From class to teams

The inspiration for these innovative teaching strategies primarily stemmed from the challenges of online teaching, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. My experience with online teaching began just as the lockdown started, making it a significant aspect of my teaching at Monash University.

In addition to the context of the pandemic, I’ve drawn inspiration from my background in creative arts and performance studies. Being a performance artist myself, I’ve incorporated elements from the creative arts into my teaching methods. This fusion of online teaching challenges, creative arts background, and a desire to overcome the limitations of virtual learning inspired the development of strategies to humanise the online teaching experience.

I took several actions to implement innovative teaching strategies aimed at humanising the online learning experience.

One key initiative was creating a welcoming environment by playing music at the beginning of online classes, engaging students' sensory experiences and signalling the start of the learning environment.

I involved students in creating Spotify playlists related to the course content, fostering a sense of ownership and community. I also organised a few classes where we had ‘breakfast together.’ We would connect a few minutes before the start of the class and have our breakfast together online, which is a way of warming up before focusing on the topic for the day.

I’ve also assigned roles to students, allowed them to share personal experiences and incorporate suggestions, and by doing this I could adapt to individual needs. Utilising visuals collectively also contributed to the creation of a more engaging, community-oriented, and humanised online learning environment.

Performative strategies to humanise our online teaching Part 1 example.

Performative strategies to humanise our online teaching Part 2 example.

Implementing these innovative teaching strategies had incredibly positive and impactful outcomes, fostering a strong sense of community and engagement among my students. One key outcome was the formation of a vibrant community, where students felt connected to each other and to me, creating a virtual space that truly enhanced the learning experience.

Successfully humanising the online teaching environment was another notable outcome. Despite the challenges of the virtual setting, these strategies created a more personable and relatable experience for students, breaking down the barriers of online learning.

The positive feedback from students further affirmed the success of these approaches. Students appreciated the efforts to bring a human touch to online learning, valuing the community-building aspects that made them feel more connected to the overall learning experience.

Crafting a humanising activity in online teaching is a joyful journey involving openness, sensory engagement through music, virtual breakfast sessions, and assigning roles for lively participation.

Enlisting students in course design, promoting personal expression, actively seeking feedback, and maintaining a consistent approach contribute to building a vibrant community and fostering enthusiastic engagement.

These uplifting strategies aim to create an authentic and inclusive learning environment, adaptable to both online and in-person settings, amplifying the joy and positivity in the educational experience.

Begin your teaching journey by openly sharing personal experiences and challenges related to online teaching. This expression of vulnerability creates a more relatable dynamic between teachers and students. A suggestion can be incorporating music at the start of classes to engage students' senses, setting a positive tone for the learning environment.

You can assign specific roles to students during class sessions, such as timekeeper or chat manager, to promote active participation and shared responsibility. It is important to involve students in course design, allowing them to contribute with ideas, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement.

To enhance personal connections to the course content, create opportunities for students to express themselves creatively beyond traditional methods. Actively seeking feedback from students and being open to their suggestions ensures continuous improvement. It’s also imperative to establish a consistent approach from the beginning of the course, clearly communicating expectations to allow students to become familiar with and accustomed to the approach.