Dear Editor,

Online learning in Jamaica evokes both enthusiasm and pessimism. However, the possibilities outweigh the trepidation being magnified by some stakeholders.

Based on the research and the post-COVID-19 low enrolment reality of many institutions, online teaching and learning present opportunities for improved accessibility, flexibility, and inclusive education.

However, the practices of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) have created assumptions about online teaching and learning that are not in keeping with the standards and guidelines in the industry. Issues such as unfamiliarity with online platforms, technical challenges, the lack of personal interaction in the virtual learning environment, deficits in online teaching competencies, and unfamiliarity with the theoretical underpinning of distance education have contributed to students’ disengagement and teachers’ apprehension.

Notwithstanding these issues, with appropriate strategies, skills, and online teaching proficiencies, online teaching and learning can be effective, engaging, results-based, and enjoyable. Academic institutions globally have been welcoming students back to their campuses. While institutions are busy with students again, many, particularly those at the tertiary level, are exploring how they can complement and enhance students’ experience by drawing on the lessons learnt during the pandemic. The responsibility is on the trained instructional technologists to provide support to the distance and online communities on how to “spice up” online teaching. Here are some practical tips to do so:

1) Course design and organisation — Appropriate and effective course design is the blueprint of any successful online class. Research suggests that course design and organisation are the most important elements of teaching presence. This allows learners to know the course expectations and understand the learning dynamics within the community. With this in mind, course design should not be just about meeting basic course expectations, it should focus on cultivating a learning culture in which students feel motivated to learn and are enthused about learning.

2) Use appropriate interactive multimedia — Multimedia should be appropriately selected considering the context and the profile of the learners. If the content is not readily available, do the research and create contextually appropriate content that will appeal to the learning needs of your students. Select media that is appealing, both educationally and socially — edutainment is key.

3)Use transactional strategies — Transactional strategies in the learning environment involve dynamic interactions between the teacher and her students. This fosters active engagement, critical thinking, and adaptive learning through guided dialogue, scaffolding, and reflective/reflexive practices.

4) Encourage peer collaboration — Peer collaboration enhances learning outcomes and develops self-efficacy. Collaborating with peers is an invaluable asset in the learning process. By working together, learners can interpret information and present it in a way that is clear to each other. Additionally, peers encourage their community to approach difficult material from perspectives that deepen understanding, promote active learning, and improve critical thinking processes.

5) Create bite-sized contextually appropriate content — Creating bite-sized content is important in the learning environment. Instructional designers advocate for chunking content to enhance comprehension and retention of the material. Mayer’s Cognitive Theory suggests that by chunking information into smaller, manageable bite-sized units, educators can diminish cognitive overload. To ignite the attention of learners and sustain learning throughout the learning exchange, teachers are encouraged to make the content more engaging by using real-life examples as references.

The online education system is evolving, and online learning, when done based on established good practices and standards, offers a wealth of opportunities for growth within education and society as a whole. Educators are called to facilitate dynamic learning experiences and provide clear instruction that keeps students engaged and fired up about learning.

Venesse Morrison-Leon

Educator and online director

The Mico University College

venesse.leon@gmail.com