Tips for moving a class online quickly
Are you moving your traditional class online and need to do so quickly? You might be feeling a little overwhelmed and not sure where to begin. Take solace in the fact that many have done this before you and there is a plethora of information available to assist you.
If you start by answering these few questions, it will put you on a pathway to success as you design and implement your online course. Don’t forget that you should always start by talking to your institution, or search their website, for information about any specific requirements they have for teaching online courses.
How will you teach?
You’ve got to start with this fundamental question. Will your class be an online course that will still meet via video/chat at a certain time (synchronous), or will it be a work-at-your-own-pace type course (asynchronous)? Keep in mind that students’ lives may also be disrupted by changes due to COVID-19 (kids now home from school, etc.), so you may want to consider an asynchronous course.
If you will be meeting synchronously by chat/video, make sure you have an account with, or access to, software that will facilitate this. Your institution may already have agreements with online web conferencing software that will enable your meetings. Or, there are some companies that provide free licenses online (If doing this, be sure to check the fine print! Some free offers limit the length of the conference and/or the number of attendees.)
If your students will be working at their own pace, but you will be recording videos for them to watch, make sure you have video recording software and reliable space on a school server to host the videos. Additionally, think about the length of your videos. No one really wants to sit and watch a 90-minute lecture on video. Consider breaking them into bite size chunks that are topically based and less than 15 minutes in length.
How will students engage?
It’s easy to tell if students are engaged while you’re in a classroom. You’re interacting with them face-to-face, engaging them in meaningful discussions, and posing questions on the fly. How do you get this same level of engagement in an online course? Whether or not your course is synchronous, how can you generate an interactive atmosphere in your virtual classroom? Consider using discussion forums, self-directed learning, and small group work to assist you with increasing engagement.
Self-directed learning can take many forms, all of which encourage the learner to formulate investigative questions around your learning outcomes and test their hypotheses. You could offer a variety of bite sized assignments and videos around various outcomes and allow the students to pick and choose which assignments work best for their learning modalities. Another option might be to have them develop a project incorporating several learning outcomes, or even come up with their own critical thinking questions around your course content and then providing answers.
Discussion forums are highly interactive and truly facilitate participation. You could start a discussion and ask students to post thoughtful, meaningful insights in response (and if you make it for a grade, they’ll definitely interact!) Your topic question should be open ended, meaning it can’t be answered with a simple yes or no, nor does it have a single “right” answer. You should encourage students to post questions, comments, and insight, to which you can provide feedback, and advocate for other students to provide input as well. One piece of advice here, set out guidelines for posting in the forum, such as the number of responses required as well as behavior expectations. Make sure they are clearly communicated ahead of time.
Small group work provides a more collaborative type environment that students typically enjoy. They get to work together to solve problems, share ideas, and discuss content. A truly interactive way to engage the class (and take a bit of the workload off of you), would be to give each group a different topic and have them create a short video and a few assessments around that topic tin which the other students in the course would be required to participate. Most students have ways to gather virtually in smaller settings, but you might want to make some suggestions on free tools that allow for group chats and interactions.
How will you communicate?
Communication methods are abundant in this day and age, but you need to figure out what will be your main form(s) of conveying important pieces of information like assignments and deadlines. A few ideas for communication strategies are using email, creating announcements in your learning management system (or other online learning platform), and holding virtual office hours. Just remember, whatever you choose needs to be clearly communicated to the students on your first day of teaching online (or as close to it as you can get). It’s okay to be redundant and deliver important messages via several routes to make sure it is seen.
With e-mail, it’s always best to use your school email account to bulk email the students as a class. It’s secure, quick, and gives you an easy way to archive all correspondence. Be warned, it can be a bit overwhelming if you use e-mail as your primary means of communication for an online course (imagine ALL of your students emailing you question after question). Perhaps you consider just using email for individual communication that is more private in nature (illness, grades, etc.), and encourage the students to post content questions to a discussion forum. Don’t forget, you don’t like it when people don’t respond to your questions, and students feel the same. Try to get them answers and responses in about 24 hours (or 48 on weekends), or whatever the set response times are per your institution.
Announcements in your learning management software are a fantastic way to get out important dates, new assignments, suggested readings, and anything else you feel warrants the whole class knowing. Plus, many systems will automatically email the students when an announcement gets posted, so there is already built in redundancy (no complaints of never seeing the announcement for a due date then). Try to limit these announcements to 1 – 3 per week so you don’t inundate the students with excessive emails, and keep them short, sweet, and to the point.
Virtual office hours are a great way for students to drop in and see your smiling face. You can set up 1 – 3 office hours per week or more and keep a virtual video meeting software open for the whole time you’ve allotted. Students can then drop in, like they would into your office, and ask you questions. Remind them though that this is not the place for personal or grade related questions if you hold group office hours. If you prefer a more individual approach, have the students sign up on a live document for specific 15-minute time slots.
How will you assess learning?
This is the ultimate question. You’ve had your assignments laid out for weeks, you know what they were supposed to achieve in your face-to-face course. Now, you need to really analyze if those means of assessment will work in an online environment, or if you are going to need to pull together some assessments of a different type. You also need to consider the timeframe for assignments. Are you still going to have them do the same number or are you going to increase the number? How many assignments per week should there be? Consider these options for graded assignments for your course: discussion forums, group work, and online learning assessments.
As mentioned previously, discussion forums are a great way to give out some points. One possible way for grading them would be twice a week – once midway through that looks at questions or comments they have posed, and once at the end for their replies to other posts. This method corresponds to your discussion participation guidelines that lay out the number of posts and when they should be made. One tip here would be to ask students to post on more than one day. This helps build the discussion and avoids a last minute “pile on” of posts that leave no opportunity for interaction. You can go so far as to make a rubric for how you will be grading the discussions, and maybe even consider bonus points for really insightful posts!
We discussed small group work earlier, and you may have some projects you already use for your class that you could adapt to an online course, or maybe you do a quick search of the web to gather some ideas for projects. Group work assignments truly do engage the students and stimulate them to learn from each other. We all know that the best way to really learn something is to be tasked with teaching it to someone else, and that’s what we’d like to think is going on in the groups of our class. Sometimes it is, but sometimes one person is doing all of the work while the others kick back and enjoy the grade. To mitigate situations like these, have the students assess each other at the end of a project, and take their assessments into account when providing final project grades.
Online learning assessments can include directed reading assignments followed by a quick reading quiz, watching videos (yes, there are ways to track who has watched and who hasn’t), typical homework assignments (that can even be automatically graded for you), and yes, even tests. Some learning management systems allow you to build these assessments directly into an assessment management tool, but there are also numerous online programs (or publisher provided software) that can make the creation and grading of these assignments quick, easy, and ready for launch!
Right now, it may seem like this is an impossible feat to accomplish in a short window of time, but you can do this! Seek help from colleagues, publishers, and the web. There are many more resources out there to help you weather through this change, and who knows, you may see a positive outcome in the form of higher grades, positive student feedback, and increased engagement as a result!
Coronavirus and Teaching from Home: Ten Ways to Engage and Instruct Students Remotely
Schools all over the world are stepping up, getting creative and developing solutions to keep students learning amid possible school closures and general disruption caused by the coronavirus. Many, if not most, of these solutions rely on technology to deliver some form of remote, online learning.
Taking your teaching into a fully virtual environment will have some challenges, but educators at full-time online schools, Connections Academy, encourage you to tap into the basics of teaching and learning -- things like communication, empathy, motivation -- that transcend the classroom type or teaching medium. They also have some practical, operational tips you can use right now for instructing and engaging students. “At the end of the day, and from one teacher to another, you’ve got this.”
Experts in teaching remotely, Connections Academy educators share their tips for instructing and engaging students in a virtual school environment.
- Create a centralized location for communication with students and families.
- Maintain a communication “hub” where you can update information for your students and parents. If your school is equipped with an existing learning platform, like Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle, utilize your class site(s) to provide information there. If not, consider online tools like ClassDojo, Padlet, Google Classroom.
- Email the class (including parents) at least twice each week to direct families to updated information on the class “hub”. Weekly updates should include the week’s schedule of assignments, instructions for completing and submitting work, reminders, and teacher contact information and availability.
- Use group text messaging tools to send quick reminders to the class, or a group of students. Suggested services include Classpager, Remind101, and ClassParrot.
- Think “flipped classroom” model. Send students resources such as texts, videos, podcasts, etc., to provide background knowledge that they can apply in subsequent learning activities like group or one-on-one discussions. Explore education websites like Khan Academy, TeacherTube, Newsela, BrainPop, Smithsonian Learning Lab. Additional resources can be found on Open Culture.
- Example: Students will listen to a podcast on the Industrial Revolution, then engage in a peer debate representing opposing sides of an argument.
- Create tutorials and short lessons. Record yourself delivering a lesson that can be shared with your students via URL or an email attachment. Recorded lessons create the opportunity to maintain your “presence” and to engage your students as you would in the classroom, without having to get everyone in the same virtual room at the same time. Some options for creating recordings include:
- Voiceover and recording functions in multimedia presentation software
- Screen and video recording tools like Loom or Screencast-o-Matic
- Record functions in web-conferencing applications like AdobeConnect or Zoom
- Smartphone video or computer webcam recording
- Encourage student collaboration and discourse. Weekly lesson plans should include opportunities for students to respond to questions in a discussion board format to encourage collaboration and idea sharing. Request that students read and comment on one another’s work. Be sure to communicate expectations and norms for students’ posted responses. Design assignments using online, shareable documents so that students can collaborate in small groups.
- Offer office hours. Block off 1-2 hours each day and make yourself available, either in a web conferencing room or by phone, to students and/or caregivers to answer questions and provide academic support. Include your office hours in your email signature and on the communication “hub” so students and parents are aware of your availability each day.
- Provide students with individualized support and feedback.
- Call students who need additional support in their learning and provide personalized, targeted instruction over the phone or through web conferencing.
- Ask students which learning activities they enjoyed in order to better understand their interests and learning preferences.
- Ask students what material they found to be most challenging.
- Ask students content-based questions to assess their understanding and skill-development.
- Work through problems or questions together with the student to hear their thinking and find opportunities for instruction.
- Communicate to students the resources available to them on the "hub" and your availability for instructional support.
- Reach out to students to celebrate their growth and/or successes.
- Design opportunities for hands-on learning. Consider the types of projects students can complete in their homes or within their communities that align to and enhance what they are learning in various content areas. For example, environmental studies students could explore learning opportunities in their local parks. Review CommonSense.org’s Top Picks for Connecting the Classroom and Real World for more ideas.
- Offer enrichment opportunities. Provide virtual enrichment opportunities for students such as puzzles, educational games, science experiments, and art projects. Also consider opportunities to encourage students to move and be active. Suggested websites include:
- Assess student learning. Students can submit assessments using online tools, or teachers can send assessments to students via email attachment to be completed and emailed back. Suggested online assessment tools include Google Forms, Kahoot, and Quizlet. Additionally, students can submit video recordings of themselves using applications like Flipgrid. Teachers should provide timely, specific, and instructionally focused feedback.
- Provide self-assessment opportunities. Students can reflect on their learning and performance, set goals, and create action plans. Self-assessment strategies include student reflections, rubrics, graphic organizers, oral assessments, and individual targets. Throughout the learning process, students can ask themselves:
- Before: What are my learning goals? How will I achieve my goals?
- During: Am I making progress toward my goal? Am I sticking to my plan? Are my study and learning strategies effective?
- After: Did I achieve my learning goals? How effective was my plan? What would I do differently next time?
- Maintain a communication “hub” where you can update information for your students and parents. If your school is equipped with an existing learning platform, like Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle, utilize your class site(s) to provide information there. If not, consider online tools like ClassDojo, Padlet, Google Classroom.
- Email the class (including parents) at least twice each week to direct families to updated information on the class “hub”. Weekly updates should include the week’s schedule of assignments, instructions for completing and submitting work, reminders, and teacher contact information and availability.
- Use group text messaging tools to send quick reminders to the class, or a group of students. Suggested services include Classpager, Remind101, and ClassParrot.
- Example: Students will listen to a podcast on the Industrial Revolution, then engage in a peer debate representing opposing sides of an argument.
- Voiceover and recording functions in multimedia presentation software
- Screen and video recording tools like Loom or Screencast-o-Matic
- Record functions in web-conferencing applications like AdobeConnect or Zoom
- Smartphone video or computer webcam recording
- Call students who need additional support in their learning and provide personalized, targeted instruction over the phone or through web conferencing.
- Ask students which learning activities they enjoyed in order to better understand their interests and learning preferences.
- Ask students what material they found to be most challenging.
- Ask students content-based questions to assess their understanding and skill-development.
- Work through problems or questions together with the student to hear their thinking and find opportunities for instruction.
- Communicate to students the resources available to them on the "hub" and your availability for instructional support.
- Reach out to students to celebrate their growth and/or successes.
- Before: What are my learning goals? How will I achieve my goals?
- During: Am I making progress toward my goal? Am I sticking to my plan? Are my study and learning strategies effective?
- After: Did I achieve my learning goals? How effective was my plan? What would I do differently next time?
Going the distance: How to excel in online classes
Distance learning, or online education, is a great opportunity that provides students the ability to learn in a flexible environment and exercise self-discipline. Whether you’re taking one virtual class this semester or earning your degree completely online, here are some tips to help you excel in this type of course.
Distance learning, or online education, is a great opportunity that provides students the ability to learn in a flexible environment and exercise self-discipline. Whether you’re taking one virtual class this semester or earning your degree completely online, here are some tips to help you excel in this type of course.
Tip 1: Get up and get dressed
One of the appealing things about online classes is being able to stay in your pajamas all day! As wonderful as it is to be cozy, try to get up and get dressed like you would if you were going to campus for class. Your bed isn’t the most conducive learning environment, since it is associated with rest and relaxation rather than hard work and hustle. Getting yourself ready and doing work at a desk, in the library, or at your favorite coffee shop will make you feel like your online class is more legitimate, and will make you want to put in the effort!
Tip 2: Make an impression
When you are enrolled in an online course, it’s easy to hide behind the computer screen and profile picture. Make yourself stand out by creating a relationship with your professor! You could set up a phone call appointment. Reaching out however you can is guaranteed to impress your professor and signal your commitment to learning. Who knows, they might even help you get internships or jobs in the future! A 5 to 10 minute chat could lead to a lifetime of referrals and network connections.
Tip 3: Utilize campus resources
Online students are students, after all! If you are near the campus offering your online courses, don’t be afraid to use all the wonderful resources offered there. Having trouble writing that paper? Contact the Writing Center! Struggling with those math problems? Try seeking help from tutors or during your professor’s office hours. Don’t be scared or hesitate to capitalize on all the perks of being a college student. Being connected to the campus – even virtually – can enrich your experience and help you create great memories.
Tip 4: Manage your time
It’s easy to get carried away with the freedom that comes as a perk to online courses. In order to be successful, you must exercise self-discipline and time management skills. My advice: treat your school like a 9-5 job (assuming you don’t already have one). Setting up certain periods of time to be productive can help you avoid furiously typing a paper to meet that 11:59 pm deadline.
Technology has made online learning available to all kinds of students. However, keep in mind that online learning isn’t for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay! Give it a try and see how you adjust to the new setting.
Welcome to the remote workforce
As the Coronavirus continues to spread, organizations like the World Health Organization and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending strategies to reduce the spread in communities. A big part of keeping people healthy involves minimizing contact at work and during the commute.
But for many people, teleworking is new and it can be a real challenge, especially if multiple members of the same family-parents and kids-are all trying to work and study together under the same roof.
Nearly one-fifth of Pearson’s employees around the globe work from home full time and thousands more split their time between their home and an office. It’s been part of our company’s culture for years. But, not everyone is a regular in their own home office. If working from home is new to you, we’ve compiled the best tips from our own teleworking employees to help you get through this uncertain time.
Maximize the technology your company has to offer
Confirm the tools available to you while working remotely. That may mean practicing with new technology. It may also mean remembering to take home simple items from your desk or asking your employer for what you think you might need.
Things like a monitor can ease eye strain and a separate keyboard or mouse can be more comfortable while typing. Grab a headset or earbuds from the office so calls and video conferences are easier. You probably can’t take the desk chair from your office, but you are going to need to carve out some kind of dedicated space. Think about how you would manage space if multiple people in your house need to work and study together.
Set expectations now with your boss and colleagues about communication
Agree where, when, and how to best communicate with your team to create awareness and enable efficiencies. Be deliberate about scheduling meeting times and quick check-ins. Will you huddle for 15 minutes virtually first thing in the morning or have a quick wrap up in the evening?
Consider less email and more talking, especially via video conferencing. This can be an uncertain time, so it’s going to be reassuring to hear and see colleagues. Leave your video camera on during meetings – facial expressions and personal connection mean a lot right now.
Create opportunities to talk beyond work discussions
Plan virtual coffee breaks or consider extending virtual meetings to account for all of the chit-chat that you miss by not being in the office. Having extra time in a meeting makes a difference in the quality and depth of a work discussion.
But it also allows you to understand your colleagues better and what they are going through right now. You can ask about people’s work experiences, families or even the photos you now see on their walls. You can introduce your dog, share funny memes or just talk about how everyone is coping with the current situation. Mostly just be human.
Set working hours and keep to them, scheduling time for work, meals, and when to disconnect
Unplugging is just harder when your work from home. Work can bleed into every part of your day if you let it. Set consistent hours and clearly socialize your schedule with colleagues. Get up, get out of your PJs and get dressed in the morning. Follow your regular morning routine as much as you can and let colleagues know when you expect to login and start your working day.
You may not be commuting, but if you have kids out of school you may need to set aside time in the morning to help them login and get started with their online lessons. You may need to stop during the day and care for a child or sick relative.
Communicate those needs to your team. During the day, block out time for work, but also reclaim your lunch and get away from your desk. Take short breaks and don’t let working from home merge into your evening or family time.
Give your colleagues a virtual pat on the back!
Now is the time when people need that inspiration and encouragement. So build up colleagues when you can, even if it’s an email shout-out to their boss, a thank you for going the extra mile or a “You got this!”.
https://macmillanukraine.com/events/
https://training.linguist.ua/online-session-teaching-kids-online-with-google/?utm_source=sendpulse&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=training_center_news_26-03-2020
https://naurok.com.ua/webinar/vikoristannya-servisu-zoom-dlya-provedennya-distanciynih-zanyat
http://elt.dinternal.com.ua/webinars
Немає коментарів:
Дописати коментар