How to Get Students’ Attention When Delivering Online Lectures?

Dear readers, on this occasion I would like to share a little about what is generally asked through the comment box or my email inbox, namely: how can we attract the attention of students when giving online lectures?

As we all know, the current pandemic has changed in some way how we work, learn and also teach. We are familiar with applications such as Zoom Cloud Meeting, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and many other online applications. Almost all teaching and learning activities are currently using this application. I am no exception as a lecturer, who lately is often asked to be a guest lecturer at various educational institutions.

The challenge then becomes the question is: how can we attract the attention of our students while delivering the online class? The problem is that we often don’t know whether students are really listening to what material we are conveying, or don’t – don’t do other things such as browsing the internet, opening social media, and playing on mobile? Even though we have made it  mandatory  for students to turn on the camera, not necessarily everyone will listen completely.

By estimating the time of the pandemic which seems to be still very long, education fighters in this pandemic must think: how can we deliver online lectures that are of the same quality (or even more) than when delivered offline. This is very important in order to maintain the quality of the education itself. One of the ways is by delivering interesting lectures, so that all students’ attention is 100% in our lectures.

Then, how do you attract the attention of students when we are delivering online lectures?

Before discussing the strategy, let me first explain about the  attention curve.

Get to know the concept of attention curve

Attention curve  is one of the basic things an educator needs to keep in mind, in my opinion. The attention curve has the following shape (adapted from Gibbs, 1992),

The attention curve as above illustrates to us that if we continue to provide material with the same technique ( lecture ), then the students’ attention will be full only during the first 15 minutes and will tend to fall forever. This tendency to decrease in attention makes the participants usually do other things: drawing, chatting, playing  smartphones,  and activities that are not related to the material. In this curve, in the 40th minute student attention tends to increase because it has entered the conclusion or end of a session. In my experience studying in the Netherlands, generally professors will make a ‘break’ when the lecture lasts 45 minutes, then continue to the next session.

In the context of teaching in Indonesia, lecturers generally get a very long assignment. For example 3 credits, where 1 credit is 50 minutes. Teaching 3 credits, meaning one session is 150 minutes aka 2.5 hours. How do you think that in the online class, as teachers, we talk non-stop? How much attention was lost during the session?

This is where it is important for us as lecturers, teachers, teachers to understand this to try as much as possible to grab the full attention of students.

There are 2 strategies that I generally employ to grab your full attention in each of my online classroom sessions. That is:

Strategy # 1: Implement the Zoom Agreement before starting the session

ZOOM Agreement, is the “Zoom Agreement”, taken from the application I usually use for online classes. The name can of course be changed according to the application we are using. It could be Skype or Teams Agreement.

Zoom Agreement is an agreement that we made in the early phase when we first entered class, or at the beginning of the session we met. I learned this from a writer, Seth Godin, who uses this Zoom Agreement before starting a session.

The following is a snippet from the Zoom Agreement that I took from Seth Godin,

If you promise not to check your email while we’re talking, we promise to not waste your time

The purpose of a meeting is not filling the allocated slot on the Google calendar invite

The purpose is to communicate an idea and the emotions that go with it and to find out what’s missing via engaged conversation

If we can’t do that, let’s not meet.

What I got from the Zoom Agreement above is that as educators, we need to change  our mindset of  teaching online classes, from being merely carrying out an obligation, to really wanting to connect with students. In the Zoom agreement, it is stated that the agreement needs two directions: if we want our students to pay attention, then make sure the quality of the lecture and the presentation of the material that we bring is worthy of attention. This mindset is often lost, where there are still many teachers who only think about how the online lecture can be finished soon. In fact, filling out this online class can be a strength to connect with students and also make classes more fun.

So in this agreement, if the two sides, both from the lecturer, do not promise to make a session worthy of listening to the end, and the student also cannot maintain concentration during the lecture, then it is better not to meet together.

Strategy # 2: Break a long session into sub-sessions

One strategy that many educational psychology experts and researchers recommend is to break our long sessions into several sub-sessions, and use a variety of activities in the transitional phase to revive the lost concentration of students. For example, if I conduct time management training and have 150 minutes, then I would devote that time to:

• Provides material on ‘finding the meaning of life’ for 20 minutes, then transitional activities
• Enter the second material about ‘having a vision of life’ for 20 minutes, then transitional activities
• Enter the third material on ‘action discipline’ for 20 minutes, then transitional or closing activities

So that later the curve will be shaped like below,

The red circle indicates a sub-session ends and is heading for a transition phase to enter the next activity. So, this sub-session activity can use a variety of variations according to the teacher’s creativity, such as: group quizzes, light discussions, small assignments, and questions and answers. For self-questioning, if none of the participants ask questions, then we are the ones to ask to make sure that they are listening to what we are giving.

So, hopefully this technique can be useful for those of you who are currently fighting education fighters, especially in a pandemic like today. For more details, you can see it on my YouTube video channel .

How to Get Students’ Attention When Delivering Online Lectures?

Are you struggling to capture your students’ attention during online lectures? Delivering engaging and effective online lectures can be challenging, especially when students may be easily distracted in a remote learning environment. However, with the right strategies and techniques, you can successfully grab and maintain your students’ attention throughout your online lectures. In this article, we will explore some practical tips to help you keep your students engaged and focused.

The Power of Visuals

One of the most effective ways to capture students’ attention during online lectures is by incorporating visuals into your presentations. Visual aids such as slides, images, videos, and infographics can make your lectures more engaging and dynamic. These visuals can help break the monotony of a lecture and provide a visual representation of the concepts you are discussing.
When creating your slides, keep in mind these key tips:

1. Keep it simple: Use minimal text and focus on visual elements.
2. Use relevant images: Choose images that enhance understanding and convey the message effectively.
3. Utilize graphs and diagrams: Visual representations of data can help students grasp complex information more easily.
4. Incorporate multimedia: Integrate videos and interactive elements to add variety and promote active learning.

Interactivity: Engaging the Students

Another effective way to maintain students’ attention during online lectures is to promote interactivity. Engaging students through interactive activities and discussions can enhance their involvement and understanding. Here are some ideas to encourage interactivity:

1. Polls and quizzes: Use online polling tools to gather students’ opinions or assess their comprehension.
2. Breakout rooms: Divide students into smaller groups for discussions and collaborative activities.
3. Ask questions: Encourage students to ask questions or participate in discussions through chat or audio.
4. Group projects: Assign group projects that require students to work together and actively participate.

Clear and Concise Delivery

When delivering online lectures, it’s crucial to be clear, concise, and organized in your delivery. Rambling or going off on tangents can quickly lose students’ attention. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Plan and structure your lecture: Divide your lecture into sections or topics and provide a clear outline to guide students.
2. Use concise language: Avoid complex jargon or unnecessary details that can confuse or overwhelm students.
3. Break content into digestible chunks: Present information in smaller segments to prevent cognitive overload.
4. Use a conversational tone: Be approachable and relatable to create a connection with your students.

Utilize Technology and Innovative Tools

Incorporating technology and innovative tools into your online lectures can significantly enhance engagement and capture students’ attention. Consider using:

1. Interactive whiteboards: Use online whiteboard tools to illustrate concepts and engage students visually.
2. Virtual simulations: Simulate real-world situations or experiments to encourage active learning and critical thinking.
3. Gamification: Incorporate game elements such as leaderboards, badges, or rewards to motivate and engage students.
4. Online collaboration platforms: Utilize collaboration tools that allow students to interact and work together on assignments or projects.

Regularly Assess and Provide Feedback

Regular assessment and feedback play a vital role in keeping students engaged during online lectures. By providing timely feedback and assessing their understanding, you can foster motivation and demonstrate your investment in their learning. Here are some effective assessment and feedback strategies:

1. Formative assessments: Use quizzes, polls, or short assignments to gauge students’ understanding during the lecture.
2. Peer feedback: Encourage students to provide constructive feedback to their peers or engage in peer review activities.
3. Timely feedback: Provide feedback promptly, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
4. Personalized feedback: Tailor feedback based on individual student needs and learning styles.

Conclusion

Capturing students’ attention during online lectures requires intentional planning, creativity, and utilizing various strategies and tools. By incorporating visuals, promoting interactivity, delivering content clearly and concisely, utilizing technology, and providing regular assessments and feedback, you can create a more engaging online learning experience for your students. Remember, the key is to adapt and stay flexible to meet the unique needs of online teaching and learning environments.