5 Tips to Successfully Deliver Assignments from Home During COVID-19
Online learning and virtual classrooms for K-12 education began in the 1990s as a convenient alternative to the traditional learning system for students who couldn’t go to brick-and-mortar classrooms for their education. Students who were homeschooled or differently-abled, or were entertainers and high-level athletes were given the option to enroll in online schools to continue their education without having to compromise with other more demanding aspects of their lives.
In 2020, online learning is no longer just an option, it has become a necessity that helps educational institutions to resume classes for K-12 education during a global pandemic. However, replacing traditional learning methods with modern tools and resources is not easy for instructors and learners. It requires a lot of planning, careful preparation, and effective implementation to successfully deliver instructions via digital learning methods and see marked improvements in a learner’s performance.
Here, we will discuss the possible ways by which one can ensure the successful delivery of online class assignments from home during COVID-19.
1. Parents should teach organization and time management skills to their children
A parent’s role in online learning is that of a mentor to his or her kid. Students who are internally motivated and have organization and time management skills are best suited for e-learning. Whereas, students who require external motivation to study have to be mentored by both teachers and parents to deliver their assignments on time. Hence parents have to take an active role in mentoring and disciplining their children to succeed in a digital learning environment.
Parents should create timetables for school and extracurricular activities at home and ensure the kids stick to the schedule. At the same time, parents shouldn’t act as teachers because it will restrict the kids from expressing themselves freely. Parents should leave the teaching/instructing to the teachers while also unobtrusively mentoring their kids.
2. Teachers should learn how to connect with students in a virtual classroom setting
Teachers employed in online schools should be properly trained in online learning management systems, digital learning tools, e-learning materials, and virtual classroom etiquettes. Employing qualified teachers and equipping them with necessary resources, skills, and information will ensure the new learning process remains relevant and successful. Teachers/tutors/instructors have to learn how to connect with their students/learners in a virtual classroom as it varies from traditional brick-and-mortar/in-person classroom dynamics.
Establishing a healthy dynamic between the tutor and the learner will make it easier for the former to impart knowledge and the latter to imbibe it. Since online learning has become the new norm, teachers should create lesson plans suited for virtual classrooms, and students should be given a reasonable time to deliver their assignments. Teachers can make allowances for students who have health issues or face technical challenges like lack of digital learning tools.
3. State and local school districts should invest time and money into resources required for online learning
Over the past 3 decades, most educational institutions across the U.S. have been embracing the growth of educational technology. There are debates as to whether online learning has disrupted the education system. While some agree that there have been marked improvements in students’ performances, many are yet to see the changes that e-learning has brought to K-12 education.
In the past, online classes were an option in case of terrible weather forecasts or other external factors that made it difficult to keep schools and universities open. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19 this year, everyone has had to switch to digital learning and virtual classrooms to resume K-12 education. Therefore, it makes sense for state and local schools to invest in the resources required for online learning such as employing qualified and trained online tutors, purchasing online and offline e-learning materials, providing laptops and broadband connections for teachers and students, creating curriculum and syllabus suited for online learning, and getting accredited by the state and federal educational organizations/authorities so that students who graduate from online schools will be legally accepted into any school or university for their higher education.
4. Students should adapt to the new learning system which has turned their home into a virtual classroom
In the past, kids had two distinct places for school work and homework. Now, they are confined to one place for both school work and homework due to social distancing rules. It’s understandably hard for them to adapt to the new learning environment. They can no longer be carefree at home. They have to follow a strict schedule to attend virtual classes every day from morning to evening, take scheduled lunch and snack breaks between classes, and spend the rest of the evening or night doing their homework.
The lack of change in scenery and fewer outdoor activities has made the weekdays hard on kids. Yet, they need to adapt to the new learning methods to continue their education. Parents and teachers should explain the importance of online learning to kids, especially the younger ones. Following a timetable and being internally motivated can help students meet their deadlines. Balancing the schedule with school work and extracurricular activities can avoid saturation and promote stimulation of the mind.
5. Social Learning should be encouraged in virtual classrooms
Most students thrive on socializing in a brick-and-mortar classroom, it motivates them to go to school, to interact with fellow students, share their day-to-day experiences with like-minded people, and engage in group activities. Online learning cannot replicate the rich cultural experience of a traditional learning environment. However, with emerging technologies and digital applications, online learning can incorporate social learning to keep the students engaged.
Messaging apps, video calling apps, chatbots, online forums, etc., provide teachers and students a platform to interact with their peers on academic and extracurricular projects. Social learning can make solo and group assignments interesting for students. It can motivate them to deliver their assignments on time. Teachers can also monitor the forums and chats to keep the social learning environment clean.
“It takes a village to raise a child”. From parents and teachers to peers and educational institutions, everyone should lend a hand in the planning, preparation, and implementation of online learning systems for K-12 education to make the learning process a success.
