Constant feedback is another important aspect to engage the students during an online lecture. If you do not provide feedback, the student might take it as a signal that you aren’t seeing his/her distraction. Feedback acts as a source of engagement as well. Students that receive feedback from the online homework helpers build a better relationships as they are able to understand their points of improvement. This will invariably augment the student’s interest in the subject and your teaching methodology. Any increase in interest will definitely translate to more attention.
Encourage physical mobility
One of the reasons for low student attention in online classes is due to the need for students to sit at one place. To combat this challenge, you want to incorporate some mobility activities within your lesson. You may ask the student to get up and stretch their legs and arms a bit. This will break the monotony of the less and energize them. You can also come up with other activities to encourage physical mobility to let the energy blow and kill the boredom.
To cut a long story short, there are 1000s of innovative ways you can come up with to catch your students’ attention. Just put yourself in their shoes and try to understand what you would like to attend to.