Is Online Learning for Everyone?

-

The school year 2020 has definitely had it's challenges. With a global pandemic hanging in the air, literally, school communities all over the world have been forced to reimagine what learning will be like. For those teachers who have had experience with online tools and blended learning styles, the shift to virtual teaching was probably not too difficult. After all, knowing the tools of your trade is half the battle. But for most teachers, learning the tools of the trade, along with trying to align a curriculum which must now completely be taught in a virtual setting, this felt like a heavy weight.

 


However, those of us who are teachers are used to having to be flexible. It is part of why we probably enjoy teaching. It was not long before we hunkered down, learned how to use Zoom, Google Meet, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Canvas, Schoology, and the rest. We did it because we love our jobs and we wanted to find a way to reach our students. As teachers and teacher leaders, we helped each other through social media groups, professional development courses, and even watching tutorials on YouTube. We did it!! What we might have also guessed as well is that not every student is able to learn online. When I think back on how overwhelmed I felt, as an educated, experienced in teaching adult with some technology tools under my belt, I can only imagine what many students must feel right now as they return to class in the Fall. 

We all have been pushed out of our comfort zone to embrace a new style of learning. With some relationship building and patience, a positive attitude, and determination, we can make online learning easier and better for all stakeholders. It will take time, but it will happen. The link below has some wonderful resources for teachers. Check it out. Online Strategies for Teachers- Edutopia

Comments

  1. DawnSeptember 23, 2020 at 9:06 AM

    I love the first line stated in this video---online teaching is STILL teaching! I have found that the strategies I learned and practiced in my online practice enhance my face to face practice when I use them there!
    What also stood out for me was the importance of developing a sense of belonging and community. It takes me back to the Community Participation course in DDLS. Students need to understand what belonging and community are....you cannot just 'develop' it; they have to know what they are doing is belonging to and participating in a community. More often, we do not make this explicit. The other point I think is really important is to find ways to for students to be independent. I wish they would have added "and responsible for their learning." I know that for your students, this is really important whether they are online or in-person. You are likely working hard to capture those elements that you have done in the past to foster independence and translating those to work in an online environment.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

-
Image
 Hi! My name is Lori. Welcome to my Fall Blog for EDIT 760. I am super excited to learn lots of new ways to integrate technology into learning. This Fall, my school district will be 100% virtual. It is up to me to find ways to make my lessons engaging, fun, and informational. I must also take into account the special needs of all of my students and realize that many are struggling with online learning. This is the bitmoji I have created of myself to use in my virtual classroom! I can't wait to introduce my students to this fun way of accessing links to activities. Here is an activity choice they will get to try: If my students want to try learning new jump rope skills, they may be interested in following this link to a great website:   https://youtu.be/aFoektJK9dU
Read more

FCPS and Online Learning

-
I have learned that online learning is different for everyone. For those who are self-disciplined and enjoy doing work on a computer, it can be fulfilling. I have also learned that not all teachers are good at teaching online and using online tools. For some of us older teachers, I think this is especially true. Online learning offers choices for students whose schedules may require being someone else during the normal school day. It also offers choices for students to take a wider variety of classes should scheduling of specialty classes in the brick and mortar be an issue. For all FCPS teachers, there has been much time spent just learning the platforms for which we are to use to teach online. It has been time-consuming and frustrating for most. We then must adjust how we present and teach the curriculum. In addition, we have been required to complete hours upon hours of professional development courses online ourselves. With virtual learning now, it is important to be flexible and o...
Read more

EDIT 761

-
Image
 Education Reform The one single best piece of information from this module, in my opinion, was the Ken Robinson visual graphic video which explained how our country went from educating students in an industrial age to educating them in an informational age. It makes so much sense as to why things were done in a certain way then. However, it does not make sense to educate students the same way now. His information about ADHD and the medications for it that numb the brain from all the stimulus makes so much sense to me.  I also found it incredibly interesting that the medications are prescribed much higher in the Eastern U.S. Children are continuously being stimulated by screens, noise, lights, etc., and to expect them to sit down then and listen quietly to a teacher drone on about what they perceive to be useless information is a fruitless task.  Ultimately, I do believe the goals of education are basically the same. Taken from the book   Disrupting Class   ...
Read more