The transition from traditional to remote learning has picked up in the last few years, and brings it own challenges. With the pandemic refusing to go away, most schools and colleges were forced to shift to online learning mode. School closures and lockdowns promoted online learning plans to ensure student access to education. However, remote learning for elementary students adds additional challenges to education as it involves strategic planning and the right allocation of resources under reliable connectivity.
Not every student enjoys a successful remote learning experience due to some inherent issues involved with remote instructions and the distances involved. The schools and districts are still at different levels of preparedness when it comes to providing online education. Apart from providing a high-quality curriculum and materials, educational institutions need to ensure that students shave devices and WiFi for seamless learning and prompt feedback.
Research shows that remote learning experiences can vary with students and schools as it carries some advantages and drawbacks. The instructors and students must be aware of the challenges involved to improve those experiences and take full advantage of online education.
How to improve remote learning
Given below are some strategies that can certainly make the remote learning experiences a lot better for both teachers and their students.
The right technology
When it comes to remote learning, it is essential to ensure that both students and teachers are well connected with learning technologies that are easy and simple to use. As students and educators will be working and learning together, it means greater connectivity and better teamwork for successful learning outcomes. The most basic need for remote learning is an Internet connection and a suitable device to share and access the content. Incorporating the right technology for online learning can fill the gaps created by remote learning.
Keep the student motivated
Students often need more self-motivation to study online and tend to lose their focus easily as they are not studying in a traditional classroom. Thus, they need more incentivization to study regularly and to complete assignments. It is easy to get distracted by other things on the computer, such as messaging, gaming, or social networking. Parents and teachers can work together to develop effective communication and source feedback from each other. It is essential to keep the students engaged and respond to their needs in real-time.
Make learning dynamic
Teachers can take advantage of new educational technologies for educational use during remote learning. For example, videos and messaging can be used to improve online learning experiences as it is a lot easier for both students and teachers to use the technology during remote learning. 3D simulations encourage the students to interact and play with scaled models and learn through the exploration to understand topics and subjects as they exist in real life. Moreover, there is no need to record long lessons and lectures as videos can substitute for face-to-face learning. Teachers should understand that learning is a constant process, and one shoulder that evolves with the times is to improve online education.
Provide quality content
Educators must focus on the quality of the content that they plan to teach during online learning. Once the students enter the remote classrooms, the next big question is what to teach them and how. If possible, teachers should resist the pressure of following the same approach they take in face-to-face settings. They should make the lesson a lot more interesting by making some modifications that encourage the students to employ their thinking skills and strategies. Teachers can develop an interest in the students to learn the lesson by asking the right questions.
Get more interactive
Students need special opportunities and an environment when learning online. Thus, educators need to make the learning process as interactive as possible. They should be given opportunities not just to listen passively but to stay involved in interactive sessions with other students and teachers. For example, the teacher can plan a short quiz and give the results right away. Or she can divide the class into teams and have the students quiz themselves periodically. Ideally, teachers should encourage the students to participate and ask questions.
Collaborate with parents
The online learning experience cannot improve without the parents’ support and cooperation. Thus, it is essential to extend collaborative learning opportunities at home and keep the parents involved with their child’s education. Teachers and parents can share notes regarding the child’s education and advice each other on how remote learning can be improved. School leaders should consult the parents on important decisions, and that can be incredibly helpful. Students feel empowered when they get the support of both their parents and the teachers and stay motivated.
Support struggling students
Despite all the efforts, some students struggle with online classes and may lag behind. It is essential to develop a sense of community and identify those students who need extra help and support. The aim is to provide a rich learning experience for each and every student. Classes can be grouped into smaller units where the students know each other well, and it is easier to monitor their engagement and inputs. Students tend to perform better and feel at home when talking to each other and their teachers.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the quality of communication, collaboration, and instruction plays a major role in the learning environment of a classroom. Remote learning requires more visuals and engaging lessons with images, diagrams, and whiteboards to keep the students interested. When students feel free to communicate and collaborate with their classmates and teachers, they stay focused and enjoy the learning experience.
When it comes to remote learning, one should remember that the educational institutions and the learners are still on an experimental journey. Students, teachers, and parents are still stressed and confused regarding remote learning. Thus, they need to come together and explore the best possible strategies to improve the whole experience and achieve success. One should keep exploring new ideas and strategies to use innovative techno lies to take remote learning to a new dimension.
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