Learn More. While many institutions have borrowed and utilized similar ideas from each other, each institution is doing distance learning a little differently. If you're an institution or instructor trying to figure out how to set up your distance courses for success, you might be wondering, "What should my distance learning program actually look like?
What features, technologies, or pedagogical methods should I use to ensure all distance learning courses are as effective as traditional classrooms? With these questions in mind, here's our round-up of what the ideal distance learning program and courses should be like, including:. Some online courses are self-paced and do as you go.
Others follow a traditional classroom calendar. When it comes to implementing an online program, which should you choose? Just like no two students learn the same way in a traditional classroom, the same is true for distance learners.
When designing a distance learning course or program, flexibility is key. Try to offer a mixture of learning or course types, including:. Many online students prefer self-paced courses that they can complete on their own terms. Make sure these courses still include interactive elements like recaps, quizzes, and projects the student can complete. Module-based learning is essentially a way of organizing a class by subject.
Think of it as a table of contents for a class. By dividing classes into modules or "segments," students can work through content based on section, take assessments on that material, and then move onto the next section.
These methods are often incorporated into traditional classrooms, so make sure to include them in online offerings as well. Self-paced courses can work for some students. For other students, they need the structure of a traditional semester and calendar to keep them motivated. What characterizes the best distance learning courses? An emphasis on student-friendly course structures and interfaces.
Find out more about how to build online courses. What does a typical distance learning course look like? In many higher education institutions, distance learning courses are the same length as face-to-face ones — eight weeks or an entire semester long.
Interested in learning more about how to engage students through distance learning? Check out this helpful resource. While distance learning was once considered an inferior substitute for traditional education, it is now considered by many to be outperforming traditional classroom instruction.
This is largely because of video and technology. Video helps make distance learning feel personable and helps keep students engaged. The benefits of distance learning are clear, but there are some warnings when it comes to this learning approach, too. For one, students face a higher risk of online distraction.
Without face-to-face meetings, students can lose track of deadlines and motivation. Students who work well on their own may easily surmount these obstacles. Students who have trouble prioritizing may stumble. So will those who lack organizational and scheduling skills. Not all students have access to these resources. Distance learning can put them at a distinct disadvantage.
They may lack the bandwidth to watch videos or teleconference. In recent years, distance learning has gained in popularity. In fall , 3. And there is a rising proportion of students studying fully online who are enrolled within 50 miles of their home. Distance learning has gained widespread credibility and acceptance, too.
Top online universities are comparable to their on-campus counterparts. Nonetheless, students should still keep an eye out for scammers. Programmatic accreditation attests to the validity of certain programs of study. Regional accreditation means regional agencies have endorsed specific fields of study. It comes with countless advantages, from greater flexibility to time and money saved. When online learning is interactive and engaging, students can excel.
This is why many instructors are adding it to their instruction playbook. Interested in bringing the most innovative distance learning resources to your students? Or, do you need help with how to prepare for distance learning?
Here are our top tips to create better online courses for your students. Invite your students to create a welcome video, too, and post them in a discussion board to start building connections.
This usually covers an overview of the syllabus, course layout in the LMS, assignments and grading policy, contact information, important dates, and possibly a walkthrough of a specific learning module. Create a screen recording with webcam to check in and walk through where you currently are in the course syllabus. Point out what assignments are due, and answer any questions from students. Plan out seating arrangements that build a positive classroom community.
This year, you might find yourself needing to help families set up a learning space at home for distance learning. By sharing tips and ideas with parents, you will help your students be more successful in distance learning. Parents may have taken the time over the summer to prepare a learning space at home for distance learning, or they might feel incapable and overwhelmed.
Sharing ideas for preparing a learning space for distance learning at home will need to come from a place of humility and with grace. After some experimenting with my own children with distance learning, I put together some tips for you to share with the parents of your students to make distance learning more efficient and effective.
Encourage students to use the restroom before a live instruction time starts. If you have a welcome screen in the virtual class waiting room, you could display this reminder while students wait for class to start. Because these live class times are not very long, even a five-minute break could result in missing critical information. Young children can be difficult to understand while in the virtual classroom sometimes. If they are munching on snacks, it could be even more difficult.
Try not to schedule live class times during typical breakfast or lunchtimes. Then, ask parents and students to avoid snacking during live meetings. Kids, especially primary grade children, sometimes just get super hungry.
They may not have a consistent schedule, too. Ask parents to let their students keep a spill-proof cup near their work area. We can encourage parents to reduce the number of reasons students would need to get up from the lesson by keeping water next to their work area. Share the distance learning tools students will need and offer alternatives to parents. This could be anything from a plastic caddy to a shoebox. Any container will work! Encourage families to create a morning routine similar to their normal school morning routine.
This would include getting up around the same time, eating breakfast, and getting dressed for the day. We want students to feel ready for school. When we feel our best, we perform our best! Each day before a live lesson begins, ask parents to help their students do an audio and visual test. One important piece of information to provide parents is what to do if there are ongoing tech issues. Who will be your technology point person to troubleshoot issues like wifi connection, lost student work, communications, emails, etc.?
What learning platform or software solutions will you use it must be uniform for all teachers and students? How will you make it available?
Will your current learning management system suffice, or will you need new tools to assist you? Who will be the lead on communications among teachers, students, and families. Do you need to provide training about what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate online communications? Connecting with parents is crucial. Parents will have many questions and concerns, and holding a parent meeting in-person and via video call to support them is very important.
You might also con- sider having weekly open Zoom hours for meeting with parents. Before you host such a meeting, have a robust plan of action in place that you can unveil. Collect parent questions and concerns ahead of time and address them in a controlled logical progression. Good coordination among faculty is crucial. Working as a team to troubleshoot this adventure will make the entire experience run more smoothly. Look to appoint some faculty champions who can help the admin coordinate and train.
Teaching and Learning Teaching at a distance is different. Trying to approach a distant learning situation with the same techniques and strategies that work for an in-person class will not work well. This is especially challenging when giving a complex assignment and made more com- plicated by the fact that students may be hesitant to ask clarifying questions at a distance.
A way of addressing such a challenge, among others, could be to use recorded screencast recordings of the teacher explaining the assignment —something the students can watch asynchronously as many times as they need. Screencast-O-Matic provides a good free service. Contrary to what is commonly believed about online schooling, distance learning often requires more time and is more complicated than in-person schooling. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes coordination that must take place to make an effective program work.
Some of the factors you may need to consider: If you decide to use a video platform, what will you use and what computer technology do your teachers and students need? What might you need to purchase? We have found www.
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