Part 2: Teachers vs. eLearning: Keep the Platform!

As I mentioned in my previous article, this pandemic has pushed teachers and online learning into a necessary (but sometimes uncomfortable) relationship. Public spaces have contracted to include only what is necessary, and even some things that are necessary have been revamped to be offered in a way that limits physical interactions. However, as much of the world is beginning to open up and step beyond the isolation phase of the pandemic, we need to reflect on the new learning and improved methodologies that we have gained as we faced the COVID-19 challenge.

As we attempt to return to a place where the traditional classroom is possible, we have the chance to look at whether that truly is the best option for educators or students. While the traditional classroom is many of our "comfort zones" as teachers, implementing elements of online learning into a hybrid classroom will offer a balanced methodology and maximize student learning.

What to keep? Online Platforms.

The foundational element of online learning is found in the platforms. These platforms each have different benefits for teachers, students, administrators, and parents. At our school, we implement different platforms for different grade-levels based on the needs of that group of teachers. SeeSaw has proven quite effective for elementary grades and ESL classes due to the ease of use for making video and audio recordings, as well as the embedded functions that all interaction with graphic organizers. Meanwhile, our middle school students are learning through Google Classroom; this places focus on learning GSuite functions and building soft-skills such as cooperation and teamwork through collaborative learning. When students enter high school, their courses are offered primarily on Moodle, as it is focused more on individual learning (though collaborative learning elements can still function within), and use of embedded learning tools such as plagiarism checkers and full-function forums are more applicable to higher level learning.

Merely using these platforms as submission portals is not going to be a notable benefit to you or the students. Rather, we need to look at some key areas that learning management systems (LMS) like Moodle or Google Classroom can benefit teachers, students, and their stakeholders.

1. Learning becomes more flexible. When we utilize these learning platforms, students have the ability to learn more when they are outside of the classroom. This is not me promoting the idea of self-teaching above teacher-driven activities; rather, students have more resources available to them that allow them to take ownership of their own learning. Notes can be accessed anywhere that has an internet connection. Lectures or tutorials can be reviewed or watched at the students convenience. Online learning platforms are also structured to improve planning for homework; it is common for me to assign homework for an entire week at a time at the start of the week. I also open larger essay assignments before I even start teaching the content that the essays will be based on. This gives students ownership of their work time, greater flexibility with scheduling, and maintains the necessary structure of the classroom.
2. Personalized learning becomes more accessible. As a teacher, I find myself saying phrases like "If you're bored this weekend, you should look up..." or "This weekend, I read an article that said..." I make those statements because I want to give my students motivation to learn on their own by promoting something I think they may be interested in - by putting up a link to an article or a short additional activity, I am empowering and encouraging my students to take the next step in their personal learning. This is a natural benefit of online platforms - the ease in which you can add secondary resources, additional learning documents, or increase interactions with specific media means that adding these elements is a natural extension of the classroom.
3. It allows students to take part in the teaching of the class. Online learning is conducive to flipped classroom techniques, in part because students are already on a computer, which is where they naturally go to find new information. LMS's allow greater ease of usage for student-to-student and student-to-teacher collaboration, as well as being efficient modes of peer-learning. Online learning is the "natural habitat" of student research and project creation, so direct the students' natural inclination to browse the web into profitable and educational flipped teaching assignments.
4. Data. Data is sometimes understood to have a negative connotation. While we cannot break every assignment, growth, and challenge into numerical form, data does give us a good understanding of what we are doing well, and also what we may be struggling with. Most online learning platforms contain some sort of grade publication portal. This allows students (and parents, if they are given access to the LMS), an immediate ongoing updated grade. Depending on the complexity of the platform, you may be able to categorize and weight grades as well, removing the need for outside record keeping. Data is valuable for teachers because it gives you an understanding of what your students are accomplishing, allowing you to revamp or review lessons as needed. It is also valuable for the students and parents, as it gives a clear understanding of what is being learned, what areas of learning are challenging, and what level of participation the student is giving. Administrators can also utilize this data to look for trends in their staff's teaching methods such as dependence on a single assignment type, appropriate amounts of work being assigned, or ensuring that learning objectives are being covered throughout the year.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the benefit of using online platforms, even in the traditional classroom, is that they encourage you to alter the learning process and place access to (and responsibility for) learning in the hands of the students. This ownership of learning allows students to access their intrinsic motivations and search out areas of personal interest that are tied to the content. This ownership of learning will improve retention and attention to the content. Additionally, the inherent collection of data built into many of these platforms will allow students, parents, teachers, and administrators to make adaptations and grow their teaching and learning in ways that will best benefit students' futures.