introduction to online remote delivery for GCSE and A level.
Hello and welcome to this pre-recorded event. Over the next 15 minutes, I will talk through
an introduction to online remote delivery for GCSE and A level.
The content we are going to be discussing today is just a guide and it may be that you
approach online teaching differently. The focus here is on general ideas and principles
which can hopefully be applied to all GCSEs and A levels.
The presentation has links within the text, and these were all correct at the time of
recording. You can access these links via the event description on our website.
In today’s session, we are going to go through a number of things. We will start with an
overview and then move onto looking at the differences between face-to-face and online
delivery and other aspects associated with online learning.
We will then move onto tools which could be useful to support this and end with outlining
some key next steps. As I have already mentioned, this guidance
applies to both GCSE and A level for all subjects and areas of content.
It is designed to give you some ideas and hints on how to start delivering materials
online and to help you adapt lessons and materials you currently have.
This training is in response to the current situation which requires a changing mode of
delivery to ensure continuity for you and your students.
We will now look at the other pre-recorded training which is coming online from Pearson
in the near future. There are two more courses planned to look
at: Planning and teaching online
Support for students studying online Once these are recorded and ready, they will
be placed on the website for you to listen to in your own time.
We will now move onto the differences between face-to-face and online delivery.
As we transition from the physical to an online classroom, it is crucial to recognise how
various components differ. Understanding these differences is key to
being able to plan effective online delivery. For instance, planning a lesson for face-to-face
delivery is obviously very different to online delivery because in a physical classroom a
teacher is managing the pace of delivery and delivering the content. It’s like a live
performance, where students who attend the class can benefit from this.
If your lesson is usually an hour session, then you might schedule a 10 min icebreaker
or a discussion midway through to break up the time into manageable chunks. When you
compare this with an online classroom, the role of a teacher is to facilitate. What that
means is you will need to get students to do some preparation before joining the session,
by doing things like reading an article or watching a video which you have identified.
When your students login to the live session, the conversation would begin by looking at
what they have understood or what was difficult to understand.
Communication in an online environment helps students to feel that they are part of a virtual
community. Some students are dependent on the classroom environment to make social connections
and build relationships with peers, teachers and support staff. It is important to ensure
these relationships are managed online too, through written and verbal communication.
We know that most communication is non-verbal and in a physical classroom it is much easier
to see if a student is not feeling well or wants to say something, so giving students
opportunities to express themselves and communicate is crucial.
Written communication becomes even more important and thinking about not only what you say but
how you say it would make a huge difference. You could record audio messages using a tool
called online voice recorder which is free and very easy to use.
The students’ role in the two environments does differ. Mainly, in an online environment,
students need to be more proactive in reaching out, asking for help, and contacting you as
a teacher or their peers for support. They need to recognise that in an online environment
it is difficult for anyone to find out what help they need if they do not communicate.
They can do so using different methods such as virtual 1-2-1’s, live sessions or email
and chat. We will discuss more strategies to support
students in a later pre-recorded event. Now let’s look at 4 key roles of an online
teacher discussed by Zane Berge’s article “Facilitating Computer Conferencing: Recommendations
from the Field”. This has been one of the most cited articles,
and whilst further research has been conducted, it is useful to consider this article as a
starting point and to understand the 4 roles. These are pedagogical, social, managerial
and technical. The ﬁrst role we are going to discuss is
the pedagogical role. This role is about a teacher’s involvement
as a moderator or facilitator of online discussions, which focuses energy on critical concepts,
principles, and skills. The key considerations here are to:
Develop questions that align with your course goals or learning objectives and help students
think critically Develop questions which allow students to
personalise their learning Explore the various ways in which you as a
teacher can get a discussion started or help it continue.
The second role is the social role, and this is about how a teacher can foster a friendly,
social environment to promote learning and sharing.
The key considerations here are to: Promote community building with you and your
students and between your students by having an informal, safe space where students can
interact with each other, such as an online breakout area
Deﬁne and enforce expectations for language, interactions, and online interpersonal communication
Focus on encouraging student participation in this online environment. You will need
to be precise and clear with your students about what type and level of participation
this should be. For instance, you might want to outline what you expect them to do in a
week? So for example, you could send an announcement
to say that you they need to: go through certain content which you have
provided post a response to an online discussion which
should be about 250-300 words add 2 posts responding to their peers which
go beyond ‘I agree’ or ‘I disagree’ vote in 2 polls which will be available towards
the end of the week. We will now move to the third role which is
a managerial role. Here, you need to clarify discussion objectives, timelines, and procedural
rules. The key considerations here are to:
Ensure that the students have the right skills and information to participate fully
Establish a rhythm for your discussion by thoughtfully timing deadlines for initial
posts and responses Communicate clear and consistent expectations
to the students Deﬁne ground rules for respectful interactions.
And lastly, we will look at the technical role. This includes helping students to become
familiar with online tools and knowing who to contact if there are any problems.
The key considerations are to: Review the key features of online tools available
via the LMS or VLE Consider various options for student training
and support such as using a screencast Equip students with a detailed guide on how
to access the online tools and a backup plan Brieﬂy explain the function and purpose
of the online space or tool and its role in the course (either in person in your ﬁrst
class or on the syllabus) so that you get buy-in from the students.
Some schools and colleges do have dedicated teams such as learning technology or academic
support services so, wherever possible, please do involve your colleagues to support you
and your students. Earlier we discussed differences between a
physical and an online classroom and considered the 4 roles of an online teacher. This is
relevant when planning a daily routine that suits working and studying in an online environment.
For instance, it is important to consider how you divide your time to do tasks which
are a result of online delivery, such as: Writing communications to students and families
Creating and sharing learning resources Recording short video lessons and tutorials
Reviewing student work and providing feedback Communicating individually with students in
need of support Providing enrichment opportunities for students
Collaborating with peers and sharing best practice
Scheduling breaks at regular intervals. Now this does sound like a lot, but you don’t
have to do all of the suggestions listed above. We are going to look at an example of the
different types of tasks in the next slide. Here are some examples of the types of tasks
you might be doing throughout the day or week. You may need to:
Check the days or week schedule and run through everything you need
Allow time to teach classes and online sessions Mark and monitor any work which you have set
and manage student expectations around the feedback they will receive
Keep in touch with any students who may need extra help or assistance
Allow time to talk to students and colleagues and keep virtual office hours where you will
be available for a quick chat Plan for the next day by taking 15 minutes
before you log off to make a list for the next day
Do remember to take breaks and have lunch. It is so easy to stay online all day and not
take any time away from the screen. So you should make sure that there are times when
you are not working and let everyone know when and how they can contact you in your
working time only. We will now look at some of the online tools
available to teachers in schools and colleges. For centres who are using LMS or VLE such
as Moodle, blackboard or canvas, Pearson has developed a useful resource which is a course
checklist. You can see a screenshot on the screen and
there is a link which you can access. When you click on the link via our website
you will be able to access resources which provide further guidance about different features
and functionalities. So, if there are tools or part of the platform
you have not used before, you will be able to use them effectively using the instructions
and the ideas provided by the course toolkit. If you are using Microsoft teams, there is
plenty of guidance available on their website too.
Similarly, if you use Google classroom, you can find training and support on their website.
For centres who do not have a LMS or VLE, you could consider using either teams or google
classroom. Let's also look at some free tools in the next slide.
There are a number of free tools which centres can use, especially those who do not have
access to a LMS or VLE. A number of tools are listed on the slide
and they include links and these links are available in the event description on our
website. The easiest way to get materials to students would be emailing resources in
different formats. Now some of the websites listed here you will
be very familiar with. BBC Bitesize has just launched a new programme
of lessons for students of all ages and it is worth searching for videos and quizzes
that your students may find interesting Ted Ed is TED’s youth and education initiative.
It was launched in 2012. They produce original animated videos and provide an international
platform for teachers to create their own interactive lessons.
Using readymade videos available via YouTube to support your teaching could save time and
offer students some variety. There are also a number of video conferencing
platforms which you could use to conduct live sessions and record them.
You can also stay in touch via social media, however, it is crucial that you take into
account issues with student privacy and adhere to the safeguarding policy outlined by your
institution. This is a virtual toolbox created by Pearson
which maps the tools you could use for various tasks you need to complete in an online classroom.
You Could use it as a cheat sheet and create your own toolbox if you like.
Now that we have discussed differences between face to face and online delivery and reviewed
the tools you could use to support it, let’s look at next steps.
Please remember that the most important thing is for your students to be comfortable and
feel supported in an online environment. Here are some top tips to keep in mind.
Aim for 'good' not 'perfect'. It takes time and collaboration to develop perfect online
learning - time that you don't necessarily have. Think about what is the 'minimum viable'
online learning design for your students and their needs.
Keep it simple. Don't try to learn and use every piece of technology or tools that you
or your students have not been introduced to. Use the simplest workable tool.
Focus on what really matters at this time - Maintaining connection and engagement as
a group. The priority is not just about getting content online.
Consider student practicalities and their emotional well-being. Students may only have
a smartphone and limited data, or even a desktop computer that they have to share with siblings,
therefore it may not be possible for them to join a session at a specific time. They
may also have less time as they may be helping to take care of sick family members.
Remember that we are in a pandemic and some students will be anxious, tired and overwhelmed.
Look at the situation for what it really is and think about how they can operate within
it and be compassionate at the same time. Also remember to look after yourself at this
difficult time. Make sure you are taking time away from work and from the computer screen
to relax and recharge. These are some resources from the Pearson
website you could refer to for additional guidance.
As I mentioned in the beginning, this guidance is broad and applies to different qualifications
and subjects. If you would like to read the latest information from Pearson during the
Covid-19 pandemic, please visit our FAQ page on our website.
If there are any other queries, contact us via the form on our website or the telephone
number on this slide. For subject specific questions, please contact
your subject advisor. Their details can be found on the individual subject pages on our
website. Thank you very much for listening.