Thank you to Adam Goodman, clinical professor, MSHE instructor, and Director of the Center for Leadership at Northwestern University, for recommending this post.
Harvard Business Publishing recently posted some tips for how instructors encourage students to speak up in virtual classes. As MSHE experiences in-person and, at times, virtual instruction, consider how these tips apply to your course modality.
Discuss your ideas with Chris Neary, MSHE instructional design and technology consultant.
- Share your questions ahead of time
- Establish rules that encourage participation
- Ask simple questions in chat (when remote synchronous)
- Follow up on questions/insights that students post in chat (when remote synchronous)
- Be clear about what you’re asking for
- Don’t shame students for not asking questions on the spot
- Count 5-7 seconds to await an initial response/question request to allow some time for students to internalize and make meaning of your question
- Facilitate the conversation so it doesn’t come across as an interview