Effective online instruction depends on learning experiences that are

appropriately designed and facilitated by knowledgeable educators.

Because learners have different learning styles or a combination of
styles, online educators should design activities that include multiple
modes of learning. Teaching models should also be adapted to the new
learning environments.

ONLINE COURSES
& MULTIPLE
INSTRUCTIONAL
STRATEGIES
Traditionally, in a teacher-centered classroom, instructors control the
environment to control how information is dispersed and shared. In an
online course, with instant access to vast resources of data and
information, students are no longer dependent on the faculty for
knowledge. Learning is becoming more collaborative, contextual and
active. Educators must identify their objectives, design their curriculum,
and then consider how the online environment serves the instructional
objectives/activities of that curriculum. This requires changes in
pedagogy.
With learning-centered instruction, instructors take on the role of
facilitating and sharing information while guiding students toward
solutions. Teachers as well as learners must take on new roles in the
teaching-learning relationship, and faculty must be willing to release
control of learning to the students. Online learning environments also
require a range of interactive methodologies. Instructors find that when
adapting courses to online models, they pay more attention to the
instructional design of their courses. As a result, the quality, quantity,
and patterns of communication students practice during learning
improve.
Of the many instructional strategies available for use in the online
learning environment, most were not been developed specifically for
online instruction. Educators should choose strategies that accomplish
particular educational objectives. From this perspective, instructional
strategies are tools available to educators for designing and facilitating
learning. Below are some instructional strategies from the traditional
classroom that also work in the online learning environment:
Learning Contracts Discussion

Self-Directed Learning Mentorship

Project Collaborative Learning

Forum Panel

Learning Contracts
Learning contracts connect educational needs to individual student
needs. This bridge is useful when there is diversity in learner needs and
interests in a class. A learning contract is an agreement, written by the
learner, that details what will be learned, how the learning will be
accomplished, the period of time involved, and the specific evaluation
criteria to be used in judging the completion of the learning. Learning
contracts help the educator and learner share the responsibility for
learning.
Contract learning can bring about many practical benefits including
deeper involvement of the learner in the learning activities which they
themselves have been involved in planning. Once a learner passes
through the stage of confusion and anxiety associated with developing a
 contract, he/she will get excited about carrying out their own plans.
Another benefit of utilizing contract learning is an increase of
accountability, since the learning contract provides more functional and
validated evidence of the learning outcomes. The contract also provides
a means for the learner to receive continuous feedback regarding
progress toward accomplishing learning objectives.
Learning contracts can be extremely effective in the online environment.
Because physically meeting with the class to discuss learning goals,
objectives, and expectations does not happen online, instructors must be
very clear and concise in what they expect from the learner. Likewise,
learners must also be clear about what they expect from the instructor. A
learning contract is a negotiated learning goals and outcomes document.
Provide learning contract examples on a web page for the student to
use. Encourage students to brainstorm ideas for learning contracts with
their online peers as well as negotiate the final contract with the
instructor through email or online conferencing.

Lecture
The lecture is one of the most frequently used instructional methods. It
assumes the educator is the expert. Lecture is an efficient way of
disseminating information. Most educators agree that the purpose of
lectures is to lay foundations as the student works through the subject.
Good lecturers know their students and develop their lectures according
to the students’ needs. Most importantly, lectures are most
effective when used in combination with other instructional strategies.

 Place lecture notes, with links to related resources and other Web sites
embedded in them, on a web page for the learners to review.
 Package notes together and either link for download, distribute through
the bookstore, or send via snail mail.
 Present lectures via audio or video over the Internet. Online lectures
should be shorter and more to the point than lectures in live classrooms
which often extend far beyond the attention span of the audience.
 Break a long presentation into shorter segments if needed. Short
lectures provide enough information to serve as a basis for further
reading, research, or other learning activities. Another obvious
advantage of online lectures is that they are readily available for
students to revisit as needed.

Discussion
Most adult learners favor discussion as an instructional strategy because
it is interactive and encourages participatory learning. Discussion
encourages learners to analyze alternative ways of thinking and acting.
Through this, learners explore their own experiences to become better
critical thinkers. The discussion is often the heart of an online course.
The Internet offers several modes for discussion including mailing lists
(listservs), course management system (CMS) discussion forums, and
social media, which are asynchronous communication. Synchronous
(real time) communication includes web-conferencing, chat rooms or
text-based virtual reality environments. Massive, Open, Online, Courses
(MOOCs) illustrate the limits to which online discussion can go.
Self-Directed Learning
Self-directed learning is learner-initiated and may also be called self-
paced, independent, individualized learning, or self-instruction. Whatever
term we use, self-directed learning places the responsibility for learning
directly on the learner. In many ways, practically all learning is ultimately
self-directed. Learners who take the initiative and are proactive learners
learn more and better than passive (reactive) learners do. Proactive
learners are more purposeful. They also tend to retain and make use of
what they learn better and longer than do reactive learners. The
independent learner is one who is more involved, more motivated, and
more active while learning.
Online learning supports the self-directed learner in pursuing
individualized, self-paced learning activities. The learner, working at a
computer at a convenient time and pace, is able to search and utilize the
vast  resources of the Internet  research nearly any topic imaginable.
Students can visit libraries, museums and various institutes world-wide,
talk to professionals, access recent research, and read   newspapers
and peer reviewed scholarly  journals online. Students can write
collaboratively with peers and even publish written and multimedia
products on web pages.

Mentorship
The aim of mentorship is to promote learner development drawing out
and giving form to what the student already knows. A mentor serves as a
guide rather than a provider of knowledge and serves the function of
introducing students to the new world, interpreting it for them, and
helping them to learn what they need to know to function in it. Mentors in
education teach by interpreting the environment and modeling expected
behaviors. They also support, challenge, and provide vision for their
students.
A major benefit to online mentorship is the opportunity for frequent,
convenient communication between mentor and student. Weekly or even
daily journals and communications can be sent between mentor and
student via e-mail, providing an ongoing “dialogue” which supports the
development of the mentor relationship and offers numerous
opportunities for timely feedback on student questions, concerns and
issues.

Small Group Work

In small groups, learners discuss content, share ideas, and solve
problems. They present ideas as well as consider ideas put forth by
others. In this way, they see a variety of viewpoints on a subject. There
are many small group formats that encourage and provide opportunities
for interaction:

The discussion group

Allows learners to reflect on a subject under discussion and present their
views. Discussion within the small group may vary from low, to very high
levels of intellectual discourse.

Guided design
Here the focus is on developing learners’ decision-making skills as well
as on teaching specific concepts and principles. Participants work to
solve open-ended problems which require outside class work to gather
information. This format encourages learners to think logically,
communicate ideas, and apply steps in a decision-making process.
Learners must apply what they have learned, exchange ideas, and
reflect on suggested solutions. The instructor’s role is to act as a
consultant to the groups.

Role playing
Recreate a situation relating to a real-world problem in which participants
act out various roles. This promotes understanding other people’s
positions and attitudes, as well as the procedures useful for diagnosing
and solving problems. Role playing can be used to simulate real-life
group work situations and can help learners gain an understanding of a
problem or situation.

Games
Two or more groups compete to meet a set of objectives. The game
follows rules and procedures. The instructor provides Information that
requires decision-making. Most instructional games reflect typical real-
life situations. The rules, procedures, and objectives of the game must
be clear and concise.
Online learning environments offer several distinct benefits for small
group work. First, they allow small groups to work independently while
still having access to the instructor. In some cases where it is difficult for
all members of an online class to meet synchronously, small groups can
be organized according to their time zones, making it possible to find a
convenient time to meet synchronously. Larger groups can benefit by
communicating asynchronously via conferencing programs. A second
benefit of online environments for group work is that they equalize
control among participants. Factors such as geography, gender, or
disabilities do not disadvantage learners in this environment. Finally, the
instructor is able to respond directly to questions and needs of particular
groups without taking the time of other groups.
Projects
Online projects give students opportunities to pursue special interests
individually or within groups. Projects also provide students with practical
experience and a sense of accomplishment. Using projects in a learning
activity makes the learning more relevant to the learners. Products can
be shared with others in the class and critiqued or by the facilitator
alone. By sharing individual projects with other participants, the learner
obtains more diverse viewpoints and feedback.
Many of the instructional strategies discussed on this page can be
considered group projects. Group projects can include simulations, role
playing, case studies, problem solving exercises, group collaborative
work, debates, small group discussion, and brainstorming. As with
individual projects, projects for participants in groups should receive peer
feedback to expose them to diverse viewpoints. With independent and
group projects learners pursue special interests, write or create for an
audience, and publish or present their findings and conclusions via the
Internet. The Internet provides the potential of receiving feedback from
experts or interested peers outside the course by accessing the project
online.

Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning is the process of getting two or more students to
work together to learn. Compose small groups’ participants of differing
ability levels and use a variety of learning activities to master material
initially developed by an instructor, or construct knowledge on
substantive issues. Each member of the team is responsible for learning
what is taught and for helping teammates learn.
Collaborative learning methods are used in nearly two-thirds of higher
education courses, according to a recent survey conducted by UCLA’s
Higher Education Research Institute. Employers want workers with
collaborative skills and are looking for graduates of educational
programs that teach these skills. Collaborative learning can be more
effective than interpersonal competitive and individualistic efforts in
promoting cognitive development, self-esteem, and positive student-
student relationships.
Online learning models are natural environments for collaborative
learning, but they are not collaborative learning environments by
definition. Learners may interact with other participants without
collaborating, for example when receiving on-line tutorial help. Design
learning activities for collaboration the best effect.

Case Study
The case study requires learners to draw upon their experience, is
participatory, and has action components that are links to future
experience. The key to a successful case study is the selection of an
appropriate problem situation which is relevant both to the interests and
experience level of learners and to the concepts being taught. The case
report should include facts regarding the problem, the environmental
context, and the characters of the people involved in the case. It should
be factual, but also contain the opinions and views of the people
involved. Learners should have access to the problem solution, but not
until they have reached their own conclusions and can then compare
their results with the actual decision taken to resolve the problem.
Learners, in a case study, can work independently or in groups. One
advantage of using the case method is that it emphasizes practical
thinking and assists learners in identifying principles after examining the
facts of the case, then applying those principles to new situations. Case
analysis is equally effective when used in combination with other
instructional strategies.
In the online environment, present case studies on web pages and
discuss in conferencing groups. Cases can be developed by class
groups as collaborative projects. In addition, tap the vast resources of
the Internet to contribute data, information, and expert advice to case
development and analysis.

Forum
The forum is an open discussion between one or more resource people
and a group. A moderator guides the discussion and the audience raises
and discusses issues, make comments, offers information, or asks
questions of the resource person(s) and each other. There are two
variations of the forum- the panel and the symposium.

The Panel
Usually three to six people who sit before an audience and have a
purposeful conversation on a topic in which they have specialized
knowledge. Guided by a moderator, the panel is informal in nature, but
allows for no audience participation.
The Symposium
A series of presentations given by two to five people different aspects of
the same theme or closely related themes.  Although the symposium is
formal in nature, questions from the audience are encouraged following
the presentations. An obvious benefit of the symposium is that it gives
learners exposure to a variety of experts’ viewpoints and offers an
opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
Because the online environment  facilitates group communication, it is
ideal for the types of information exchange typical in forums. In fact, the
forum can be more convenient and effective in the online environment
than in the traditional classroom because speakers, experts and
moderator can participate without having to travel or even be available at
a particular time. Both synchronous and asynchronous communication
can be utilized to support online learning forums.

Conclusion
The online learning environment allows educators and students to work
and exchange ideas and information together on projects, around the
clock and from anywhere in the world, using multiple communication
modes. Given the advantages and resources of this rich learning
environment, how can multiple instructional strategies best be utilized for
online learning? Just as in the traditional classroom, instructional
strategies are most effective when employed specifically to meet
particular learning goals and objectives. Effective course design can
begin with asking and answering the key question: what are the major
learning goals and objectives for this course? Once one articulates these
goals and objectives, address the questions of which learning strategies,
activities, and experiences to employ.
Online learning can employ any of the strategies discussed here. Much
of the power of learning via the Internet lies in its capacity to support
multiple modes of communication including any combination of student-
student, student-faculty, faculty-student, faculty-faculty, student-others,
others-students, etc. Taking into account the varied learning styles of
learners and providing opportunities for self-directed and collaborative
learning, educators can facilitate powerful, effective courses geared to
achieve specific learning goals and outcomes using the vast resources
and capacities of online learning.
The online learning environment is, after all, just another learning
environment. In some ways, it is similar to and in other ways different
from environments that are more traditional. When we move our classes
to the Internet, plan for and make the best use of the online environment.
The instructional strategies we use to meet the goals and objectives of
our courses are likely to be similar in each environment. However, the
ways in which we utilize the strategies will differ as we make the best
use of the characteristics and capacities of each environment.
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATESREGISTRATION

ION Professional eLea

or each of your research topics, you'll want to start by building a list of keywords
that you can use for your search.

Keywords need to match the words that authors have used when writing articles
on that topic. You'll want to pick words that you would expect to see in an article's
title or abstract. This will help you get the most relevant articles at the top of your
results list.

Here is an example of a topic and possible keywords:

Topic: How does limited access to technology affect the success of low-income students?

technology student success low income

computers student achievement poverty
internet academic achievement poor
digital divide
 
Focus on the main concepts, avoiding words that are vague or implied. For
example, using a general term like "affect" can greatly limit your results. First, an
author may only use words for a single, specific effect (e.g. technology use raises
student achievement). Second, there are many alternative phrasings that can
look at the effects of something (e.g. impact, result, consequence, etc.), and it's
unlikely you'll be able to brainstorm them all. You'll get better results if you
brainstorm specific effects (e.g. academic achievement) instead of using
"affect/effect" as a keyword. 
The term low income might look incomplete, but it captures low-income student,
low-income family, low-income household, etc. Likewise, you might instead use
simply success or achievement.
Note: Using the term social change can backfire. While social change is integral to your topic, articles themselves will
likely not explicitly say, "Investigating this issue is critical for social change." 

When you include such terms (social change, social justice, equality, etc.), you may miss relevant research that implies social change but doesn't directl
discuss it or use the exact words you choose. You can experiment with such terms—no harm in trying! But don't assume there there is nothing on your
topic if you get few or no results.

Instead, search without it. Authors may address social change (in whatever form, with whatever precise wording), or they might not. Either way, in you
assignment you can discuss the social change implications and opportunities yourself as part of your own critical analysis.

 
Learn more about keyword searching.

Build a search in the library databases

The next step is to use your keywords to build a search within a library database.
While each database has a unique collection, and may look slightly different,
these general steps will work in every library database.
Below is an example search using the keywords provided in the box above.
1.  From the library website, look for the Subject Resources box and click on
the Select a subject drop-down:

2.  Click the Education option.  Now you will see the Education Research guide.
This guide has links to the databases used most often for Education research.
3.  Select a database. This search example uses ERIC, one of our Education
subject databases. Scroll down to the Education Databases box.  Click
the ERIC link.  You may need to log in with your myWalden user name and
password.
 
NOTE: There are many databases you can use for this assignment. You may want to try more than one
database, since each database has a different collection of articles.
 See the bottom of this box for a list of relevant databases, and more information about each one.

 
4.  Type your keywords into the search boxes. Place keywords for a single
concept into one box, using "or" between each one. This tells the database to
find articles that have any of those terms.
     For example, first search box:  
      digital divide or technology or internet
     Second search box:  
academic achievement or student achievement or student success
     Third search box:
poverty or poor or low income
 How to
balance
remote
teaching as
a teacher-
student
By Ann Lloyd
  Facebook
 
 Twitter
 
 Pinterest
 
 Linkedin
 
 Email

If you’re a new teacher, you
probably never dreamed that
your first year in the classroom
wouldn’t be in the classroom.
Like everyone else, you likely
never considered the possibility
that you’d be doing everything a
whole lot differently because of a
global pandemic.

Maybe you signed up for an

internship, only to find your
assignment involved working
with a remote learning
environment. Or maybe you’re
still working toward your
teaching credential while
balancing your studies with a job
outside the field to make ends
meet.

Regardless of your current

situation, here are some ideas to
help you balance your priorities
as you work from home while
simultaneously pursuing your
goal of educating the next
generation.

Create your
comfort zone
Your home is your sanctuary,
and you can use that to your
advantage if you’re forced to
work remotely. Create a safe
haven for yourself in a
designated workspace where
you can feel comfortable day in
and day out. 

Start by identifying the place for

your home office that will best
help you focus on your work. It
might be a finished basement, a
spare room, or even a large
walk-in closet. If you’re like many
people, it might be filled with
things you’ve collected over the
years, many of which you no
longer use. 

If so, start by identifying what

you want to keep and what you
no longer need. Then do your
spring cleaning early and pile up
everything you’re ready to
discard. If there’s a lot, consider
renting a dumpster or asking
neighbors to go in with you on
the project. Either way, it’s an
affordable option for clearing
space.
Assemble
your work
station
Make an inventory of everything
you’ll need to be comfortable
and productive in your new work
area. Some things you might
want to consider include:

 An ergonomic chair that
allows you to reach your
keyboard and mouse
comfortably, while keeping
 your elbows at 90-degree
angles. Make sure it has
proper lower-back support.
 An adjustable desk that can
accommodate someone of
your height. You might also
consider a standing desk.
 A comfortable keyboard that
fits your physique (if you have
broad shoulders, you might
consider a curved or split
keyboard).
 A mouse that’s the right size
for your hand and fits with
how you work, whether it has
a trackball, is wireless, or
 even takes the form of a
stylus or pen.
 A monitor positioned at or a
little below eye level. Do you
need a split or curved screen
to work on multiple projects at
once? Make sure your
monitor is suited to your
needs. 
 Noise-canceling headphones 
to block out distractions. 

Protect your
focus
Speaking of distractions… if you
share your home with family or
roommates, be sure you inform
them when you’re at work or
studying, so they know not to
interrupt you. If necessary, block
out time on a digital calendar
you share with your
housemates. If your workstation
is in a separate room, consider a
“Do Not Disturb” sign. 

Financial worries can be another

source of distractions. Keep
them at a minimum by ensuring
that you have good credit and
knowing how to maintain it. This
is important even — and
perhaps especially — if you’re
just starting out. Establishing
good credit now, when you’re
still in school or just embarking
on your teaching career, can set
the stage for future financial
security.

Another way to stay focused is

to eliminate distractions that can
occur as a result of things like
electrical failures and plumbing
problems. You can’t work in a
flooded basement or if the
electricity goes out. And what if
you can’t afford an electrician? A
home warranty can cover you
against the cost of these and
other home-system and
appliance repairs. 

Adopt a
routine
Working from home can give you
more freedom than working in a
standard office, which can create
temptations to either work too
long or goof off. Guard against
these tendencies by setting up a
regular work schedule that
requires you to “clock in” and
“clock out” at consistent times,
and includes time for breaks.

This can be easier if you’re

teaching or helping teach
classes remotely, since they
start and end at specific times.
But you still might want to
designate time for homework
and projects that aren’t assigned
to a specific block of time.

Set goals for yourself and

challenge yourself to complete
them by a specific deadline.
Then leave time for yourself: to
exercise, meditate, or just have
fun. Stay in touch with friends
and family via email, Zoom,
Facetime, and whatever other
tools you have at hand. Their
support will be important to keep
you from feeling isolated amid
the pandemic.

Balancing “work time” with “me

time” can be more challenging
— and more important — than
ever during a pandemic,
especially if you’re also juggling
work and school. Staying
focused and ensuring you have
the tools to pursue your goals
are essential to achieving them.
It may seem overwhelming now,
but with discipline and foresight,
you can come through with flying
colors.

My name is Ann Lloyd and I’m a

newly enrolled MBA grad
student. I’m getting my degree
online and working as a
marketing intern on the side. In
my spare time, I’m hard at work
on the Student Savings Guide,
my blog about living a budget-
conscious life. The guide caters
to students and recent grads, but
anyone can use these tips to get
by.
 How to
Make
Lessons
Cohesive
When
Teaching
Remote
Classes
By The Editorial Team
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

The COVID-19 pandemic has

made remote education crucial.
It was treated separately from
traditional methods of education.
People who wanted to save
some time and look for flexibility
chose online education and
other forms of remote education
as alternatives to traditional in-
class lessons. Now, remote
education is the only option
available for many students and
educators.
Even in schools that still offer in-
person lessons, classes are no
longer the coherent units that
they used to be. Some students
study remotely, while others
have hybrid schedules, attending
some classes at school and
studying online the rest of the
time. Therefore, teachers have
to adapt to the new standards,
making sure that both online and
in-person lessons will create a
consistent learning experience.
Coherence Is
a Challenge
The flexibility of online education
also has its flip side because
ensuring a coherent learning
experience becomes one of the
main challenges for
educators. According to the
Oxford dictionary, coherence is a
term that has two meanings.
First, it means the quality of
being logically consistent.
Secondly, it means the quality of
forming a unified structure.
Maintaining logical consistency
is a necessity when teaching
students because fragmented
pieces of information don’t
enable students to figure out the
whole picture.

The ongoing changes that

influence the education system
during this pandemic certainly
don’t contribute to ensuring a
consistent learning experience.
Of course, the learning process
shouldn’t necessarily be linear.
However, when students don’t
have an opportunity to meet
teachers in-person, it becomes
especially important to not only
make sure they can access
necessary materials, but also
understand them.

Many teachers assumed they

could teach content the same
way as in-class, but quickly
realized that lesson plans should
be adapted for remote
education. Educators need to
engage with students regardless
of their distance, and keeping
them engaged can be a
challenge.
Ensuring
Lesson
Coherence
To present the material
effectively, lessons should be
structured in a certain way. For
instance, students are not ready
to get into the details of the
subject from the very beginning.
The best way to present the
material is to start with a quick
introduction and then get to the
main points. Students may be
tired at the end of a lesson, so
teachers can use the remaining
portion of the lesson to provide a
quick summary or to ask
questions to help students better
memorize what they’ve just
learned.

In other words, a lesson should

consist of the three key sections:
an opening, the main part, and
closure. It’s also important to use
transitions when switching from
one subject or subtopic to
another. Transitions will help you
keep students engaged and
make your materials more
cohesive. Most educators know
the importance of openings,
transitions, and closures, but
these concepts are rarely
considered a priority. Quite
often, teachers simply plan the
material they’re going to present
but don’t plan how exactly they
will help students learn it.

Usually, the introductory part of

a lesson only takes about five
minutes, but it has a big
impact on how much students
will actually learn. The type of
introduction depends on the type
of audience and its distinctive
features. Generally, starting a
lesson with a quick
overview builds lesson
consistency because it enables
students to quickly evaluate their
existing knowledge and helps
teachers identify areas that may
need additional explanation. An
effective introduction should
relate to the previous lesson,
provide a quick summary of the
current lesson, and build up
students’ engagement to pique
their interest.
Closures establish a clear
connection between different
lessons. An effective closure
should not only summarize the
whole lesson, but also explain
what students should prepare for
and what the next lesson will be
about. A good closure can also
consider the lesson topic in a
broader context. This way,
students will be able to think
about how the material of the
lesson relates to the general
goals of the course and its real-
life applications. Besides,
providing some background
information related to the content
of the next lesson can help
students understand what they
should focus on and what topics
they might need to research.

Although there is little research

on the importance of openings
and closures, many experts
agree that openings enable
students to better prepare for a
lesson. Openings, closings, and
transitions can help teachers
structure their lessons in an easy
to comprehend way, making
these lessons more cohesive.
Such boundary markers help
educators develop engaging
lesson plans. Creating the right
structure, however, is not
enough to ensure consistent
engagement.

Don’t forget that consistent

learning experiences also
depend on the communication
between a teacher and students.
When a lesson begins, a teacher
should establish their presence
immediately, talk about
homework, answer questions
from students, and then start the
introduction. Even though online
lessons don’t enable educators
to maintain the same level of
communication as when
teaching students face-to-face,
effective online communication
should be an integral part of
remote education.

One of the best approaches is to

enable students to contact their
teachers any time, not only
during a lesson. For instance,
teachers can engage with their
students on social media or
simply answer their emails
outside of the working hours (but
make sure to follow a
healthy work-life balance—for
example, not answering student
questions before bed). Online
education is associated with a
certain degree of flexibility,
which means that students may
replay lectures or revise other
educational materials at any
time. Therefore, if you want to
ensure the consistency of the
learning experience, they should
also be able to communicate
with their teacher at any
moment.

Wrapping Up
Online education has never
been so big. The coronavirus
pandemic forced many teachers
to try new approaches and
learning the quirks of remote
education. Online learning offers
a number of benefits. For
example, students can enjoy
flexibility and study in a
comfortable environment, with
no need to be physically present
at a certain location.

Providing a cohesive learning

experience, however, becomes
a challenge. Many teachers
realize that they need to change
their approaches to make sure
students stay engaged and the
material is easy to understand.

Teachers can make their

lessons more coherent by
maintaining a clear, logical
structure. Introductions, closings,
transitions, and other boundary
markers can help students
digest the material easier. These
elements, as well as effective
communication, can help
educators ensure a consistent
learning experience, no matter
whether lessons take place in-
person or online.
Rhonda Martinez is an ESL
teacher, avid reader and
effective educator. She writes
reviews
for LegitWritingServices and
enjoys writing essays for literary
magazines and journals.
Besides teaching and writing,
she is a lifelong student of
Chinese philosophy and a
passionate geek for all things
edtech