With the nation in the grip of another national lockdown, online teaching has resumed in vogue across the country. In recognition of the task teachers have at hand in educating their learners remotely and keeping on top of education provider’s targets and Ofsted requirements, awarding organisation Ascentis has highlighted six top tips, based on learnings from the previous two lockdowns, to help teachers plan their remote learning strategies and ensure education continues with as little disruption as possible.
Support learners’ wellbeing
As the pandemic wears on, Ascentis has urged teachers to be aware that some of their learners may be facing mental health struggles and therefore lose motivation to study. The organisation has therefore recommended that teachers allow for slightly larger gaps in between lessons to allow for short comfort breaks, which will help with concentration and prevent the learner from becoming overwhelmed.
In order to support learners by making sure they are aware of how best to look after themselves and maintain a healthy lifestyle, Ascentis has developed a range of fully funded Short Online Qualifications [SOQs] which are compliant with the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and are made to educate learners on topics around mental health, wellbeing, and healthy living.
The new SOQs can be completed and assessed remotely via Ascentis’ new e-Invigilation platform, enabling learners to both achieve and boost their sense of self-confidence and self-worth from home.
All Ascentis clients have also been given access to a downloadable Mindfulness workbook containing further tips on how to improve mental health, wellbeing and happiness.
Encourage learners to read at home
With research suggesting that keen readers perform better across the curriculum and can boost writing and communication skills as well as self-confidence, Ascentis recommends that teachers encourage learners to read while at home.
Resources such as books, magazines and even comic books are recommended to help develop a passion for reading and offer an escape route from the confinements and pressures of living in lockdown.
Think outside the box
Ascentis has recognised that teachers need to show extra creativity to achieve the levels of engagement and interaction through online lessons as would normally occur in the classroom. This also extends to methods of monitoring pupil progress, with tutors unable to physically watch students work and view it once completed.
These challenges are also being found in how to keep learners motivated, particularly those struggling with isolation and lacking motivation. Ascentis, therefore, recommends that teachers look to integrate confidence boosting activities into the online timetable and find ways of teaching that appeal to pupils, making use of alternative learning styles through resources such as comic books, music or poetry to increase engagement.
Maximise use of online tools
As online learning has become more commonplace, the prevalence of online tools to help with delivering remote learning is greater than ever before.
Ascentis has recommended a number of these for use, including live worksheets, education technology programme Socrative, online whiteboard function Jamboard, online learning platform Blendspace, Padlet, H5P, and online content generator Quizlet.
Ascentis has also made its on-demand webinar ‘Blended Learning - Tips for Success’ available free of charge. The webinar, presented by the Lakes College’s Kevin Norman explores some of the aforementioned learning platforms and recommends ideas on how to apply online learning resources successfully.
Create personal learning experiences
Ascentis has been in dialogue with a multitude of teachers during lockdown and many have fed back that online learning becomes a much more personal experience with smaller groups, compared to pupil numbers of classroom size. The organisation has recommended that teachers use online learning opportunities to engage more closely with pupils, get to know them better and look more closely into their additional development outside of the main study core to better understand their needs.
Use lockdown to prepare learners for later life
Earlier lockdowns have shown that there is ample time for teachers to support the development of pupils by encouraging them to learn key skills that will be necessary for life beyond education. Ascentis recommends that teachers look to continue to engage with pupils in this way.
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