Deborah Rosenthal has learned a thing or two about online learning. She starts her virtual kindergarten class on Zoom every morning with a song — today, it’s the Spanish version of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Her students clap along. There’s a greeting from the class mascot (a dragon), yoga, meditation and then some practice with letter sounds. Rosenthal teaches Spanish immersion in a public school in San Francisco’s Mission District. Most of…
A sweeping review of national test data suggests pandemic impact on student learning may not be as bad as we feared. According to this study, the pandemic-driven jump to online learning has had little impact on children’s reading growth and has only somewhat slowed gains in math. That positive news comes from the testing nonprofit NWEA and covers nearly 4.4 million U.S. students in grades three through eight. But the report also includes a worrying…
For as long as anyone can remember, taking attendance and rewarding kids for showing up has been a time-honored school ritual. Like so many other aspects of education, that simple measure — “here” or “absent” — is not so simple anymore. States are having to update their attendance policies to cover the realities of virtual learning, and where school is being held in-person, strict coronavirus health protocols mean students must now stay home at the…
What are the best tutoring apps for teachers and students? Well, believe it or not, what actually qualifies as tutoring apps isn’t clear-cut. Is it a tutoring platform where educational content is available? Is it for teachers wanting to tutor classroom content for absent students, homework help, etc.? Or for the students themselves? What about professional tutors? Blended tutoring? Language tutoring? There’s a lot to consider. With that diversity in mind, we gathered 10 of…
In just the past few years, we’ve seen major brands such as AT&T, Nestle, and Epic Games pause their advertising on YouTube following accusations that the platform was being used by predators to find videos of young girls. Google’s recommendation algorithm can sometimes lead users to find videos with inappropriate and potentially predatory comments with only a few clicks. Even YouTube Kids, the app developed by YouTube to keep content family-friendly and appropriate for children,…
Are you looking for ways to supplement your child’s learning from home? Here’s a list of where to find the best free online courses. edX Everyone knows edX, the big name on virtual campus. If you’re looking for serious online courses from the top universities in the world, this is your answer. Founded by MIT and Harvard, edX is a nonprofit platform aiming to change up education and allow people to learn without the usual…
While some students enjoy unlimited access to the internet and other digital technology, there are other students, just as capable and full of potential, who struggle to learn even the basics of computer use due to a lack of internet access. Our world heavily relies on technology for everyday communication, education, work, and much more. Over time, students without internet access at home will face massive disadvantages, including: Lack of basic research skills Lack of…
As we look forward to a foreseeable future of mostly online learning, teachers are finding themselves walking a tightrope of keeping students motivated while not letting their own morale down. Student motivation is a major concern regardless of which study model is adopted by each school: online, blended, hybrid, or a myriad variation. In the current pandemic scenario where teachers must deal with alternative learning modes, student motivation is especially important. Here are 5 strategies…
Online learning is at an all-time high right now, and students are therefore expecting more from their online courses. While most of us know the importance of basic tips (like addressing students by name in the discussion board, or offering students substantive feedback on assignments), there are many more options for elevating online learning. Here are 6 online teaching tips that can lead to a more positive experience for both teacher and student. 1. Welcome…
Teaching in virtual classrooms can be much like the widely circulated YouTube video you may have seen called “A Conference Call in Real Life.” If you watch it, you’ll recognize the familiar awkwardness of online meetings, where the rhythm of conversational interaction is thrown wildly askew by technological hiccups and the absence of visual cues. Virtual space is not always easy, so how do you teach in it? While virtual classrooms are not without challenges,…
