Our three minute speaker on Tuesday 26 May was Rotarian Neil Heron. Neil has kindly provided the text of his "As I See It" address on the subject of Online Teaching, as follows:
In the early 2000's a form of teaching called the "Flip Classroom" was developed where teachers recorded a lesson as a video. Students then did the class at home by down loading the lesson. Three main reasons:
- teacher/student absence
- keep a record of a class for the future or sharing with colleagues
- tutorial system where students did the theory at home and used classtime for discussion, questions and problem solving or application of the theory.
Disadvantages: took too long to create the lesson and no instant feedback or discussion. Students who didn't do it or didn't get instantly behind.
Around 2015 programs that allowed teachers to give information, run a class , mark roles and assess students on line in real time where developed. Teachers could see what students were doing at any time in the class or at home and "chat" via written messages at any time as individuals or as a class. Students could also share work and work as a team.
Disadvantages: Not face to face outside the classroom and a lot more work for staff in monitoring students but students more accountable.
Then by 2017-18 video conferencing became more user friendly in that control of the program moved away from the platform provider to the "Host". Students & teachers could share work, ideas and work collaboratively but the teacher as the host retained control. Programs such as ZOOM, SeaSaw, google Classroom & Microsoft Screens gave a range of options. Private companies/ groups such as Big History Project & STILE( a mainly science program) developed lesson banks that teachers could share and store work and also had instant computerized marking that staff could watch student progress. This helped ease the teacher work load in monitoring and assessing. Not all teachers used this technology.
Come COVID-19 and we were all forced to all the time for every class. Many were worried teachers would not be able to cope. However, it soon became obvious the students and staff alike could not only cope but excel in using it. There was an initial heavy workload but as teachers mastered the technology it went smoothly
Advantages: the curriculum could be easily and effectively delivered. Whatever content or concept you could teach in the classroom could be done on-line. Monitoring students and feed back was excellent - students were easier to track and instantly accountable for their work. All teachers were also accountable and their efforts monitored.
Disadvantages:
The teacher-student & teacher - class bond is not developed. This is the key reward for teachers and why they teach, so the online teaching is losing its appeal and becoming tedious and boring.
Behaviour modification is difficult. Some students struggle to stay on task without the classroom stimulation.
Setting the scene for a lesson and the motivating dynamic of the classroom is missing
Students miss the student-student interaction/learning and the teacher-student bond. Students of all ages need this bond to feel safe and a part of the group. They are usually very loyal to their teacher and class.
Students miss the socializing, social learning and community skills development that schools are now more and more being asked to teach/provide.
As I see it: online education has advanced enormously and is a valuable tool for teaching and extending those students who desire it. It is more work for staff and not as rewarding. I don't believe it will replace the classroom but for those students who can access it, it will improve their learning outcomes if they choose to use it.
