In many exercises the tutor demonstrates how certain tasks are calculated, evidence is presented or problems are solved. In doing so, they think out loud, i.e. they provide insights into their thought and decision-making processes and strategies.

Provide solutions

Upload a file of your written solution: Pre-calculate tasks etc. in writing. Explain each of your processing steps in detail and understandably so that students can follow these steps. Make your written solution available as a file in Moodle.  

Recording solutions

• Make a recording: Demonstrate in it - analogous to solving tasks on the blackboard - how you solve a problem for the exercise, e.g:
• Build the solution successively on PowerPoint slides and comment on the solution while recording your exercise video.
• Make a screencast in which you comment on the solution (e.g. photo/scan of your handwritten solution), how you proceeded with the solution. This works with Windows and also with the Mac.
• If you have an iPad or other device with pen input capability, you can simulate a whiteboard writing and record a screencast. Alternatively, you can use your smartphone, tablet or webcam to record how you simulate writing on a well-lit piece of paper.

Instructions and tips on how to start making educational videos and screencasts can be found here.

Link to external material

Are there already videos available in which suitable exercises are solved? Link to them. We have listed hints where you can find suitable materials for your events here.

Enable questions and discussions in forums

An exercise lives especially from the exchange with the students and the possibility to discuss the tasks and problems. Therefore, you should also ask your students questions in a forum in Moodle and at the same time offer them the opportunity to ask questions in the forum. Encourage your students to answer each other's questions, e.g. by setting up the rule that you will answer after 24 hours at the earliest or only after at least one student answer has been received.

Conduct a real-time web meeting

For this method real-time meetings using the tool Zoom can be very helpful. On there, tools like whiteboards, video / audio chats and screen sharing are accessible.

Private channels of communication such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime or others are not recommended because of data privacy reasons.

It is also an important part of exercises that students solve tasks and problems on the whiteboard or lead proofs. The trainer can intervene in case of mistakes or questions of understanding and provide direct support in the difficult processes.

These methods are available e.g. for the online exercise:

Task

Ask the students to submit a commented solution to an exercise. In addition to the individual solution steps, students should briefly describe what they have done and why.

Forum

Students upload their solution as an image file or document to a post in the forum and describe their solution as well as any difficulties or questions they may have had. The fellow students and you as the tutor can comment on this solution and answer questions.

Teaching videos and screencasts

The students record a video in which they comment on their solution. This can be done as described above or, for example, with a smartphone that is securely attached to a well-lit piece of paper on which the solution is worked out while the student comments on their solution.

Web meeting

If necessary, a synchronous exchange via a web meeting via Zoom can also be useful in the context of an exercise. 

Private channels of communication such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime or others are not recommended because of data privacy reasons.

Practicing important (thinking) processes and strategies and continuously testing learning success often go hand in hand in exercises. In many cases there are weekly task sheets in exercises for which solutions are to be submitted. There are also possibilities and methods in online teaching for this case:

Submit solutions on exercise sheets

To do this you can use the Task function in Moodle, which also allows you to set a deadline for submitting your work. Submissions can consist of one or more files and/or comments in a text box. Submitted work can be corrected in Moodle, and feedback can be added, and even annotations can be added directly to PDF submissions. Incidentally, not only a typed solution is possible as a submission, but also a photo or scan of a handwritten solution.

Self-tests

An alternative is (self-)testing in Moodle. In the test activity, many different task types are available, some of which also allow automated assessment.