Moving Forward Together amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Welcome back to the start of the new term. We are moving forward together in faith. We now venture into realm of Distance Learning keenly aware that this is new to all of us - students, teachers and parents. We all must do the best we can to support each other during these times so that our students continue to learn and to grow - not just academically but spiritually as well.

This page contains helpful information for students to get ready for Distance Learning. It lists the equipment, software and skills needed to use Distance Learning - see Get Ready, Get Set, Go and Rules sections below. There is also a list of some resources that have been made available since the Covid-19 Pandemic began. A list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) have also been included.

The Steps to get started with Distance Learning

Get Ready!

You will need:

A quiet and uncluttered workspace.
Laptop or Tablet or Smartphone
Internet access
G Suite Account

Get Set!

Be able to:

Use a web browser such as Google Chrome to access the World Wide Web.
Save learning resources to your Google Drive (unlimited Cloud storage)
Know how to use G Suite's Apps such as Google Classroom, Meet, Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Jamboard, Forms, etc. as needed.

GO!

Use this time to keep on learning. Remember these important rules of Computer Health and Safety:

Maintain good posture to prevent health injuries.
Take breaks every 30 minutes - stretch, relax your eyes for a few minutes.
No eating or drinking near your workspace.

Google Meet - mute your microphone at the start of a live class and keep your camera on.
Check your Google Classrooms for notes, assignments and activities daily.
Let your teachers know how you are coping.

Here are some learning resources:

Forms 1-6 : Ministry of Education T & T

Forms 4, 5 and 6: CXC Learning Hub

All students (until 30/09/2020) : Oxford University Press Resources

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a Learning Management System (LMS)?

Also called Course Management System/Software (CMS); Virtual Learning Environment (VLE); learning platform; online delivery system.

The LMS is a program that facilitates online learning. It allows:

Teachers to post learning material for students; start discussions; invoke chat sessions; give quizzes; track student performance.
Students to access learning material posted by teachers; participate in discussions and chat sessions; take quizzes.
Parents to monitor their children’s learning activities.

Can you name some popular LMS?

Certainly, Google Classroom, Edmodo and Schoology are three of the most popular examples. There are many more.

What is a G Suite Account?

A G Suite Account allows students to have access to all of the Google Apps for the educational purposes. Once you are able to sign in to your G Suite account, you can send and receive e-mail messages using the Gmail App, join and participate in Virtual Classrooms with your teachers using Google Classroom, use Google Meet to participate in live classes with your teachers, use Google Docs to type up assignments, use Google Sheets for calculations, use Google Slides to create Presentation Slides, use Google Jamboard for brainstorming and so much more. Owning a G Suite Account also gives you unlimited cloud storage using Google Drive.

What do I do if I am having problems with my G Suite Account?

Email our SJCSJ G Suite for Education Team at gsuitesupport@sjcstjoseph.edu.tt You can send email messages at any time but responses will only be sent between the hours of 8:00am and 2:30pm

Will all my classes be live classes?

No they will not be. Distance Learning includes different methods for teachers to communicate with students. Live classes can take place using video conferencing software such as Google Meet - for these classes, students and teachers are online at the same time (synchronous). There are also asynchronous communication methods using Google Classroom, Gmail, etc. - these allow students and teachers to communicate but not at the same time. Teachers can use these platforms to post links to videos, upload notes, start class discussions and chats, give quizzes and assignments and private message students as needed.