Teaching and
learning in an online, virtual, blended or internet based platform is not just
about the tools, it is also about the connections. Don’t get me wrong, we
couldn’t provide virtual services without the tools, but the tools come and
some go… so we work hard to figure out how to engage with the learners and make
the virtual experience meaningful.
In the late fall,
we spent some time with a few learners and their teacher. You can see that they
like each other even though they have only been working together for about 8
weeks. We wanted to know a bit more about how learners were navigating these
new tools that were being used at Windber Area School District so we asked them
some questions.
Here is what we heard when we asked: “What did you think when you heard you were going to
be doing some of your class in a virtual environment?”
The first students
started “I thought it was going to be hard!” Another student described using
the virtual tools as an “exciting, a new way to learn.” A third student said “I
thought it would be very hard and I wasn’t sure what to expect.” The fourth
student told us “I really thought I would only want to learn from a teacher in
the classroom and after a while I found the videos and the online teacher were
very helpful.”
Using Quizlet Live
in the Virtual Live Classroom to engage learners to work collaboratively and
practice newly acquiring vocabulary.
Then we dug a little deeper: What did you think after you had the experience of
working in a virtual environment for a little while?
We were excited to
hear, “It's much easier than I thought and I usually get good grades”, and that
“the activities are fun and I like that that I learn playing games and watching
videos.” Another student told us, “the environment (Canvas) is easy to navigate
and the topics and links make it exciting.” They all chimed it that it “is a
fun way to learn”. And while most of the reviews were glowing they did tell us
that “sometimes it's hard and tech issues can be frustrating, but they can
always get help from an online teacher (and district tech support) right away.”
We are excited that the learners tell us that they “find it easy to maneuver
and that you can go at your own pace.”
Using slides and images to actively engage students in conversation.
It really wasn’t
too hard to get the learners to talk with excitement about having a blended
learning experience for their Spanish instruction. Even turning assignments did
not seem like a chore. We heard over and over that being able to go back and
re-do assignments and retake quizzes seemed to make assessment more ‘fun’. It
seems to us after talking with them, that when learners are give the
opportunity to go at their own pace, even with some tech issues, they get
excited about learning and seem to take responsibility for learning. This
insight that multiple tries and repeated exposure to vocabulary and content does engage and motivate learners. And, because they feel that the teachers
(both in the school and online) are available to answer questions and guide
them, they they are willing to take some chances in making recordings and
trying to stretch themselves using the target language in assignments.
It is a real team effort. Val (the classroom teacher) and Anita (the virtual
teacher) spend time each week communicating about grades and content. Together
they facilitate learning and share responsibility for making sure learners
really can use the target language in authentic ways. The connections run deep
and the effort spills into the excitement we hear from the learners when we
asked them to be more specific about what they really liked about learning in a
blended virtual environment.
Here is what we heard:
“I really enjoyed
learning how to say her name and talking to her friends in Spanish. It is cool to
be able to say my name and practice with my family and friends. I liked making
the recordings.”
“I like taking
videos and working with my friends to complete projects.”
One student got
really specific, “I liked learning about adjectives and now I can talk to my
friends and family.”
“The reflection. I
like writing and thinking about what I learned and what I want to learn.”
Here is why I think connections are happening in the
World of Learning!
Before we start
working with a teacher, we like to get to know them. We like them to get to
know us, too. It makes it easier to do the hard things like pushing them to
giving feedback to every student on every assignment. Real feedback! Or when a
live class fails and we need to figure things out.
We sometimes start
by sharing the things we like; pictures or stories. My enthusiasm sometimes
runs over sometimes. Often we like to know what lights that spark in the people
who teach our learners, too! Fumiko trains for Triathlons’, Ann’s son has hiked
the Appalachian Trail. Michiyo has a lively five-year old daughter, that we
have watched grow up. She is adorable and talks to us when we do check-ins’ on
Zoom. It is fun to knowing a little bit about how their kids athletic
activities or a grand childs birthday party or a trip to a visit a friend or
loved one (near or far) went. Often, too, we get to see glimpses of connections
as we review video of our virtual classrooms and our facilitators greeting the
learners with smiles and laughs. And some days, it is harder and we see groans
about grades and high expectations. But, all the classrooms are lively, and no
two classrooms are alike and the connections and sparks all come from
relationships that are built.
We are grateful
for the opportunity to continue to learn and grow with our teachers,
facilitators, districts and colleagues. We like to share our experiences and
hear about yours, too.
Please check these
resources about the value of connections and innovation using virtual
platforms.
How might you use Zoom to make connections? In the
classroom? With Parents? With Community Members?? We are glad to help you with
that conversation. Contact me.
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