Live, Interactive, Online Classes!
Thanks to Dakota for illustrating so perfectly the happy atmosphere as well as the frequent appearance of pets in our online classes!
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Learn from anywhere! What are live, online classes like? For the past six years, I have been putting a lot of thought and research into successfully transitioning my classes online. I wanted to offer an online experience that has all the benefits and convenience of virtual learning but still incorporates all the best aspects of classroom education.
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I taught online in several formats, and observed the way other teachers were teaching online, but something always seemed to be missing. In my Skype and Facetime classes, I was missing the ability to create a classroom chalkboard and share concepts, reading materials and multimedia right on the screen. It was difficult to include multiple virtual students in one class.
Other classes I observed had these capabilities, but where were the students? They couldn't see and interact with each other and the teacher couldn't see them. Most of the classroom discussion took place in a chatbox, with occasional audio interaction, but often, the students couldn't even see the teacher. How could she check for understanding, if she couldn't see their faces? For that matter, how did she know they were even still in the room? And how would the students build friendships with each other? Can you really get to know someone through a chatbox?
Finally, I have found the perfect format for online classes! Students can see each other and interact directly. I can look into their eyes, and see if they are grasping the materials we are covering in class, and help regain their attention if they are mentally drifting away. I often use a whiteboard as the main screen for teaching, but I also have the option to make a student or myself the largest image on the screen, so that the students can attend directly to the speaker. I can share written materials, video files, maps, websites and software with my students, right on the screen! I sometimes even turn over the controls to each student, in turn, so that they can play games in math class, edit photos in photography class, create drawings and solve problems themselves, right on the screen. Students can ask questions and get individualized responses from the teacher and from each other. We laugh. We learn. We collaborate. The kids really do get to know each other. In Adventures For Young Explorers classes, every student is on the front row, and every student gets a turn to demonstrate learning at the board. Every student feels valued, and every student has fun!
Other classes I observed had these capabilities, but where were the students? They couldn't see and interact with each other and the teacher couldn't see them. Most of the classroom discussion took place in a chatbox, with occasional audio interaction, but often, the students couldn't even see the teacher. How could she check for understanding, if she couldn't see their faces? For that matter, how did she know they were even still in the room? And how would the students build friendships with each other? Can you really get to know someone through a chatbox?
Finally, I have found the perfect format for online classes! Students can see each other and interact directly. I can look into their eyes, and see if they are grasping the materials we are covering in class, and help regain their attention if they are mentally drifting away. I often use a whiteboard as the main screen for teaching, but I also have the option to make a student or myself the largest image on the screen, so that the students can attend directly to the speaker. I can share written materials, video files, maps, websites and software with my students, right on the screen! I sometimes even turn over the controls to each student, in turn, so that they can play games in math class, edit photos in photography class, create drawings and solve problems themselves, right on the screen. Students can ask questions and get individualized responses from the teacher and from each other. We laugh. We learn. We collaborate. The kids really do get to know each other. In Adventures For Young Explorers classes, every student is on the front row, and every student gets a turn to demonstrate learning at the board. Every student feels valued, and every student has fun!
