A question that is often voiced by students in online classes is: Can I ask you a question? Of course, this happens all the time in online classes that meet in real time (synchronous) – even at inappropriate times in class. The difficulty is that while the instructor is responding to only one student, the remaining students are merely staring at the computer monitor and waiting, and waiting, and waiting while classroom time is rapidly slipping away.
One best practice in an online synchronous (real time) class is to allow the students to submit their questions ahead so that the individual student can be addressed outside of class time. That can be done by email or on a bulletin board environment. Another best practice is to begin the online class with asking: Do you have any questions before we begin? Then allow a few minutes for the questions to appear. They do appear. Using this practice, an instructor can recognize question trends or if more than a few students have the same questions. It is much easier to respond to the same questions with one response than to respond to a multitude of basically the same question with a multitude or responses. Also, ending the class with the same question: Do you have any questions before we end our class? Then add: If you have questions, please stay, if not log off safely. Class time has ended.
This seems so simple to do, yet it is a best practice that has to be implemented and refined throughout the online class. If students are aware of when to ask questions, then responses become clearer for everyone. In fact, without these effective and simple procedures an entire online synchronous (real time) online class can become one of only individual questions and responses.