The present pandemic has shifted offline classroom learning to online. This doesn’t mean we should compromise on discipline, says ANANT GOYAL
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our lives in many ways, bringing a rapid, dramatic shift towards everything virtual. Education has undergone a complete digital overhaul, with students turning to e-learning after the viral outbreak resulted in schools shut in most parts of the world. According to a recent report released by the World Economic Forum, more than 1.2 billion children across 186 countries have been affected by school closures due to the pandemic.
While advocates of edtech believe that this new arrangement will reshape education, others would argue that the unprecedented move to online learning with little planning and preparation can significantly harm the learning progress. Taking into account these challenges, it becomes imperative that educators follow certain guidelines when imparting lessons online.
Implementing ground rules for students will establish discipline: Discipline is an indispensable part of any classroom, be it physical or virtual. Hence, students must follow basic etiquette. They should be punctual, dress appropriately and avoid eating during class. Ask them to find a distraction-free area or preferably a separate room to avoid disruptions and make it mandatory to keep their videos on throughout the duration of the class. Remote learning is only effective if all students contribute to classroom discussions. As a teacher, encourage active participation from everyone by allocating the last 10-15 minutes for questions and answers.
Muting the entire class can be a good idea and a bad idea: It goes without saying that controlling a class of around 40-50 students is difficult, and even more so through a laptop screen. Muting the entire class is an easy way to eliminate the chatter, background noises, and anything that might disrupt the flow of your lesson, but it can also put you at a disadvantage. As such, student engagement might get affected as it sets a less welcoming tone for participation. If you find yourself conflicted, you can choose to unmute the class only during questions or interactive sessions.
Posting lessons online before the class will help students keep up: It is important to remember that some students may need more time than others. Hence, they will find it more challenging to learn lessons virtually and cope with the pressure. While giving students individual attention is not feasible, you can post lessons online before the class starts so that they get an overview. Establish a digital home base where both students and teachers can refer to digital content, MCQs, past year papers and assignments.
Creating a student-centric classroom will lead to improved learning outcomes: As a teacher, the responsibility lies on your shoulder to ensure your students are not lagging behind. Focus on their learning needs, their capacity to comprehend complex topics and then set a pace of teaching at which every student feel comfortable to pick up notes. Once you understand the purpose of the lesson, modify or break the content in parts to help them better understand difficult areas. Longer student-driven assignments also tend to be more effective in an online learning environment, allowing students to apply their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Practising cyber hygiene: Maintaining proper cyber hygiene is critical as educational institutes have become particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks with the sudden rise of online learning. Try to keep your work PC separate from your personal PC, and if not possible, then secure the network with a virtual private network (VPN) while teaching the class. It is advisable to keep original passwords for different applications. You can use a password manager to maintain a diversity of passwords.
