Five lessons from teaching family history to older students online

Abstract As universities move more and more teaching online, educators have mixed reactions. This article puts forward five lessons learned over seven years of online teaching in a diploma-level university history course. Many students in the course have low digital literacy, but they can overcome difficulties with their online study when given the opportunity and appropriate support. University management does not always recognise the extra time required to develop pedagogically sound and inspiring online lessons. Nonetheless, this space can be made to work for history educators and, moreover, it can provide a valuable and necessary opportunity for students who might otherwise feel alienated in an increasingly digital world.