Adapting successful online activities for in-person classes - a new challenge

Abstract

Over the past few years, discussion across the sector has rightly been concentrated on how to provide a valuable and engaging online experience for students. The shift back to in-person classes has left many practitioners considering whether there are any lessons from the necessary shift to online teaching that can be applied to in-person teaching. This article will cover experiences stemming from a welcome but unanticipated dilemma - the live online classes for the module in question were extremely popular with students in 2020/21. How should the lecturer approach the return to in-person sessions? 

Activities for live online classes were designed as consolidation "games" which sought to encourage peer learning and discussion. The positive response to these activities encouraged the lecturer to pursue a flipped classroom model for the 2021/22 academic year.  

This article will discuss the various considerations when planning the transition to in-person classes for the 2021/22 academic year. In addition to reflections from the lecturer on the experience, this case study will also present preliminary findings from a formal study aiming to determine whether the activities have any positive effects on student confidence. Specifically, the study will investigate student confidence in areas such as working with peers, preparing for a class using online resources, and communicating mathematics in a written format.