In light of recent events, we are forced to time and again reevaluate traditional teaching methods. We are also learning to adapt to a new form of learning – E-learning.
Aspiring teachers who are pursuing their bachelors or masters in education must be familiar with this trend. The kind of curriculum followed in most institutes is a far cry from the regular coursework
Now, everything must be tailor-made to suit the virtual classroom setup.
This is probably why students get teaching assignments on e-learning techniques that are relevant with the modern times.
Blooms Taxonomy is a widely recognised teaching technique which is increasingly finding its place within the E-learning field. This framework, constructed by Bloom along with his collaborators, comprises six major categories: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. The categories that follow Knowledge are known as abilities and skills, on the basis of the fact that Knowledge is a prerequisite to being able to wield the other skills as well as putting them into practice. All the categories contain smaller categories within them, all of which lie on a continuous spectrum ranging from basic to complex – the taxonomy is recalled according to the six primary categories.
The online method of learning is becoming more and more prevalent in the time of such a pandemic when attending classes in physical institutions are rendered impossible.
We are being exposed to a host of opportunities and are able to pick and choose from a varied range of degrees across disciplines. E-learning enables us to take up a class from anywhere in the world if we are supplied with a steady internet connection.
E-learning has also made assessment submissions and evaluation easier. Teachers can assign projects, papers and essays to students faster and more efficiently.
Furthermore, it helps students in writing essays and share them online with educators. Plus, research is also less time-intensive as you can get a lot of e-journals and materials online. Everything is virtually controlled.
1. Effective Approach & Methodical Planning
Most often, the efficiency of learning can be determined through the time, money, and resources invested in the process. These factors are crucial to help figure out the desired outcome. Essentially, the lesser amount of each factor that gets invested, the more effective the entire process is. A strategic learning plan that involves the efficient utilization of resources helps reveal desirable results. This rather effective approach thereby increases productivity.
This sort of an approach, if incorporated into the major aspects of online education such as theory, practice, administration, technology, and obviously teaching – will promise results and help accrue benefits in the future.
2. Courses Empowered With Videos
Digital videos are gaining more and more popularity and they are becoming increasingly prevalent in the field of teaching. They bring in convenience and versatility to the education process. They shouldn’t be overlooked, but instead, considered as assets to education.
Nursing students, for instance, develop nursing posters and presentations as part of their coursework. This is very similar to the conventional assignments and research projects that students undertake. The only difference here is that nursing poster creation is now online.
Teachers can share, view and grade nursing presentations virtually. Plus, the visual appeal of these posters is far more eye-catching and easier to understand.
Teachers also incorporate videos and infographics as part of their lesson for the same reason. The benefits of including videos while teaching includes:
a. Highly engaging sensory experience
Having audio-visual stimulation helps imbibe concepts better. Everyday tasks and lessons that seem mundane can be enhanced with the help of videos. It helps students better process what’s being taught. Even complex topics that some educators find hard to explain can be facilitated through the help of videos.
b. Accessible resources
Videos are probably the most accessible of resources that can be made use of from anywhere in the world at any point in time. If learners have access to the internet, they can access information from videos on any device that they’d like to!
c. Enhancing digital proficiency
The more that students are exposed to technology, the more comfortable they become with it. Digital competency is a skill that is highly valued in these times and will undoubtedly add to students’ skillsets.
3. Embrace The Power Of Communication
The most vital key to education is being able to communicate effectively. Over time, the methods of communication have become more and more refined in accordance with the dramatic improvements in technology. One needs to understand the importance of all the channels of communication that are available to us in this digital era – social media being the primary example. They serve as platforms for dynamic interactions among students as well as between students and teachers.
This invariably increases engagement and helps students improve their performance as a whole. They are also presented with the opportunity to discuss and solve their doubts without hesitation.
This also provides room for healthy comparison and helps forge a much required competitive spirit.
Classroom assessment techniques are also beginning to reform their ways. They are including methods such as online polls, online quizzes and portals for timely submissions that make the whole process of assessing a whole lot easier for instructors. Even students are able to offer inputs in the assessment techniques, such as being able to generate their own questions for tests.
4. Implement Virtual Reality (VR)
Despite being a relatively new type of technology, Virtual Reality has been dominating the field of E-Learning at an incredible speed. This takes into account the way that the human brain processes information. One is capable of remembering ten percent of what they read, twenty percent of what they hear, and almost eighty percent of what they are engaged with, hands-on performing. Virtual Reality comes closest to that.
- Education for the differently-abled
Students who are disabled can maximally utilize the benefits offered by Virtual Reality. They are given an opportunity to experience the magnificent world through just a headset and a pair of headphones, which immensely impacts their overall learning process as well.
- Creation of Content
Till now, Virtual Reality courses are only being implemented to teach history and science courses, but its immense scope is being restricted to only these two fields. The fact of the matter is that Virtual Reality can be incorporated into various themes and subjects to produce fantastic results in the field of teaching.
- Virtual Reality Field Trips
In times where health conditions and financial circumstances restrict our ability to move around and travel as much as we’d like to, Virtual Reality swoops down to our rescue. Additionally, students that might want to attend classes that are situated in locations that they cannot reach, they can utilize the facilities of VR to help them out as well.
5. Flexible Lesson Plans
The best part about an online curriculum is that it allows room for flexibility. Students are allowed to partake in activities at their own pace and also from the comfort of their own homes. Instead of being restricted to the traditionally rigid norms of teaching, courses should allow themselves to explore various facets of themselves and provide opportunities for reflection and re-revision. This becomes a wholly inclusive practice for all students and helps them approach learning in a more holistic manner. They don’t need to struggle for hours on end over a particular concept solely due to the fact that they are given the freedom to approach it at their own pace.
Author Bio: As an Assignment Expert, Bella delivers online sessions at Expert Assignment Help, helping students with writing essays and assignments. She is the co-founder and education consultant at Top My Grades. Beyond work, you can find her baking a fresh batch of cookies in her kitchen.