University teaching has always been geared to students’ commitment: Lecturers put teaching material together and help students to work on it by providing instructions and feedback. The actual activity itself – assimilating the material and acquiring the skills needed for academic exchange – is performed by the students.
In this context, the use of different media is not an end in itself but instead has proven conducive to learning: The more different formats are used for the same topic, the more it is possible to address different types of learners and test different forms of expression.
Apart from purely conveying content, media also serve to create a group atmosphere that has a motivating effect on learning and triggers students’ ability to participate in the academic process as a learning objective.
In distance learning, the principles of academic teaching take on special significance: The regular exchange between students and their lecturers and peers that usually takes place in the classroom is no longer possible, and the library is not easily accessible. It is therefore important to find ways to make both material and academic dialogue accessible from a distance too.
We are happy to provide detailed advice and help you to make your teaching material available as far as possible. Please contact us!
You can find an overview here:
Setting up a study group
If the seminar room and options to obtain material (library, semester reserve shelves, etc.) are unavailable, it is important to provide a closed learning group – this is important for copyright reasons – both with all the necessary material as well as with a reliable communication platform for exchanging information that all participants can use. Learning management systems such as ILIAS allow both functions in one system. As far as possible, please take care to make everything available that students need for their work.
Organizing learning in the framework of online teaching places high demands on students in terms of time management and self-management. Here, students are particularly grateful if you communicate the overall framework and organizational details in a very clear and transparent manner.
Even if this initially means more work: You will also profit in the long term when designing your courses if you specify – for the student group as a whole – the learning objectives and your requirements concerning self-study and tutorial/exam papers as well as your general expectations regarding communication.
Online forums
Online forums have long been in use and can be easily set up – in principle, any environment with a chat and input function can be used. A sophisticated forum function is also integrated in ILIAS. Forums are useful for making information available along with the possibility to ask questions that are visible for everyone.
They are also suitable for discussing learning content independently of time. However, it cannot always be assumed that a lively discussion will develop by itself. Clear instructions for the discussion and, if appropriate, tasks declared as creditable help to stimulate online discussions.
On the other hand, participants are often shy about “publishing” detailed input under their own name, especially when the topic has only just started and there are still a lot of questions. In order to stimulate discussion in online forums nevertheless, lecturers must communicate clearly what is expected of the participants and when and under what circumstances work will be assessed (and where no assessment takes place). If necessary, anonymous forums can be used to allow for queries of all kinds.
A detailed methodical approach for using forums can be found, for example, in the recording of the lecture series from the university network on digitalization in teaching on this topic.
Videos and simulations
Teaching videos and online simulations are highly popular because they add a further media dimension to teaching material.
Professionally produced teaching videos can condense information to a considerable degree, present situations that are inaccessible or difficult to create or visualize complex processes quickly and in detail. It is often worthwhile searching for teaching videos that are already available and incorporating them in the topic.
You can find an overview of openly accessible teaching videos and video-based learning courses on various topics under these links:
Simulations and small learning applets can help to understand processes better and to practice them.
But simple screencast recordings and short video clips, in which lecturers present structured input in front of a web cam, also fulfil a purpose: Information can be communicated without lengthy textual descriptions and the lecturer appears in person, even if at a distance.
You can find a presentation on the purpose of self-recorded teaching videos and possible ways to use them here:
Longer lecture recordings can be interrupted with questions to reflect on or other instructions for practical exercises, or they can be preceded by additional work instructions in order to maintain students’ attention in front of the screen.
In any case, with videos and simulations you can supplement your online material in a lively way and create a feeling of direct contact.
Live online courses
From (live) chat to webinar – there are many possibilities for holding courses as a group, either entirely or partially in different locations. The participants can join in the exchange in real time and experience how their learning process is given important structure through pre-arranged meetings.
Compared to in-person courses, however, such live formats on the one hand require far more control: Where communication otherwise takes place, for example, through body language (mostly also unconsciously) – for example, an invitation to speak through a nod of the head, feedback on whether something has been understood or not by means of different facial expressions – this is not possible here or at least greatly restricted. In addition, if a lot of input is contributed at the same time from several different places, this can make the discussion rather chaotic.
On the other hand, all live formats are susceptible to (temporary) technical problems – both system-related as well as on the part of individual participants.
Live formats should therefore be consciously used for exchange at a personal level, which is very important in the learning process. However, to communicate information that can also be kept elsewhere, communication channels should be used that can be accessed at any time. A summary of the live course can also be produced in order to compensate for any technical problems.
Office hours and queries
Communicate clearly when and how (e.g. by telephone or chat) you can be contacted and in what form and under what conditions (such as a previously prepared list of questions, material submitted in advance) you hold individual meetings.
General questions of an organizational nature can also be dealt with in a forum – setting up your own forum for this purpose can be useful. Topic-related questions are especially suitable for being clarified in forums as they are then visible to everyone and thus offer added value for the whole study group.
Examinations
Types of examination which are independent of time and place anyway (practice tutorials, term papers) are not affected by distance teaching.
Please consult the rules for your specific subject to find out whether an oral examination can be conducted using remote media.
Latest information on the conducting of examinations and in particular online oral examinations (OMPs) in the FAQs on limited on-site operations.
The possibility of holding written exams online is currently being evaluated.