Online Learning Platforms

 

At the onset of the pandemic, teaching online platforms could be challenging for teachers. We need to adapt lesson plans to reach the aim for all our students. However, it is something that we can overcome with all staff, and we have designed compelling learning experiences according to the needs of students. It is essential to start knowing students to engage in each experience of learning; rather than keep moving to the next lesson. We are aware that they have a new style of learning in which we have to create a comfortable environment, so I've figured out how students are adapting to learn quickly to different circumstances; they have been studying from home with a great attitude, and full of energy to explore another way of visualising the world.

I consider it is relevant to motivate our students at the beginning of each session because we can establish rapport to activate their minds, they only engage in our learning experiences if we ignite curiosity to learn a new perspective of the diverse topics. From my experience, students have shown ATL skills in our virtual encounter and developed new ways to interact in this media, even though I conclude we need to include some ways to strengthen them in this current setting.

Here you can find some free useful platforms put forward in your lesson plans:

Padlet:

This toolkit is terrific to post information with your students based on your unit of inquiry. It is an excellent opportunity to work cooperatively with them and give meaningful feedback. When you work with Padlet, encourage students to participate in each task suggested, as well, you foster them to answer some questions and write some comments to their classmates. 

Popplet:

Students will feel comfortable when using this tool because they have the chance to be creative in designing interactive graphic organisers. They can insert videos, images, and change the style of each box. This tool helps students to interact with other peers because they can share the document. It can be shared with Facebook Twitter, email, link and embed. Here you can see a model made by one of my students based on the related concept of volcanoes.

Jamboard: 

It is one of the available tools on Google's G-Suite. Students and teachers are used to explaining and sharing insights, insert check marks, as well as draw into the same or different online whiteboard. We can assign and collaborate with the same board and, building an understanding of each learning experience. 

Socrative:

It is a platform based on questionnaires, where formative quizzes and assessments can be performed in various ways: multiple-choice, team play, starting cards, true/false or short answer questions. It records the data and displays graphs with results. It has access for students and another for teachers. To connect to students, you only need to type the name of the class in which you appear on the teachers´ screen.

Kahoot:

This platform is based on questionnaires. The teacher can design the questions, or you can also choose between the quizzes already created by other users according to the subject matter or duplicate one already designed and modify it. Students join the game through a PIN. It is lovely for students who want to interact and show results online as a game.

Loom:

If you want to create your video, the loom is an excellent option for interacting with your students as well as it could be a good way to feedback them. You can set up your record with chrome extension and download your videos.

I hope my colleagues have found different ways to surpass this current situation. The most significant is to teach our students how to move forward in the inquiry process. To make this happen, we should know the objective of learning and reflect on which skills will be developed throughout the unit. Likewise, we should use some platforms to encourage students to take responsibility for their learning. For example: if you want to use Padlet the possible approaches to learning will be: 

Thinking Skills: critical thinking: analysing and evaluating ideas and resources

creative thinking: generating new ideas and considering other perspectives.

Research skills: Information management: ask questions, record data, interpret texts and resources.

Communication skills: Exchanging information. Reading comprehension or giving instructions.