Online Learning - teaching in the 21st century?!?

22/04/2020

For the past 5 years we have been putting in place for our students to be better self managers of their own learning and the last week has been the big test. Thankfully Hornby's sites are fairly well set up and run fairly smoothly. But this whole video conferencing and getting our students engagement online is a complete different kettle of fish.

I don't think i will ever take for granted the benefits of walking into the classroom and having the bodies there in front of me, we may not always capture them but at least they can be surround by the conversations and hear what the other students have to say.

Getting the students used to using Google Meets and actually talking to us has been the first obstacle and much amusement. Training them on the etiquette around the appropriate settings, how to use the mute button and the quick keys to turn your mic on and off. As well as the benefits of the chat function. It really is a different world, and one that many of us are not finding easy. Spending a day staring at yourself on the computer can get to you after a while, not to mention i think the headaches i am now getting due to so much digital time compared to normal.

Next week Jacinda has announced the all schools will open for Year 10s and below. It has raised a lot of questions and probably some anxiety for some. I myself am looking forward to being around people again even if it means keeping our distance still and limiting the number of people that i let into my bubble. I don't think we will have many kids back, but we shall see.

Concern is obviously there for our senior students, many are still struggling with engagement, whether its because of internet, lack of device or just lack of motivation, but the importance for some to gain their NCEA has now sunk in that this could be at risk or certainly a lot harder than they originally thought. But yet again i think it will take some ingenuity from the profession to ensure our kids get the best education we can offer them. I have recently signed up to this group on Facebook and have found it very interesting going through and reading some of the amazing things that other school have in place already.

Something that will come out of this pandemic will be that education in 2020 will certainly look and feel different to any other year that i have experienced in my 15 years, many try and link it back to the year of earthquakes where for months we were not teaching, however, i feel like its different again.