Ear to the Ground: Listening to Every Student's Issue in a Conference Call

Communication is representative of the times we live in. Never before have humans, as a race, been asked to stay away from each other to ensure one and all’s safety. This change in our mannerisms has had a striking impact on the way we communicate.

Communication consists of a number of cues – verbal and non-verbal – which come together to convey the message effectively. With social distancing in place and our faces masked, we have lost a huge chunk of these cues. This is where technology has come to fore and has helped us bridge communication gaps.

Students have taken to technology like a duck to water. From using text snippets and emojis during live conference calls, students are utilizing technology effectively to get the best out of online classes. Teachers, on their part, are leaving no stone unturned to make sure available technology is best leveraged for remote learning.

Though technology has taken center stage in teacher-student relations, the tenets of communication remain the same. Effective communication is one-half listening. Making sure every student is being listened to is fundamental to a successful lecture. In a physical setting, instructors know who’s sitting afar and who’s close, and can also pick up on all the non-verbal cues to assess students’ interests. These dynamics are curtailed in the online setting. That is why it is even more important to listen to every student attending the virtual class.

It is important to understand how students are feeling while attending online classes. A McKinsey Study has reported that the shift to remote schooling has set students back by close to two months. Since this statistic is an average, the onus is on instructors to identify how students are in their learning journey. Some could be ahead of the game by adopting quickly to remote learning, while some might be lagging but not be able to convey this. This is the heart of the problem – which can be resolved by listening actively.

The keys to listening effectively online are not too different from the ones deployed in a physical setting. We just need to optimize our skills to best leverage the virtual environment.

Here are some ways to ensure every higher education student is being listened to while in an online class:

1. Housekeeping Check-in: At the start of the call, before diving into course content, always check-in with the students to know if they are able to see you or your shared screen and listen properly. Students are hopping between lectures, and this quick segue will allow them to settle down in your call. A settled mind is always more receptive and empowered to follow you and ask questions.
2. Take Pauses Throughout your Session: Not only does it help instructors manage the flow of their content, but it also allows students to raise hands and ask questions and not feel that they have lost out on any opportunity to do so. As an instructor, you may have a set style to your delivery, but we need to be cognizant of the students too – especially when they are taking online classes. This helps templatize lecture delivery as students know well in advance the time slot in a lecture when they can ask questions.
3. Break the Ice – Ask a Question Yourself: Nothing gets it going like the instructors themselves asking a question first. It opens the floor and gives everyone a space to participate. Students are quick to acknowledge a two-way communication channel and are happy to enrich it further by sharing their feedback.
4. Equitable Participation: These aforementioned techniques will work well only if every student has similar opportunities for participation. As an instructor, be cognizant of the students who are not leveraging the opportunities to ask questions. Lack of initiative often tells a lot more about how comfortable students are. Make sure that silence is acknowledged, and there is room for such students to reach out to you outside of your lectures too.
5. Seek Non-Verbal Cues: The virtual mannerisms of students can tell you a lot about their participation and attention. Be mindful of these cues. Are the students slouching while on the call? Do you sense complacency or inattentiveness? If you do, talk to them. Students who know they are being heard and cared for as individuals exhibit more enthusiasm in online classes.

The virtual future was always on the horizon. The pandemic has just forced its way with a lot more urgency than we had prepared for. As we learn to live with the pandemic, a point of note is that everyone has a different learning curve. We can only know of an individual’s position in their learning journey if we incorporate the key to effective communication: listening.