“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important”
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has thrown education into a big hysteria with a sudden upsurge in the use of online teaching methodologies, as opposed to traditional teaching. Being habitual to an age old manner of teaching, it has been difficult for the educators to adapt a new teaching style from the scratch. But as said, the rising sun is always saluted; it would only be beneficial for the teachers to adapt the trend in time, to avoid discrepancies in the neo-teaching patterns.
To help you with every challenge faced during online teachings, we are putting a run-down for your reference so that you can carry on with your passion for teaching, confidently!
- Isolation
Online education can become tiring for both teachers and students. Without the buzzing classrooms, it’s no surprise that one might feel isolated. This subsequently reduces one’s attention span and makes things dreary. Studying and teaching in isolation also undermine many topic links that would have easily been resumed in traditional classrooms. Lack of group tasks, debates, and discussions further affect engagement drastically. To counter this challenge there are few things you can do to make things lively and dynamic.
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- Virtual group activities using chat boxes, e-boards, or internet tools for teamwork.
- Revealing faces while interacting online, using audio-visual tools.
- Regular personal updates and feedback from students, through email or chatbox.
- Lack of motivation in online learners
Online teaching can become difficult for teachers at times, but it is equally challenging for students. The transition from studying in physical classrooms, equipped with learning tools and environment to study in the comforts of bedrooms doesn’t reinforce the learning process quite effectively. This is the reason why many students do not pay attention in online classes at all.
Effective assessable goals can be motivating. These measurable goals should be set regularly so that students can easily focus on what’s been taught. Most of the teachers believe in giving open-ended tasks to the students. This leaves the tasks hanging because students do not take them seriously. Thus, you need to clearly denote –
- the time limit to the tasks
- A due date.
- Sharing the results with parents.
- Non-Familiarity with Software
The recent developments in the field of Educational Technology have made the prospect of e-learning hassle-free. But, the direct users i.e. our teachers might find it difficult to operate the technology because of their thorough proficiency in traditional teaching only. Getting well-acquainted with the virtual medium is a precondition to teach online. You would not want to present yourself unprepared or ask students for help at the time of the lecture. Hence, going through the entire application beforehand is a must. Various excellent online teaching apps like Teachmint make the teaching process convenient through their extensive features. This ensures that as a teacher you do your job comfortably, while the students learn things easily as well.
- Inaccessibly by Students.
It is important to make sure that everyone is at the right place. There are chances that students might not be able to operate or access the system as well. Digital Divide is very much prevalent in our country. Not every home would have a dependable internet connection or wifi for students to use. Thus, you must get in touch with parents to understand the connectivity landscape of each student’s home, so that they can be accommodated before time.
Students, like teachers, can get confused while operating unfamiliar software. Thus, an ‘on boarding’ session must be considered. In the same light, parents must be given a proper orientation as well.
- Forgetting Online Learning Activities
Alike students, teachers can also experience diminished accountability in online learning. The lack of physical face-time and classroom setup can bring about laziness and procrastination. This is the reason why many teachers forget about the assignments that they plan online, for the students. Setting regular alarm notifications can help in this.
The pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns have brought in huge disruptions in the field of education, but our dedication to providing quality teaching can make students learn their essential subjects easily. In these chaotic times, our students need us more than ever and therefore it is a suitable time to teach in the most innovative ways possible.
Happy Online Teaching!
