20+ Tools for TAs Teaching Virtually

By Maria Romios

Throughout the pandemic teaching online has become the new norm. As Teaching Assistants (TAs), we are given varying degrees of freedom from Course Directors (CDs) regarding what we should cover and what tools we can use in tutorials. This blog post is intended to provide TAs with some ideas on how to integrate online tools into their virtual tutorials. Many of these tools can be transferred to the physical classroom and may be relevant for CDs as well. The ideas discussed herein stem from my recent experience teaching online since the COVID-19 pandemic announcement in March 2020.

Engagement is extremely important when teaching online. Asking your students questions is a great way to encourage engagement. It can also help you, as the instructor, know how to better teach the group you have. Every class is an opportunity to pre-assess students’ prior knowledge and how you can better support them in the future. When facilitating a synchronous session, students are attending live so some interaction is crucial to differentiate the synchronous video tutorial from an asynchronous video that they can watch on their own time. Give students agency in their own learning and they will progress more quickly with a deeper understanding of the content.

Zoom

The first tools I will discuss are on the video conferencing platform Zoom. Zoom has many intuitive functions such as raise hand, yes/no and other reactions to get quick responses from your participants. The chat function offers a way for students to write out their responses in more detail. This is crucial for individuals who do not have the possibility of using their camera or microphone; everyone is different and should have the option to engage in the ways they can or choose to.

Another way to encourage participation is by creating slides in PowerPoint or as a PDF image and then allowing students to use the annotate function in Zoom to post their responses directly on top of them. A screenshot can be taken after all responses are gathered for future reference. This can also be emailed out to your students, as well as an audio or video recording of the tutorial for those who couldn’t attend that day’s class. Students really appreciate these details, and it makes it easier for them to catch up on what they missed if they could not make it to class. Regular correspondence with your tutorial group through email is fundamental, especially when all course content is delivered virtually.

Polls are probably my favourite tool and allow quantitative feedback to be gathered from the group. All of these engagement tools are effective ice breakers and could be used for wellness checks, brainstorming and checking for comprehension. Engaging with students makes class more fun and paves the two-way street which education and learning is founded upon.

Google Docs

Google Docs is a collaborative, ongoing, shareable document. It can be edited by all students synchronously or asynchronously. I have divided the class into breakout rooms while they summarized a section of the textbook in our collaborative Google Doc. I have also asked students to provide a definition for homework and then went through them the following week in tutorial. This collaborative document creates an excellent study resource for the end of the year. In addition, I have used Google Docs to organize the class list for presentation topics or establishing group members. It can be edited at any point and so it is an ongoing resource available to students which they can access at their convenience.

Padlet

Padlet is a “global platform for creativity and self-expression”. While Google Docs are a more traditional linear collaborative document, Padlet provides a unique visual layout to present information with a more flexible format. Images or whole documents can be shared and then commented on or linked together. I have seen this application used to compile responses to questions and even music within a course. I can imagine this could also be helpful in organizing course content, student presentations or other documents. Sign up for Padlet is free and collaboration from participants can be anonymous. Padlet is fun, intuitive, and easy to use.

Kahoot!

Kahoot! is a “global learning platform” allowing users to “create, share and play learning games that drive compelling engagement”. The games, similar to quizzes, “can be played anywhere, in person or virtually, using any device with an internet connection”. I have used Kahoot! in the virtual as well as face-to-face classroom with great success. Students enjoy participating in the quiz and winning points if they answer quickly and correctly. Even if participants get something wrong, I make sure to go through all the questions and answers after the quiz, turning their mistakes into valuable learning opportunities. This serves as an excellent practice for upcoming summative quizzes or tests!

Digital Images

Digital Images are my final online tool for engagement in the virtual classroom. There are several sites online like Unsplash or Pixabay which contain freely-usable images. Sometimes images can make a different or more lasting impression than words alone. Adding an image into your tutorial can serve as an icebreaker to introduce a topic, or as a visual representation of a challenging or misunderstood concept or idea. You or your students could also represent important data or statistics with the aid of infographics. These can be generated using sites like Canva which include a suite of built-in templates.

I hope this blog post has been helpful for TA’s interested in using online tools or looking for fun ways to increase engagement in their tutorials. Whether it’s your first year or you are an experienced TA, it’s beneficial to try new things in the classroom as students are always changing and every group of learners is different. Feedback from students and personal reflection are valuable ways to assess what was most effective in your classroom for you and your students. All the tools I discussed in this blog are free and available online through the links included below. I encourage you to experiment and see what works best for your classroom, students, and teaching style!

About the Author

Maria Romios is a PhD Candidate in Musicology & Ethnomusicology at York University where she also completed her MA in Composition. She has composed hundreds of autoethnographic songs for guitar and voice, and is an active participant in the open mic community. Maria has also taught private music lessons for over 17 years and has a lifelong passion for teaching and learning, both in and outside academia.