{"id":806911,"date":"2020-12-07T17:07:37","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T16:07:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/eu\/?p=9523"},"modified":"2026-06-05T12:13:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:13:45","slug":"confidence-building-strategies-for-teaching-online-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/confidence-building-strategies-for-teaching-online-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Confidence Building Strategies for Teaching Online"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you one of the many&nbsp;teachers&nbsp;faced with&nbsp;online&nbsp;lessons&nbsp;for the first time? At&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/estore.wacom.com\/elearning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wacom<\/a>&nbsp;we\u2019ve been talking to&nbsp;educators&nbsp;about&nbsp;issues&nbsp;they experience when creating&nbsp;successful&nbsp;virtual&nbsp;classes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the top&nbsp;problems on the list? Feeling confident&nbsp;about&nbsp;online&nbsp;teaching.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Does this ring a bell for you? Are you the master of your classroom, but feel completely out of your comfort zone in front of a webcam?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how you can boost your confidence&nbsp;when&nbsp;teaching online.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Get familiar with new&nbsp;technology&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you weren\u2019t using&nbsp;much&nbsp;technology&nbsp;before, it can&nbsp;feel&nbsp;daunting&nbsp;at first.&nbsp;You might&nbsp;think&nbsp;everyone else is fine,&nbsp;but there are&nbsp;many&nbsp;teachers struggling with&nbsp;exactly the same&nbsp;issues&nbsp;as you.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good&nbsp;virtual&nbsp;teaching&nbsp;doesn\u2019t mean having to use every new&nbsp;platform and program you\u2019ve been told about. You can&nbsp;still&nbsp;create great lessons&nbsp;with little&nbsp;previous&nbsp;experience&nbsp;online.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Introduce new things slowly.&nbsp;Your students will thank you too.&nbsp;Practise&nbsp;before your lesson to&nbsp;build&nbsp;your&nbsp;confidence.&nbsp;Start&nbsp;creating&nbsp;a list of favourite websites and programs&nbsp;to&nbsp;use&nbsp;in your regular teaching sequence.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2020\/12\/ConfidentTeacherHoldingPaper-890x593.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9526\" title=\"\"><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t copy everyone else&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you have to use&nbsp;this program&nbsp;or website,&nbsp;or&nbsp;do you feel that way because other staff&nbsp;are using it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every school is likely to have a few trailblazers who love learning&nbsp;about&nbsp;new technology. They\u2019re called \u2018early adopters.\u2019&nbsp;You don\u2019t have to emulate them. Let them take the lead and listen to what they&nbsp;say.&nbsp;You can decide if it\u2019s worth your time trying it yourself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online learning is here to stay.&nbsp;Focus on the essentials your school&nbsp;expects you to use.&nbsp;You can build&nbsp;on&nbsp;this&nbsp;knowledge&nbsp;at&nbsp;your own speed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thoroughly plan lessons&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online lessons require&nbsp;preparation,&nbsp;just like classroom teaching. If you\u2019re feeling anxious, try creating a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/eu\/europe\/education\/how-to-design-the-perfect-online-lesson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">detailed lesson plan<\/a>&nbsp;with a story board, bullet point notes, or partial script.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, don\u2019t script the lesson so much that you lose your natural delivery. Having notes does not mean&nbsp;reading out a speech. Organise your&nbsp;plan&nbsp;into headings, bullet points, and key explanations. Use different colours and images to make it easy to follow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose how to deliver lessons&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some schools&nbsp;say&nbsp;how they want you to teach, others are leaving the choice to you.&nbsp;There are three&nbsp;principal ways&nbsp;to deliver online lessons:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Pre-recorded videos<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\"><li><strong>Live video<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;calls<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"3\"><li><strong>Typed lessons<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s see the pros and cons of each approach.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1: Pre-recorded lessons&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means&nbsp;recording&nbsp;a video in your own time and sending&nbsp;it out to your students.&nbsp;Programs like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Loom<\/a>&nbsp;have simple introductions to get you started and are easy to navigate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Take your time to produce each lesson&nbsp;<\/li><li>Re-record if things go wrong&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>No pressure to perform in the moment&nbsp;<\/li><li>Edit sections for a smooth lesson&nbsp;<\/li><li>Record a block of lessons in advance&nbsp;<\/li><li>Students can work at their own speed&nbsp;<\/li><li>Use the&nbsp;lessons as a learning resource&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cons<\/strong>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Watching and listening to yourself on camera&nbsp;<\/li><li>Easy to concentrate on&nbsp;your&nbsp;mistakes&nbsp;<\/li><li>Can waste time aiming for \u2018perfect\u2019&nbsp;lessons&nbsp;<\/li><li>Takes time to edit, upload,&nbsp;and share the videos&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2: Live lessons&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This involves&nbsp;hosting&nbsp;a&nbsp;class&nbsp;using a platform like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/zoom.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zoom<\/a>.&nbsp;You send students an access code and they sign in to join your lesson live.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Faster than&nbsp;pre-recorded&nbsp;lessons&nbsp;<\/li><li>Chance to talk to students&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Increased engagement&nbsp;<\/li><li>Feels more natural than talking to a camera&nbsp;<\/li><li>Live&nbsp;formative&nbsp;assessment&nbsp;<\/li><li>Record the lessons for absent students&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cons<\/strong>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Hard to manage when things go wrong&nbsp;<\/li><li>Many students have limited access to devices&nbsp;<\/li><li>Affected by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/eu\/europe\/7-ways-to-stop-a-poor-internet-connection-ruining-your-online-lessons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poor internet connection<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li><li>Some students struggle to engage&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Low-level behaviour can impact&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">3: Typed lessons&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plenty of&nbsp;great&nbsp;lessons&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;use&nbsp;video.&nbsp;Use&nbsp;text and images on a familiar document such as Word or PowerPoint,&nbsp;or type directly onto a platform such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/microsoft-365\/microsoft-teams\/group-chat-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Microsoft Teams<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros<\/strong>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Easy to link websites using hyperlinks&nbsp;<\/li><li>Reuse activities and resources&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Create templates using&nbsp;programs like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/visme.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Visme<\/a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Canva<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li><li>Students can access in their own time&nbsp;<\/li><li>Doesn\u2019t rely on a good internet connection&nbsp;<\/li><li>Easy to email lessons&nbsp;<\/li><li>Embed voice messages to explain tasks&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cons<\/strong>:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Can be difficult for&nbsp;formative&nbsp;assessment&nbsp;<\/li><li>You lose student interaction&nbsp;<\/li><li>Struggling&nbsp;learners&nbsp;may&nbsp;need support&nbsp;<\/li><li>Lots of text can put students off&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Hard to&nbsp;demonstrate&nbsp;new concepts&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4: Use a combination&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s no reason&nbsp;to&nbsp;limit yourself to one method of delivery. Try mixing and matching.&nbsp;This is great if you want to start something new but feel apprehensive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember,&nbsp;there\u2019s no \u2018right way\u2019 to deliver virtual lessons. You can find&nbsp;what&nbsp;works best for you and improve it over time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Evaluate the positives of your lessons&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With&nbsp;the&nbsp;benefit of hindsight, every lesson could&nbsp;be&nbsp;better.&nbsp;Instead, focus on&nbsp;the&nbsp;positives&nbsp;from each&nbsp;online&nbsp;class.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spend a few minutes considering:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What went well?&nbsp;<\/li><li>Which activities worked best?&nbsp;<\/li><li>Who made progress in the lesson?&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now&nbsp;think of one thing you\u2019d like to try next&nbsp;time.&nbsp;Make it small and achievable rather than a huge challenge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Embrace mindfulness&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t let anxiety about teaching online dominate your home life.&nbsp;Enjoy exercise, get outdoors, and&nbsp;check out our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/eu\/europe\/5-simple-stress-busting-mindfulness-apps-for-teachers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">top mindfulness apps<\/a>&nbsp;for teachers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re teaching from home,&nbsp;recreate&nbsp;a&nbsp;commute by&nbsp;making&nbsp;a transition.&nbsp;Going&nbsp;for a short walk, reading, or taking a shower can&nbsp;give you&nbsp;the feeling of finishing for the day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have&nbsp;problems sleeping&nbsp;or eating,&nbsp;experience&nbsp;panic attacks,&nbsp;or&nbsp;feel&nbsp;very low, it\u2019s time to seek help.&nbsp;Talk&nbsp;to your line manager, visit your doctor, or look for a teacher helpline to call.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In summary&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Teaching online is&nbsp;new to everyone.&nbsp;Use&nbsp;\u2018early adopters\u2019&nbsp;to train you on&nbsp;the&nbsp;basics&nbsp;you need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plan well and&nbsp;choose&nbsp;the&nbsp;delivery&nbsp;format that suits you best:&nbsp;live, pre-recorded,&nbsp;typed, or a combination of these.&nbsp;Focus on the positives&nbsp;and choose one small target to&nbsp;improve&nbsp;rather than trying to make every lesson perfect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confidence comes over time, with familiarity about what you\u2019re doing.&nbsp;Take it slowly, learn&nbsp;the&nbsp;essentials first and choose when to try other things.&nbsp;Soon teaching online will feel like the usual routine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":8936,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2656],"tags":[131,537,153,997,995,542,543,558,79,80,410],"class_list":["post-806911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","tag-education","tag-elearning","tag-how-to","tag-parents","tag-remote-education","tag-remote-learning","tag-remote-teaching","tag-students","tag-teachers","tag-wacom-intuos","tag-wacom-one"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=806911"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25954662,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/806911\/revisions\/25954662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=806911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=806911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=806911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}