In 2020 both Gina and I found all our teaching commitments cancelled and we both took our teaching online. In episode 4 we discuss the pros and cons of teaching in person vs teaching online.
There are obviously pros and cons of each. While I miss the interaction with “real” people, by teaching online I have been able to reach a much wider audience in all corners of the globe – and that’s very exciting. As we discuss, in general the niggles about in-person teaching came under the practical and physical category – hauling boxes and bags, materials and equipment, and the travelling. But when it came to thinking about the pros of on-line teaching, I was interested to discover that they weren’t just the opposite!
For example, while not travelling or driving is a definite plus, the more significant benefits are about the clarity I’ve gained. While online teaching certainly takes up more of my time than in-person teaching, I have more mental space to consider my own creative projects, as well as the physical space in my room because it’s not cluttered with workshop materials and equipment. I have, though, lost my excuse for the mess – it’s now all of my own creating!
Creating the courses has also given me the opportunity to be creative in different ways: I love editing the videos for my courses, adding music and graphics. It’s been a bit of a job, scouring the internet for music that’s suitably inoffensive and unobtrusive, but without being too repetitive or bland – and also free to use. My latest course features early music that has been recorded by this wonderfully generous musician. He’s actually a software developer! I use Canva for the graphics, and that’s been another big learning curve but one I’ve definitely enjoyed – making things look pretty!
This chat also highlighted some of the differences between Gina and me, particularly in the way we prepared for workshops – and I’m beginning to think I have made it hard for myself all these years!
Links to our online teaching
Izzy: www.isobelmoore.co.uk/courses
Gina: www.coursecraft.net/u/ginaferrari
We also mentioned:
Editing software for video/audio
Cut My plastic – Board or plastic cut to size
Open University – free courses
Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide to Happiness
Staged with David Tennant and Michael Sheen
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