8 tips to make the best of Distance Learning
8 tips to make the best of Distance Learning
School closures are affecting public, private, and international schools all over the world.
Overnight we drastically changed our traditional way of learning and interacting between teachers and students to remotely delivering lessons.
These tips will help you and your child make the best of Distance Learning.
Tip No 1 – Be kind to yourself and others.
This rule applies to everyone, everywhere, and Distance Learning is no exception.
One of the key elements of success in Distance Learning is precisely keeping strong relationships and collaborations, not only between students and teachers, but also among students, helping and supporting each other.
Tip No 2 – Provide feedback.
There is no One-Solution-Fits-All. Each school, university, and educational institution may be trying different approaches and offering different solutions. They are learning quickly and continuously, and our feedback is critical as they need to know what works and what needs to improve to achieve a better learning experience.
Tip No 3 – Self-learning.
Technical requirements and the well-being of students and teachers will require balance between synchronous versus asynchronous learning. As a result, the learning process will likely happen at a slower pace. Students need to take a more proactive role, in terms of their participation and interaction with teachers, but also in the way they learn. They must become self-learners and teachers will become the facilitators of the process of learning.
Tip No 4 – Be patient and record the sessions.
Distance Learning will face various technical challenges, to which we might not be fully prepared: systems can rapidly overload and platforms require a constant stable internet connection. For those cases of potential disruptions, try to record the sessions so you can follow and watch them later, once the connection has returned.
Tip No 5 – Be prepared, especially for parents with preschoolers.
Remote lessons will naturally be more challenging in the case of preschoolers, who require the supervision and assistance of an adult. Pre-information and communication with parents are essential for them to understand what their children need to do and learn.
Tip No 6 – Do not forget safety.
Be aware of the risks of increased screen time, virtual classes with cameras accessing the privacy of your homes, and the level of security of the platforms you use.
Tip No 7 – Get creative.
These times of Distance Learning require a big dose of resilience and adaptability from us, but also enormous doses of creativity. Teachers must think creatively to become more engaging with their students, to facilitate collaboration and communities of practice among teachers, to solve technical issues and allow virtual assemblies for students to show their work and be recognized, and to welcome new students and teachers and get them involved with the rest of the school. Creativity will benefit Distance Learning in countless ways.
Tip No 8 – Make it fun!
Above all of the previous tips, have fun, because as Albert Einstein said “Having fun is the best way to learn”, and what you learn while having fun, you will never forget.
The UNESCO provides as well a list of of educational resources to help parents, Teachers and schools during periods of school closure.
We hope this article has been of interest to you to improve your knowledge and make the best of Distance Learning . You can continue reading similar articles in our Blog.
