In the last month LGEG-C successfully facilitated a full online transition for over 300 teachers and 2000 students worldwide. Curriculum designer Dr Maria Vinograd reflects on observations and experiences delivering virtual classroom teaching.
In its wisdom, the internet has compared teachers teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic to the string quartet on the sinking Titanic. But we know that’s not true.
MOOCs (massive open online courses) have been mocking universities for years, home schooling parents have made the most of some fabulous web resources, and private tutors have harnessed the opportunities of live online lessons. Even after schools and colleges re-open (soon, we all hope), an online presence will remain relevant. This time of crisis has pushed the education sector over the edge of a paradigm shift and into the web.
Over the past few weeks I have been delivering all my teaching online, and observing dozens of colleagues. I’ve seen teachers working with postgraduates, undergraduates, school age and pre-school learners in virtual classrooms in real time. I’ve come to embrace this as a fascinating new normal, that taps right in to the strengths all great teachers share. Here are the four things which have struck me the most.
It’s not TV
When entering a virtual classroom lots of us go straight to our news anchor voice and focus a lot of energy on seamless delivery. But a virtual classroom is not TV; it has to be a two-way channel. Your learners are not tuning in to watch you, they are joining in to spend time with you in a learning environment and learn from you. We can’t all be vloggers and YouTube stars, but we can be good teachers online.
It’s all personal
Transitioning from the classroom to online teaching, it is critical to maintain that special relationship. Your learners, and especially little ones, need to realise that the person on camera is you, the same as in the flesh, and that you are going through an experience similar to them. If there are routines or traditions you keep in class, it is critical to transpose them into the online environment to create a sense of normality and allow learning to proceed at a similar pace.
It’s not all about the tech
Some of the most useful and effective things we can do in a virtual classroom have nothing to do with screen sharing, streaming, or casting. Teaching is a personality job and you need to make the most of yours. Things that have worked for me and colleagues have included props and costumes, or sharing a second camera to show your writing hand, simulating a whiteboard.
Keeping up with the kids
Having said that, using a wide variety of new online tools, plugins and packages, peppering your teaching with them and adding cool widgets that engage and attract every time, is definitely the way to win over learners’ attention and keep them tuned in for longer.
Did I say tuned in? Although it’s not TV, you do want them to join you next time for more learning online.