COVID 19 has changed the way we live in a number of unprecedented ways. Social distancing means that students all around the world have had to learn to adapt to remote learning. This post will discuss how remote learning works and how classes operate.
Remote learning is learning from a distance away from the classroom setting which is made possible by online education systems like Elearnus. It was traditionally used during scheduling conflicts and illnesses, but today it is used because of the need for social distancing because of Covid 19. The student and teacher are not in the classroom but rather instruction is distributed through online tools like discussion boards, video conferencing like Zoom and Microsoft Teams and virtual tests.
If remote learning is to be successful, there needs to be existing online infrastructure supported by teachers, this is where online platforms like Elearnus come into play. Remote learning functions the best when every element of education is readily available to students.
There isn’t much difference in remote learning between comprehensive schools and private schools. However, there does appear to be more direct instruction through platforms like Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Office in private schools.
How is remote learning structured?
A typical day of studying at home is structured in this way: the teacher contacts their students through an online class programme like Elearnus and uploads assignments, readings, classes and activities there based on the curriculum. Having a programme where students can access all the classes materials is vital in remote learning.
Once students have completed all the material that has been set by their teacher, teachers can mark their work and offer individualised feedback and post this on the online classroom. This is extremely important because students still need to know how they can improve and need positive affirmation when they do something well when learning remotely.
Many teachers also meet with their students on a periodic basis through video conferencing platforms like Zoom to see how their students are coping with learning at home and discuss things like their mental wellbeing which is extremely important in today’s world. They also use these platforms to conduct whole classes to help students understand the material. The amount of time that teachers use these video conferencing platforms will differ from school to school but nevertheless is an extremely important and some would argue vital tool when engaging with students in remote learning.
Schools are expected to provide recorded or live teaching for at least:
- 3 hours a day for Key Stage 1 (students aged between 5 and 7)
- 4 hours a day for KS2 (students aged between 7 and 11)
- 5 hours a day for KS3 and KS4 (aged up to age 16)
Some final thoughts
Remote learning is a new phenomenon for most students and is going to be a way of life for students for the foreseeable future. As time passes, we will become more informed about how to make remote learning easier for both teachers and students, but for now we can continue to learn what works and what doesn’t work for students.