Further studies on Online Education
Teachers across the world have found themselves needing to become quickly comfortable and confident with teaching online. Many of us might have experience of teaching young learners but we may be less familiar with how to teach learners online. It can seem as if there are a lot of new skills to learn but it is important to remember that many of the skills that we already have as teachers can, with a little adjustment, work very well in an online environment. This article will give you advice on the two forms of online education and resources you will need to teach online.
Forms of Online Education
Online education can be in two forms:
A. Synchronous Learning
B. Asynchronous Learning
A. Synchronous Learning refers to a type of online education in which the instructors and students are interacting in real-time. Synchronous learning can be in form of a live chat, video conferencing e.g Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams etc
Synchronous learning ensures that some assessment is done within the speculated time frame of being in the live class or during the live chat.
B. Asynchronous learning: Asynchronous learning refers to when the instructor and learners don’t need to meet in real-time. Majority of online learning is done asynchronously.
In asynchronous learning, resources are activities are accessed on an individual basis. It also gives room for flexibility; there are no time restraints except when given.
Asynchronous learning provides more room for slow teachers to work at their own learning pace.
Resources you will need to Teach Online
1. Digital Access: Digital access is the ability to fully participate in a digital society. This includes access to tools and technologies, such as the Internet and computers, that allow for full participation. Once an instructor or student do not have access to tools and technologies, participation in the digital world will not be possible.
2. Device: It is not enough to have access to digital tools, having a device you can use to impact or engage your learners is necessary.
You will need a desktop or a laptop. It is also important that you have a mobile phone which gives you the opportunity to reply or give instruction to your learners on the go.
3. Internet Connection: You need a strong and good internet connection in order to make online learning possible. A good internet service provider with. will enhance the quality connection between your learners and you.
4. Various Accessories:
USB Microphone/ Headset
Webcam
Lighting
5. Software: You will need the following software:
i. Screencast tools
Screencast tools help you record what do on the computer screen, along with what you say while you do it. E.g Screencastify
ii. Video and audio editing tool
iii. Infographic tools: A tool that can help transfer information into graphics. Examples are:
a. Piktochart
b. PowerPoint Templates
c. Canva etc
iv. Lecture Capture Tools: Lecture capture software captures video both of the instructor and what the instructor displays on a computer; can be recorded during a lecture, in a face- to -face class, or separately. Some examples of lecture capture tools are:
a. TechSmith Relay
TechSmith Relay allows faculty to record lectures from their personal computers. With this tool, it is possible to record videos, meetings, lectures, presentations, and more.
b. iSpring
iSpring allows teachers to record audio directly into their PowerPoint and convert the presentation to Flash or HTML5 so that it can be uploaded to your website, blog or Learning Management System.
c. Jing
Jing is a free application that allows you to take screenshots of your computer screen. Jing also allows you to record up to 5 minutes of a screencast.
6.Platform: You will also need a platform where you will share resources, help students to collaborate with their peers and also provide feedback with the learners.
This platform could be termed a ” Learning Management System(LMS)”.
According to Wikipedia, a Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation and delivery of educational courses, training programs, or learning and development programs.
There are a whole lot of LMS in our world today, let’s examine some of them.
a. EdPuzzle:
Edpuzzle is an easy-to-use platform allowing you to engage every student, one video at a time. EdPuzzle is a free assessment-centred tool that allows teachers and students to create interactive online videos by embedding either open-ended or multiple-choice questions, audio notes, audio tracks, or comments on a video. Edpuzzle interactive videos can be made with videos from a number of websites, including YouTube, TED, Vimeo, and National Geographic.
b. Pear Deck: Pear Deck is an educational technology company offering a web-based application to K-12 schools and teachers. Pear Deck is an interactive presentation tool used to actively engage students in individual and social learning. Teachers create presentations using their Google Drive account. Students log into the presentation with unique access codes and interact with questions while teachers monitor student and whole-class progress. Pear Deck is a free service; teachers and schools can access a wide array of tools and resources for free or opt to subscribe to a premium account.
c. Edmodo
Edmodo is an educational technology company offering a communication, collaboration, and coaching platform to K-12 schools and teachers. The Edmodo network enables teachers to share content, distribute quizzes, assignments, and manage communication with students, colleagues, and parents.
d.Google Classroom
The search engine turned ‘all-things-tech’ powerhouse recently announced the introduction of the Classroom, its first foray into the world of LMSes. Still, in beta, Classroom allows teachers to create and collect assignments, see what students have finished, and give real-time feedback — all online. No more trekking from home to school with piles of essays or tests to grade! While most LMS platforms cost money to implement, Classroom is currently free — a massive plus for schools that want to become more high-tech but lack the budget necessary to purchase a school-wide program.
e. Pearson SuccessNet, SuccessNet Plus, and Online Learning Exchange
The popular textbook publisher and assessment creator has also entered the LMS game, creating three different options for schools to purchase. SuccessNet offers digital instruction resources and assessments. While sites like Better Lesson and Share My Lesson also provide these things, SuccessNet’s resources are all vetted by Pearson and fall in line with the curriculum the company is already producing in hard copy. This looks a little less like a typical LMS as it simply has resources and lacks the tracking, documentation aspect that makes many LMS platforms so popular.
This is why Pearson also offers SuccessNet Plus, a more traditional LMS. Plus has all of SuccessNet’s digital resources and assessments with the addition of planning, instruction, and tracking programs. Additionally, Pearson offers its Online Learning Exchange (OLE). The exchange helps teachers connect to and find subject-specific media, documents, and other resources that can supplement and enrich the curriculum. To get an idea of pricing for a Pearson LMS, the OLE website says, “Pricing starts from as low as $4.00 per student or $2000 per building.”
h. Schoology
Another cloud-based LMS, Schoology was created in 2009 by three undergraduates at the University of Washington in St. Louis. While the software was initially just used as a note-taking and sharing platform, it developed over time into a full LMS, complete with resource folders, tracking systems, and communication programs. Schoology accounts are free for parents, teachers, and students; however, a license is required if a school wants to link data from the platform with its other programs. Schoology is used by districts across the U.S., including Jefferson Public School District in Colorado, Palo Alto Unified School District in California, and Minnetonka Public Schools in Minnesota.
i. Blackboard
Perhaps one of the most popular LMS choices in the post-secondary world, Blackboard has created a K-12 solution, as well. Blackboard’s LMS solutions in the primary and secondary space are categorized under Common Core, Innovative Learning, and Open Classroom options. These options play on the strengths of mobile devices in a classroom setting, and the company also sees mobile communication tools as a great way to keep families informed about the comings and goings in their child’s school. While the Blackboard products appear to provide clear ways to share information and advise teachers, an actual tracking and documentation system doesn’t seem to be at the forefront of its K-12 products.
j. Desire2Learn
Desire2Learn is used at more than 650 institutions across the globe. Its K-12 product is focused on personalized learning, blended learning and teacher professional, meant to deliver reliability, freedom, and flexibility. The company’s site also features several case studies from Georgia, Colorado, New York, Missouri, and Alabama.
k. Moodle
A free open-source learning platform, Moodle is “community-driven, globally supported.” Documentation, trackers and resources are all provided through Moodle. The site does not have a specific “K-12” product, however, if a teacher or administrator is tech-savvy enough, they can bend the program to their school or district’s needs.
7. Teaching Resources: The last but most important resources needed is the teaching material. You will agree with me that traditional teaching and learning content will be quite different from online education. There are a lot of websites you can get teaching materials from if you can navigate your ways around the internet. To start with, there are a whole number of learning materials on Pinterest if you would like to give it a try.
EduPlus 