Teachers have faced numerous challenges while transitioning to online teaching. Some of the main challenges during online classes is that teachers have faced technical difficulties, engaging students, managing class size, assessing student learning, time management, increased workload etc.
Many teachers have also struggled with personal and professional stress during this time as they try to balance their responsibilities as educators with their own personal and family commitments. Despite these challenges during online classes, teachers have worked hard to adapt to the new circumstances and continue providing quality education to their students.
Let us discuss about these problems during online classes in detail.
List of challenges during online classes
We know there is a vast difference between in-person and online study modes. Learning through virtual training can be a little more complicated than in-person classes. Several issues arise without any notice while learning through an online class.
1. Technical issues
While appearing in online classes, technical challenges during online classes like shutting down or restarting the device or a slow internet connection create problems. Staying in touch with teachers and professors can solve this issue. They can arrange recorded sessions or be flexible about the class.
2. Adopting new technology
The transition from an actual class to an online class opened many unfamiliar technologies for teachers and students. Using new digital tools for videoconferencing and recorded data helped students learn their lessons faster, but many older teachers and not-so-technical students face various problems. A technical problem-solving person is always helpful in this situation.
3. Lack of in-person communication
One of the biggest challenges during online classes was less interaction between instructors and students has been one of the challenging issues. Face-to-face interaction is necessary, but as it is not possible in an online class, there should be some way to solve this problem. Grouping students in smaller batches can keep the interaction steady and motivating.
4. Distraction and lack of motivation
Studying or teaching from home can be more distracting than in-person classes. Family issues, small children, or younger siblings can take up time and focus. Building a proper schedule and figuring out a concrete plan for each day can utilize and balance both work and home.
5. Unorganized and ineffective time management
One of the other challenges during online classes for teachers was time management. Doing study or teaching without a ‘class bell’ is challenging. Additional responsibilities can make teachers and students less organized, creating ineffective time management. The solution is simple. Building a schedule and coursework can help to make time management effective. A positive and organized workspace can save valuable time during online classes.
6. General problems faced by the teachers during online classes
The pandemic has been a challenge for most teachers around the globe who are accustomed to in-person teaching. As a result, educators and administrators faced a lot of challenges during online classes and searched for new apps and tools to teach online. As a result, they are dealing with problems they never had before.
7. Motivating students
Teachers are dealing with boredom in their students in the teaching system. Maybe students are not coming to online classes regularly or engaging mainly in their gaming consoles while ongoing classes. Challenges of online learning include keeping students motivated to become more prominent and improving participation in virtual classrooms. Instructors might use creative ways to keep their students motivated and attracted to their online classes. Classes online are problematic for students too. Problems faced by students in online classes are the same as the teachers. That is why age-based communication regarding studying with students can be helpful for teachers to keep the focus on the student.
8. Keeping track of the progress and assignments
In a virtual learning environment, the teachers need to understand the students’ problems more efficiently. Instructors need to keep the students engaged in their course materials. Students should get ample time and opportunities for learning. Student attendance, mock interviews, and periodic assignment checks by the teachers can help track the progress of the whole year.
9. Lack of technical or software knowledge
All the teachers are not accustomed to computer technical knowledge, and they teach and learn simultaneously. While they know little about software and how to use it, it becomes a problem for the older generation of teachers to follow the guidelines on using devices in virtual classes. Without proper software knowledge, it becomes pretty harassing for teachers to conduct online classes. Keeping more than one device while operating an online class can be helpful for teachers.
10. Less time in preparing course content digitally
Teaching online is not as effortless as it looks. Whether the teachers conduct classes from home or the office requires much more arrangement and time. Preparing a digital format of learning materials is time-consuming. Teachers often have to work more to conduct virtual classes to prepare course materials. Less time means unfinished course content, which creates problems while teaching students. Making digital course material according to the syllabus before starting the session can quickly solve this issue.
11. Numerical teaching problem virtually
Solving a numerical problem on a blackboard or whiteboard in an in-person class is bliss. However, think about it while in the virtual classroom. Teachers face many problems while writing numerals during video conferencing class, so they have to prepare to google docs, PPTs, or slides to write formulae or rules.
12. Maintaining discipline in virtual classes
The most important goal of teaching students is to make their future bright by providing quality education. While teachers ensure proper discipline for providing the best knowledge in actual classes, online classes are always exceptions. However, in the case of online learning, instructors cannot physically control the safe learning environment. So to ensure discipline, teachers must ensure the class rules prior to the beginning of the online class.
Final Thoughts
This pandemic has given teachers an excellent opportunity to use information technology in their standard teaching methodology. As a result, they have adopted new learning processes and have overcome many challenges over a brief span. Unavailability of strong internet, less knowledge about the use of software applications, reaching out to students, and motivating them for course completion has been some of the biggest challenges for teachers.
However, Classplus provides all the solutions for the problems. With your own app, you can provide recorded lectures, unlimited pdf, and online test series to students without worrying about internet connections.
The 13 Challenges Faced During Online Classes FAQs
A1. Teachers can overcome challenges during online classes with simple tips and tricks such as Creating a schedule and sticking to it, using communication techniques, Creating a productive work environment, and many other ways.
A2. The biggest challenge teachers face during online classes is the use of new technology and new teaching tools and platforms.
A3. Online learning affected teachers as they were not able to get any verbal or nonverbal feedback from students. Without any feedback, it becomes difficult for teachers to improve their teaching techniques and strategies.
A4. The disadvantages for teachers of online classes are lack of feedback, motivation for students, track of the performance of students, and many others.
A5. Online teaching creates many hurdles for teachers such as due to lack of physical availability it becomes difficult to create a positive learning environment in the virtual classroom, Lack of feedback reduces the chances of improvement and it slows down growth.
