Most schools have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. There are many more that will shut down in the coming weeks as the pandemic’s second wave is around the corner.
In turn, teachers unexpectedly face the burden of continuing the education of their students. Although this may seem a daunting job, teachers can use the technologies and tools available to promote online learning and guarantee a quality education for students.
However, teachers should be comfortable that hundreds of online tools are available to instruct them on how they are to teach online. We also completed a few of the best in this area to transition from the class to the web easier.
Delivery and technology
Microsoft Programs such as Office Packages or Google Apps like the Google Classroom are used in many schools. They can be downloaded or installed quickly and conveniently, without cost, for educational settings. Schools using these programs do not have to make much headway with emerging innovations. Now is the time to keep it straightforward and use your school’s resources.
With the coronavirus, companies such as Microsoft and Google have made their remote learning tools available to schools and assist teachers and students in using their resources.
Engagement
One of the teachers’ main concerns is how to keep students engaged and keep an eye on their success from a distance.
Fortunately, several organizations have available free online resources. They offer students of all ages interactive activities to keep their brains active while testing their skill settings.
My Court Class also provides an online learning platform for children aged 4-11 with various fun and challenging maths and literacy games. Via My Court Class, teachers will question homework and monitor the progress of children. Web pages are also helpful in locating homework and independent learning opportunities, for example, primary homework assistance for younger audiences, parents, and teachers. You can learn more about this platform by checking on My Court Class reviews.
Seneca Learning gives students free resources for their GCSEs and A-levels for older students. Professors may also create their quizzes and assess students using Microsoft forms and Google forms. EdFuturists posts informative videos on its Twitter page for teachers about how engaging students with Google Apps can build their activities.
Safeguarding
More young people will have access to content online with this increased emphasis on digital learning. The highest priority is, therefore, to keep students safe for both teachers and parents. One forward-thinking deputy headteacher from Dubai developed an infographic that schools should ask when switching to distance learning with a few right security questions.
CollectedReviews also includes a free detailed online safety review guide to children, which both parents and teachers can read. This guide encourages teachers to be transparent about how to communicate electronically with learners and parents. It enables teachers to establish consent forms with their parents, in particular for younger children.
Options for offline
Another factor for teachers is that not every student has access to computers or even an internet connection. In this regard, we will urge schools to have loans and access to technology where appropriate, to help them.
Yet screen time is neither relaxing nor healthy for the whole duration of the day of school. The World Health Coordinated Guidelines for younger children stipulates that the aged 3-4 years should spend a maximum of an hour on a computer only at a time. For primary school children, Pobble has developed 25 ideas that can be made at home for unscreen activities.
Useful parental tools
Parents are as worried about school closures as teachers, and those with younger children are more responsible for sustaining education.
Twinkl has created a School Closure Home Learn Kit for primary school parents to help parents with this to help them sustain childhood learning during the coronavirus outbreak.
Twinkl also has a Parents Portal, which has many parents’ guides to assist them in various fields of study. The School Closures website also offers updates on school closures to families at COVID-19. Also, it has a hotline where parents can request more information or advice.
Online learning has many advantages, and these options can be taken up by teachers and parents using the right skills.