The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a massive change in the way we function, learn and connect with many others.
Even though there are a variety of effectively-recognised organisations inside of Australia that supply on-line official skills, Open Schools being 1 of them, not all schools had been well prepared to make the shift to a fully on the net studying environment.
At the start off of the pandemic in Australia, there was a quick changeover from actual physical classrooms to digital lecture rooms. Lots of campuses had to scramble rapidly to change their programs into a digital, remote-welcoming structure.
But as hard as this swift transition was for bricks-and-mortar universities, it was an even extra jarring practical experience for students.
Nevertheless, in spite of the on the internet mastering curve for students and educational facilities, there are a lot of added benefits to on the net finding out. And this shift away from regular classrooms could be the new normal for several Australian students.
Is on the web studying the new regular?
On the net examine could be the new typical for the upcoming of training in Australia. And one particular of the most compelling arguments is big information.
In the proper palms, massive information can be employed to uncover trends and gain important insights. For case in point, in schooling this info can be utilized to enhance university student outcomes, personalise curricula and reduce the student dropout level.
Via the use of machine discovering and algorithms, it’s achievable to keep track of how learners are progressing.
If a particular student is lagging guiding, then the algorithm can identify the regions the place they are failing and mail an inform to the student’s Trainer or Trainer. This would signal to the Educator that this certain pupil wants support in a specific region, and the Educator can then perform to assist bridge that knowledge gap. This could aid to stop learners from slipping via the cracks.
On the other hand, the algorithm could also be utilised to discover college students who are excelling quickly. This would imply that learners who are undertaking higher than typical would be specified the assistance they will need to access their total probable, in its place of having to hold out for their classmates to capture up.
The education and learning system needs to replicate our altering needs
Our lives are transforming and its imperative that the training process can retain up.
The common Australian is probably to modify work opportunities after each individual 3 decades or so. It’s no longer popular for people to dedicate to the same vocation route for their total functioning everyday living, and persons now have the liberty to improve professions when it satisfies them.
To facilitate this require, it is critical that the right sort of official on the net programs are obtainable. For quite a few Australians who are performing total time and would like to transform occupations, it’s just not practical to show up at a physical campus complete- or section-time. In its place, online instruction is the most apparent and handy preference.
Engagement performs a massive element in on the internet discovering student achievement
Inspite of the noticeable added benefits of on-line learning and what it can provide pupils, contemporary pupils will will need to acquire new learning procedures to navigate on-line instruction.
The increased education and learning studying environment can be quite various to what high school students have previously professional in terms of workload, time administration and time put in interacting with their peers and Instructors. The same can be said for an on the web mastering ecosystem.
How nicely a university student adjusts to their new finding out environment can have a direct impact on their tutorial achievement. This is aspect of the on line mastering curve, but it is important to a student’s grades.
A student’s engagement is also significant to their achievements. A recent research observed that college students in New Zealand who had to swiftly transition to an on line discovering natural environment ‘adopted a mastering system that coordinated their on the web LMS engagement with system assessment thanks date. Pupils experienced a 388% (SD 58%) greater specific engagement with the LMS on the evaluation because of day and the day prior, than during the remainder of their study course.’
On the other hand: ‘a apparent romance among the stage of student LMS engagement and college student system grade existed. For every additional 7 days of zero LMS engagement, the odds of a college student accomplishing. a grade reduced than B had been 1.67 times bigger (95% CI 1.24, 2.26 p < 0.001), regardless of the course.’
This clearly tells us that engagement is critical to a student’s success.
Higher education learning strategies for the new normal
There are a lot of pros to online learning. But it also comes with its own unique challenges. With this in mind, how can online students prepare for the new normal and find effective online higher education learning strategies?
Teachers and Trainers need to be the primary force driving this change and promoting engagement.
Here are a few higher education learning strategies Teachers and Trainers can use to increase learner engagement online:
1. Planning is everything
Ensure that you’re always organised and have a plan laid out. Teaching a class without a plan is difficult enough face-to-face. But with an online class, you also need to think about new and different ways to keep your class engaged.
Synchronous and asynchronous learning both have their place. You could think about mixing things up to ensure that students are engaged with their online lessons.
Also remember to break up your lessons into digestible pieces so your students attention spans to waver.
2. Lead by example
Present yourself well, look into the camera when you present and don’t multi-task while you’re presenting. If you want your students to be engaged, then you need to be engaged, too.
If your students have suddenly had to go from face-to-face lessons to online learning, you don’t want them to think of online as potentially lesser than a physical class. At home, there are more distractions for people. Just because everyone is learning from home online doesn’t mean they can divide their focus between their class, thinking about what to cook for dinner and shopping online.
This means you as the Teacher need to lead by example and set expectations.
3. Think outside the box
There are other ways to teach online that go way beyond delivering a livestream lecture or converting documents into a PDF. Technology today allows us to connect in so many different ways. And Teachers can use this to their advantage in the virtual classroom.
You could start by encouraging students to take part in online polls or real-time online knowledge tests. You could include audio files or videos as part of your lesson. You could
OC’s learning management system, OpenSpace, has been designed with student engagement at its core. Through OpenSpace, students learn through a variety of mediums, and some courses even have interactive tools.
4. Encourage social interaction
Switching to an online learning environment can be tough for some students. But if Teachers can encourage social interaction, the same as students can expect when in physical proximity to their classmates, then this could help to keep them engaged.
Instead of logging on and launching straight into the day’s lesson, encourage students to spend time socialising before you jump into the learning materials.
You can also check in with students on an individual level, just like you would in a classroom environment.
Study tips for online students
When it comes to online learning, there are generally two types – synchronous (when you study alongside other students at the same time) and asynchronous (when you work at your own pace).
Both have their pros and cons. The main benefit of synchronous learning is that you’ll have the support of others in the exact same situation as you.
Asynchronous learning, on the other hand, means you can study at your own pace. You’re not locked into a strict study routine, so you can dedicate as many hours as you want to study each week. This means you can space your study sessions out, or you can power through and complete your online course in record time.
To learn more about online study tips, you can read out blog, ‘8 study tips for online students.’
Is online learning the future of higher education?
The COVID-19 pandemic taught us, if nothing else, that things are not as impossible as they seem. Teachers found ways to convert their lessons into an online format. Students grew used to learning online. While the ride has been far from smooth, and the rapid transition for many physical classrooms into an online environment has been difficult, the Australian education system was able to adapt and pivot in record time.
Does this mean that online study is the new normal? While it’s unlikely we’ll see our bricks and mortar classrooms disappearing for good any time soon, there has been a definite shift in attitudes and perceptions when it comes to online learning and how it can benefit students.
About Chloe Baird
Chloe is an Open Colleges alumnus who now works full time for OC as a Content and Copywriting Specialist. She is passionate about encouraging others to pursue their goals through education.
Tags: Learning strategies, online learning, student success