12 Tips for Pivoting to Teaching in a Virtual Environment

Abstract

COVID-19 has necessitated a rapid shift to teaching in virtual environments across the educational spectrum. In this respect, instructors previously unfamiliar, or under-familiar, with virtual teaching environments need to learn quickly and effectively how these environments work and how they can be used to successfully deliver courses, especially within health professions education contexts. These twelve tips provide insight on the practice of teaching in virtual environments, from course design, to student engagement, to assessment practices, to maximising the potential that technology can provide for both the instructor and the students. Moreover, these tips inform virtual pedagogical practices in the health professions for all levels of experience.

Reimagining a summer research program during COVID: Strategies for enhancing research workforce diversity

“…This strategy allowed us to design activities that met defined learning objectives and program goals. 20,26 Not all program learning components needed to be moved to an alternate learning format to maintain programmatic goals. When determining which activities to move to alternate formats, we selected those that matched defined program competencies and could be measured through a structured program evaluation plan.…”

“…This included encouraging, but not requiring, camera use during synchronous remote activities, including both written and verbal learning activity instructions, and providing program content in multiple ways (including asynchronously) to maximize access and inclusion. 20,27 3. In reviewing our curriculum, we realized that learning activities that worked well in twoor three-hour classroom seminars were too long to be presented in a remote format.…”

“…Principles of instructional design were used to ensure that core learning objectives and the program's critical hands-on learning structure were maintained [20]. Pre-recorded video lectures were not used.…”

“…Mapping curriculum learning activities to established competencies was an important tool in the design of our program, whether the learning was being conducted in-person or remotely. This strategy allowed us to design activities that met defined learning objectives and program goals [20,26]. Not all program learning components needed to be moved to an alternate learning format to maintain programmatic goals.…”

Is Online Teaching in the First Two Years of the Medical School During the COVID-19 Pandemic Serving the Purpose? 

“…COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a signi cant and rapid shift in teaching and learning strategies across health professions education and educational programs worldwide. Signi cantly, the need for physical distancing severely constrained traditional face-to-face lectures and teaching strategies and encouraged a shift to be online and virtual teaching strategies [1,2,3,4]. COVID-19 pandemic situation posed many challenges to healthcare worldwide and medical education.…”