Transitioning from Paper-Based to Online Teaching

  Throughout my training experience, I have helped a large number of schools move from being purely paper-based to becoming fully online. The most astonishing thing is the ability of the students to fully adapt with e-learning more than teachers and the school itself. E-learning made education more accessible to students, they could relate more to their daily lives than just depending on the book within their classrooms.

  After working with many schools across the Middle East (including schools in Lebanon), Blended Learning has proved it's the way to go for our culture and environment. Even though our students love using technology in the classroom, they still need the actual text book as a resource. Technology may fail the teachers in some cases so a plan B is always needed to avoid disruption of the learning process. 

  Extensive training of the teachers before moving them to online teaching is a crucial aspect for a successful implementation within the classroom. 

Educational Changes after COVID-19

  2020 was a year unlike any other: a global pandemic, the deepest global recession since World War II and rising inequality around the world. While virtually all sectors of the economy were affected, education systems around the world were severely hit, with more than 188 countries forced to close schools throughout the rest of the year.

  While it was a year marred with tragedy and heartache, by necessity education innovations and new approaches have emerged out of the turmoil and are presenting real opportunities to transform education worldwide.

  Below are six trends and strategies that have changed after COVID-19 within education and the learning ecosystem:
1. Improved student agency.
2. The game changing role of parents in education.
3. New education allies.
4. The potential of education technology.
5. School emergency preparedness.
6. Support for schools and teachers.

Challenges You Face When Teaching Online

  With education worldwide being thrown into disarray by coronavirus, more and more educators are being forced to teach their students from home.

  You might not have signed up for distance teaching, but in true teacher style it’s time to throw the lesson plan out the window and make the best of a bad situation.

Some of the main challenges of distance teaching you may face are listed below:

• Isolation
• Lack of motivation in online learners
• Staying connected with students
• Encouraging collaboration
• Technical difficulties with online teaching tools
• Time-consuming resources
• Setting and forgetting online learning activities.

How to Make a Successful Online Learning Environment

  Two key advantages of online learning are flexibility and convenience. But online learning is a lot more challenging than it may seem.

  Online learning can sound so wonderful that some students start with an unrealistic vision. In reality, online courses require just as much, if not more, time and energy as traditional classrooms. It also requires specific computer skills and learning strategies in order to succeed. 

  Here are some points we need to pay attention to as teachers before starting with our online classes:

1. Persistence
2. Effective time-management skills
3. Effective and appropriate communication skills
4. Basic technical skills
5. Reading and writing skills
6. Motivation and independence
7. A good study environment.

How to be a Digital Citizen

  Being a good online citizen is more than being safe Internet user - it's about being responsible, smart, and having respect for yourself and others. As a user of the web, various apps, social networking sites, and other online collaborations forums, you are a "citizen" of different communities. And just like real-life communities, there are rules to follow that will make sure you have the best possible experience.

See below a list of digital do's and don'ts.

Four Digital Do's:

  Be careful of what you share. Comments, social media posts, photos, and anything else you share online is not guaranteed to be protected from online predators or hackers, even if you're sharing only to specific people on password-protected site. Post only things you'd be ok with everyone you know seeing.

1. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
2. Be safe.
3. Know the rules.
4. Be vigilant.

Five Digital Don'ts:

1. Don't say anything online you wouldn't say to someone's face.
2. Don't share anything you don't own, without permission.
3. Don't believe everything you read.
4. Don't post anything that you don't want to last forever.
5. Don't spend all of your free time online.

Online Assessment Tools

  Teachers need to know how well students are assimilating lessons so as not to leave anyone behind. You also have to assess each student at the end of the quarter, term, and semester and bestow a final grade that reflects both their understanding and their level of effort.

  Online assessment tools for teachers are a necessary part of the remote learning picture. From one day to the next you need to know what your students understand. If you have a handle on their learning gaps then you can adjust your lessons to target them.

  Here are some online tools that will help you as a teacher to assess students on the go:

1. Kahoot - game-based assessment tool

2. Poll Everywhere - pre-loaded with education templates

3. Mentimeter - pre-built education templates

4. Google Forms - easy to use and COPPA/FERPA compliant

5. iSpring Suite - a quiz maker tool.

Technology Integration within Teaching

  Technology provides instant accessibility to information, which is why its presence in the classroom is vital. Smart phones, computers, and tablets are already an omnipresent element of everyday life for students and teachers alike. It's only natural that the use of technological devices in the classroom are explored to create meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages.

  Utilizing different types of technology in the classroom, including a virtual classroom, creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives.  The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a boarder classroom climate.