Student Engagement
Strategies for engagement in extended remote learning
Teachers are doing an incredible job in the remote learning setting. The following ideas and strategies may support teachers as they continue to work to engage students in extended remote learning.
In a time of relative social instability and unique social-emotional needs the justification for focusing on content is weaker than ever. Of course, that doesn’t mean ‘don’t cover content’, but rather emphasise student well-being, engagement, and autonomy as you work with them in remote teaching and learning.
"Motivation waned for secondary students as long days looking at screens, distractions at home, and a lack of self-discipline affected their engagement. Students’ level of engagement was linked to how engaged they perceived their teachers to be based on the quality of feedback and regularity of interaction. Secondary students were most engaged when teachers delivered clear expectations and creative content, and when they were participating in interactive lessons."Teachers are doing an incredible job in the remote learning setting. The following ideas and strategies may support teachers as they continue to work to engage students in extended remote learning.
In a time of relative social instability and unique social-emotional needs the justification for focusing on content is weaker than ever. Of course, that doesn’t mean ‘don’t cover content’, but rather emphasise student well-being, engagement, and autonomy as you work with them in remote teaching and learning.
Lessons from Victoria "Remote and Flexible Learning Qualitative research" - link to report
"Motivation waned for secondary students as long days looking at screens, distractions at home, and a lack of self-discipline affected their engagement. Students’ level of engagement was linked to how engaged they perceived their teachers to be based on the quality of feedback and regularity of interaction. Secondary students were most engaged when teachers delivered clear expectations and creative content, and when they were participating in interactive lessons."
Teachers are doing an incredible job in the remote learning setting. The following ideas and strategies may support teachers as they continue to work to engage students in extended remote learning.
In a time of relative social instability and unique social-emotional needs the justification for focusing on content is weaker than ever. Of course, that doesn’t mean ‘don’t cover content’, but rather emphasise student well-being, engagement, and autonomy as you work with them in remote teaching and learning.
Lessons from Victoria "Remote and Flexible Learning Qualitative research" - link to report
"Motivation waned for secondary students as long days looking at screens, distractions at home, and a lack of self-discipline affected their engagement. Students’ level of engagement was linked to how engaged they perceived their teachers to be based on the quality of feedback and regularity of interaction. Secondary students were most engaged when teachers delivered clear expectations and creative content, and when they were participating in interactive lessons."
Maintaining-happy-connected-class-communities-during-distance-education-3.pdfPivot-Guide-4-strategies-for-effective-remote-teaching.pdfPivots-5Cs-for-effective-remote-learning-classes.pdfSimplify
Simplify what you teach and how you teach it and how students will show what they’ve learned. Prioritising skills and concepts from your curriculum is more necessary now than ever.
Think differently about classroom management
You can’t ‘manage’ students the same way online as you can in person. Behaviour is different and addressing that behaviour – what you reinforce and what you reward and what you ignore – will also be different. Further, you have to be extra careful about how you address those behaviours.
Design for participation
This isn’t always doable, but when possible, design lessons – or activities within lessons – that don’t just encourage ‘engagement’ and student participation, but that won’t work without engagement and participation.
Be selective in what you do together
Limit lecturing during remote learning, other than providing verbal directions for expectations for the lesson.
When using breakout rooms, consider the purpose of the grouping and use a range of strategies.
Lessons from extended remote learning in Victoria
Best practice lessons were being structured around shorter, synchronous, initial instructions with the opportunity for students to then work on set tasks or problems, including collaboratively and to be able to interact individually with their teacher.
"Lessons from Term 2 remote learning" - link to report
Remote learning required student-led learning. This was a very good thing. The main caveat was that it meant different personalities did better or worse. Some student could do really well with a little bit of help but got into trouble without that help. Other students, who distracted themselves and others in a classroom setting, did better without the social distractions of face to face classrooms. This was true across primary and secondary as well as across sectors.
Some students who might otherwise have been doing well in school struggled while some who struggled at school did better at remote learning. This was not always predictable based on the past performance of the students or the socio-economic position of the family – indeed often it was a surprise who flourished and who struggled. Several parents, principals and teachers gave examples of lower performing students including school refusers who thrived learning remotely as well as increased engagement from students who were not participating regularly before remote learning. This was one of the biggest surprises to come from the experience.
"Remote and Flexible Learning Qualitative research" - link to report
AERO-Tried-and-tested-guide-Mastery-learning.pdfAERO-Tried-and-tested-guide-Explicit-instruction.pdfAERO-Tried-and-tested-guide-Focused-classrooms.pdf