Normally I will say here is an idea, we can then take it online with this idea and students can adapt it with this idea. Actually we're not in a new idea world at the min. We are in a substitution world. Looking at Puentedura's SAMR model. We are rapidly trying to substitute our traditional classroom activities with online activities. We are not limiting ourselves and stopping at substitution but this is the current state of play. Even for me, my classroom is quite paper heavy to be fair and I am trying to move my content online. Sure I have flicks and hints of tech but as it's a linear paper exam activities are regularly paper based.
When we learn a new skill we are asking our brain to learn the new skill as well as linking it to our previous experiences and making room for us to adapt it in future experiences too. That's a lot. So if it's a lot for us, it's going to be a lot for our learners. Especially in FE where you may be returning to education after a 20 or 30 year gap and all of a sudden it's all online. That just seems overwhelming. We need to make it as familiar as possible and as simple to use for learners to settle them in and from there we can build to new ideas. Now in terms of accessibility I'm not fully there yet, in a general sense. I am fortunate that where I work we have Texthelp products so many issues are overcome with those tools but if you're not; sorry I don't have all the answers for now. One thing I can recommend greatly is nOverlay. It's a chrome extension and puts a coloured overlay on your browser. For those who need things on yellow paper, this helps virtually. If you're using a chromebook turning on select to speak or any of the other accessibility features may help too. But yes hands up, I don't have all the answers for accessibility yet.
Thinking about what will be needed in September, whatever that brings, we need to build relationships. Something as simple as a slides presentation with each learners name as a title and a slide for the teacher. Then everyone adds a video using INSERT>VIDEO introducing themselves. This can be a regular check in tool too, how are you feeling, how's the work going? General ideas. Or use it for topic based discussion. Personal connection is huge. Those uncomfortable with video could insert a bitmoji and an audio file using MOTE. Once we have the relationships we need to get content delivered. Delivering in a live meeting virtually sounds exhausting and tricky to manage, why not alternate or switch it up?
The value of a teacher is in their guidance and support. A live meeting where teachers and students chat through ideas, misconceptions, how tasks went sounds like a wonderful meeting that everyone wants to join. A meeting where a teacher talks over slides and students zone out does not. Why not share videos that cover the content and set students work. Then you can have the nice chat about how it went and where to improve.
Thinking of all this made me feel inspired to make this I built a bookcase and inserted books for algebra, each links to a video, from YouTube and some questions. I think it is easy to follow and can be replicated regardless of subject or topic. Now obviously students wouldn't be left to cover all of this on their own but this with a virtual meeting every week checking in sounds like a supportive approach that allows learners to push themselves asynchronously of they want to. To link to slides within a presentation it's INSERT>LINK you can link to another slide or an external website. Here the little library in the top right links to the first slide. The videos were all dropped in by INSERT>VIDEO and then safe searched on YouTube. The questions are either pdf exam booklets run through ilovepdf and converted to slides or free self marking websites. I hope it's useful, it's a step up from the hyperbook and allows us to build as we step back into the classroom. If appetite continues I will keep playing, thanks for reading.
Fully editable blank version of the library template here. Please feel free to use it but remember it was from here that you found it and credit it as such, a tweet saying you have used it would be nice :)
