More than 100,000 public schools across the U.S. have closed their doors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, spurring an unprecedented shift to online education.

Millions of instructors and students – from kindergarten through college – are now teaching and learning at home. And many are doing so for the first time.

We sit down with Nada Dabbagh, George Mason University professor and coauthor of the 2019 book Meaningful Online Learning: Integrating Strategies, Activities, and Learning Technologies for Effective Designs.

Dabbagh offers some research-backed strategies for effective online teaching and learning, and some practical tips for instructors – and families – trying to maintain a quality educational experience outside of the classroom.