Digital Platforms
Choosing a platform for blended learning
To set up your class for distance or blended learning, you will first need to determine the mode in which the learning will occur. Do you want to meet with your learners synchronously online or provide them with lessons and assignments to complete in a specific time frame? You can do both with most platforms.
Click on the image above to access detailed information on each platform.
Case Study A
The infant teachers in a rural primary school have been using Seesaw to connect with pupils during school closures. They are now using this digital platform to reinforce new concepts and skills that have been taught in the classroom. When they teach a new sound, they create a short video within Seesaw to highlight the new sound and show how the letter is formed. Pupils then complete follow on activities including sound hunts and letter formation activities to reinforce this new learning. Some of these activities are set to be completed within Seesaw and some are offline activities.
Case Study B
A medium sized primary school has been using Google Classroom as their VLE to create and assign learning activities for their pupils The staff and learners are comfortable using Google Classroom to date, having received whole school CPD. The teacher has prepared a poem with actions for the class to learn over two weeks. At the beginning of the first week, the teacher shares the poem with the class via Google Classroom, with accompanying activities to be completed at home. Next, the teacher uses Google Meet, the video conferencing feature of Google Classroom, to facilitate a live lesson. Prior to the live facilitated lesson, the teacher shares a timetable with all pupils and emphasises the start and end time of the lesson. The teacher has grouped the class into 4 and, therefore, facilitates four 20 minute live sessions to practice the poem and actions. Using the Google Meet function, pupils log on at the allocated time and engage with the class. When pupils return to school, the teacher consolidates and extends what they have learned online.
Considerations when choosing a platform
A whole school approach should be taken when using a digital platform. You may already have a platform at your school which you use for staff emails for example. Could other aspects of that platform be utilised for blended learning?
Staff competency with technology. You will find a range of tutorials to help staff up skill on the PDST Distance Learning Page. As well as this, TeacherCPD.ie run free term time courses on online learning.
Many different platforms are available but some work better for different class levels. Take a look at the PDST Distance Learning Page section on Digital Platforms to find out more.
Parental consent is necessary when setting up accounts for learners under the age of 16. This could be sought remotely by sending out a Google Form, Office 365 sign-up form via email, Aladdin Connect or text-to-parents.
For GDPR requirements, please see https://gdpr4schools.ie and http://www.dataprotectionschools.ie/en/
Expectations on learner-teacher interactions should be clearly understood. It is best to be consistent with this. This should be documented in your AUP Policy. Information can be found on the Webwise website and should be updated to reflect the school's current blended learning approach.
Synchronous learning
Synchronous online learning entails live online lessons (real time) or experiences. Learners and parents need to be informed of the schedule prior to class time and have access to the necessary technology to engage in the online lesson. Teachers would prepare for this experience just as they do for an in-person class experience, using online platforms such as Cisco WebEx, Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype etc. You will find information on these tools below.
Asynchronous learning
Asynchronous online learning experiences are not in real time. In this way, learners complete learning activities at time, place, path or pace that suits them. This usually entails teachers creating content such as video lessons or learning paths that learners can watch or work through at home. These resources and experiences are then developed upon in school by the teacher and other learners via the Flipped Classroom model. You can find out more about the Flipped Classroom model by clicking the link below. Alternatively, after a teacher has taught a new concept in the classroom, videos or learning paths could be used as consolidation or extension materials when set by teachers for use by learners at home as part of the Enriched Virtual model. You can find out more about this model by clicking the link below.