Great distance learning guides
How do you 'do' distance learning?
Reminder
Distance learning is not synonymous with online learning. It often refers to a blended learning approach, with online learning being part of the distance learning package.
Inequities in online learning (access to infrastructure, availability of software, hardware and bandwidth etc) mean that many students and teachers cannot use online learning as their main tool for delivering distance learning.
All of us have been forced by COVID-19 to provide distance learning, including the use of educational technology tools. It is a complex task involving a rethinking of pedagogy and assessment, the professional upskilling of both students and teachers as co-learners, and the development of a well articulated communication strategy to parents who now sit in on all of our classrooms.
Dubai College has produced an excellent guide. As the title says, this is "an evidence informed approach to distance learning", and the back of the guide contains a helpful reference section. Their design of distance learning is grounded in sound pedagogy: for example, the importance of developing collaboration and learning communities on line is rooted in the work of Vygotsky and Wenger. I am very grateful to Dee Saran (Deputy Head: Learning and Teaching) and her colleagues for allowing me to post it on this site.
HundrED have produced a great COVID-19 toolkit. Click HERE. As they say: "This special collection is compiling stories and solutions from schools around the world doing their best for students."
Linked pages
The guide brings together a number of issues that I have written about on different pages of this website.
Lesson design: COVID-19: Online lesson plan
How do we teach at a distance? Teaching & Learning in the Virtual Classroom | Lessons we are learning about teaching and learning online | Distance Learning Guide for Teachers
Assessment online: Assessing online
Key messages
- Pedagogy matters most: have a clear digital vision grounded in pedagogy. @ Dubai College their online pedagogy is grounded in the six core areas of learning: through making | through inquiry | through assessment | from experts | with others | through practicing. For pedagogy see also my page Teaching & Learning in the Virtual Classroom where, towards the bottom, you will find a section on 'What's the theory behind online learning?'
- Design - develop a blended approach - synchronous and asynchronous learning. Both are important but they do different things. Know how to use both in constructing learning experiences. I do like the way Dubai College have a clear focus for each lesson - with each subject having three short lessons a week, the first is a live lesson, the second for engaging in activities offline, and the third for a dheck in and feedback. See also my page on Teaching & Learning in the Virtual Classroom
- Planning - carefully design an online lesson plan: Five elements structure their lesson plan over the course of a week: Hook the group | Explicit explanation and collaboration | Model, Review, Build | Real Time Feedback | Quck access and individual support.See also my page on COVID-19: Online lesson plan
- Assessing - use online tools to provide specific and focused feedback. See also my page on Assessing online
- Develop teacher competencies: pedagogical skills | managerial skills | social skills | technical skills.
Tags: Dubai College, Online learning, evidence informed