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Appreciating Our Teachers Who Shape the Virtual Learning Experience 

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Did you know: Classroom discussions, activities, and group projects are a regular part of online learning? They may look a little different from a traditional classroom, but it is far from the perception that online learning is passive and disconnected. 

At K12-powered online schools like Hoosier College and Career Academy (HCCA), teachers receive specialized training on how to engage students in this unique environment. In fact, many virtual programs, like K12, take intentional steps to ensure that teachers foster excitement and participation in the virtual classroom. 

The Edutainment Approach 

A key tool for teachers in a virtual setting is edutainment, an approach to delivering content that’s both educational and compelling. While many teachers have spent years or decades teaching in traditional settings, delivering an edutaining experience in a virtual environment requires a different skill set. 

Edutainment Tool #1: Visual & Auditory Elements 

A built-in camera and microphone on a laptop aren’t the best tools for the job. Online teachers need a quality microphone that delivers crisp, clear sound, a higher-resolution camera, and a clean, well-lit background that reflects the teacher’s personality. Just as in-person classrooms reflect a teacher’s passions with gear from their alma mater, inspirational posters, and books, HCCA teachers’ home offices do the same. 

Why they’re important: These foundational visual and auditory elements set the stage for the teacher’s presentation and enable students to read facial expressions, tone, energy, and body language. Together, these details build a tangible presence that fosters trust, conveys empathy, and prevents disengagement.  

Edutainment Tool #2: Capturing Attention 

Engaging students through the screen requires an intentional approach. Traditional classroom lessons don’t necessarily translate well to a virtual format, so online teachers need to create lessons that capture students’ attention. 

Examples include: 

  • Turning a simple slide presentation into an interactive quick-think challenge. 
  • “Waterfall” challenges are when a teacher asks a question and students type their answers in the chat without sending them. The teacher counts to three, and everyone hits send on their answers at the same time, creating a cascade of responses like a waterfall. 
  • Finding inventive ways to call on different students during lessons. 
  • The “popcorn” method is when a student reads aloud or answers a question, then “pops” the next turn to a classmate of their choice. 

Why it’s important: It’s critical that students can pay attention and retain lessons—having fun while learning helps the knowledge stick. 

When discussing online school, the focus often becomes what is being taught and how. Instead, it should be who – and that is the incredible online teachers who show up for their students in unique, creative, and compassionate ways. This Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to take the time to express our gratitude for the educators who bring energy and excitement to the virtual classroom, sparking a love of learning for all students and families who choose online school. 

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