Embedded Files
Table of Contents arranged in FAQs about online/remote learning
Table of Contents arranged in FAQs about online/remote learning
1. What do we know works well in remote/online learning?
1. What do we know works well in remote/online learning?
KC Continuous Learning - Responsibilities and Possibilities.pptx1. Schools may need to set up or modify an existing school readiness plan. DTIF provides some advice about school readiness or continuity planing here.
2. Broken Hill School of the Air's top 10 education tips for parents come from 65 years of experience in remote learning.
3. Schools in other countries who have been doing this for some time now are a great source of information. Zoe from Yokohama International school (an early years teacher) has shared some of the things her school set up with the DTIF team:
- The most successful element of remote learning talked about has been ensuring a human element exists. The daily good morning videos, the afternoon goodbye videos etc are so important. The students will feel isolated, they will miss the class dynamics. Being able to engage with them through, video, phone and voice messages is very important for well being.
- Creating a learning space at home for early years students and for older students establishing guidelines/protocols for video conferencing at home. Expectations for where, how and why they will use video conferencing and or group chat.
- Giving a timetable or an outline each day of responsibilities and possibilities for students (click on PowerPoint pictured left for an early years example). A daily email may also be useful for this purpose.
- Understanding audience for young students- a blog post
- Read this article about how a school that has closed due to COVID-19 is making learning possible
- For older students a teacher Keri-Lee who is based in China has called this media mentor month and has put a calendar of activities together for students to engage in positive experiences with technology
It's important to note that schools in other countries who have been doing remote or online learning make the following key points:
- There is no one right solution to helping students learn at home. Choose the right approach and tools for your school
- students should not be expected to undertake the same kind of learning or for the same length of time when at home as compared to a face to face lesson.
- Students and teachers who sit down for a long time in front of a device report screen fatigue and this affects their wellbeing. Many schools find breaking up tasks and giving students opportunities for extra breaks and opportunities to move were happier and more productive.
- A mixture of asynchronous and synchronous (online and offline) tasks generally work best for wellbeing and productivity of staff and students. However some schools only ask students to login or video conference once a day, otherwise tasks are emailed or submitted online on some form. Those schools also report better engagement and productivity.
- Not all students have the same circumstances at home. Some do not have access to a device or good internet connection or a data plan that can handle the high demands of online learning. Some are working in small spaces with multiple siblings at home also trying to learn and parents in some cases also working from home. Survey families to determine their circumstance and access to technology. Read this helpful article by Martin Levins of ACARA's DTiF team titled is my data plan good enough for learning at home?
- Parents who are working from home may find it hard to do activities with their children when they are juggling the demands of their own job or a baby or younger siblings who require high levels of supervision. This will influence the activities you set.
- Communication is one of the most important elements in learning at home successfully. Email, post messages to school Facebook pages or other social channels you may have set up or ring but above all communicate in plain English what the school plans are, the expectations of the students and what is working well. If you can do this each week your school community will be calmer and feel well cared for during theses difficult times.
2. What should I do if I have unreliable internet access (online learning is not an option)?
2. What should I do if I have unreliable internet access (online learning is not an option)?
Consider giving your students unplugged activites to do such as those described below.
- Print unplugged activites or instructions for tasks to send home or
- Save resources onto USB thumb drive for students to access offline
- Consider asking your students to keep a paper journal or exercise book with reflection on what they have been doing each day. Encourage them to take photographs if they are using learning games, building models or writing algorithms.
Explore unplugged Digital Technologies activities at the following websites to find a wide range of free activities for school or home.
Unplugged ways to learn away from school
Unplugged ways to learn away from school
There are a number of activities that you could suggest your students try at home. The DTIF teaching resources page might provide some ideas
- Spend some time off screens or electronics have kids write or follow algorithms such as recipes or creating the rules to an indoor or outdoor games F-6 or plan out and design an algorithm for a computer game for older students who may like to try creating it with visual code in Scratch which can be downloaded as an offline version for use on a home computer
- What kind of data could your students be collecting each day whilst they are at home? How could it link with topics already in your program? Some examples could include counting and collecting data on the birds near your home such as in the aussie backyard bird count. The poster on this site might be helpful to identify the types of birds you see. Consider collecting physical objects(F-2), litter in the home or nearby environment (3-4) or document what your family are eating (F-2). Older students may be interested in the data around the current pandemic or other data sets of interest such as those available at BOM, ADSEI or CSIRO or Australian Birdata
- Use recycled materials to help kids such as in this Years F-2 example where students build digital systems. Challenge students to build a model of how a GPS system or satellite works from materials they have at home.
- Take apart old or broken technology to see what's inside as in this Years 3-4 understanding digital systems classroom idea
- Now is a great time to get parents learning about Digital Technologies using materials such as the DTIF computational Thinking parent cards F-2
- See also the teaching with no technology page of this wiki for ideas about teaching Digital Technology and other also learning areas.
3. What online learning or platforms are currently available?
3. What online learning or platforms are currently available?
Online video conferencing options
Online video conferencing options
- Adobe Connect (NSW DET recommneded)
- Google Meet/ Google Hangouts
- Microsoft Teams see Microsoft Teams support page, this playlist of video tutorials or ideas for house rules ideas
- Zoom and 40min time limit on accounts can be removed by request to Zoom
- UberConference
- TrueConf Online
- Skype
- FreeConference
- Slack Video Calls
- Facebook Live
- YouTube Live
- Webex
Online/ Blended Learning options
Online/ Blended Learning options
Flipped learning options could include
Flipped learning options could include
- Posting pre-recorded video tutorials or lessons online and then asking students to respond to these lessons in an online discussion space or a collaborative document.
- Asking students to video themselves on a smartphone or tablet and submitting those videos to an app you may already use such as Seesaw online collaborative drive such as:
4. Google classroom. see this link for help PL/online training
See also general advice on Google Classroom https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-11-tips-using-google-classroom
5. Microsoft OneNote
4. What are some easy ways to create collections of resources for my students?
4. What are some easy ways to create collections of resources for my students?
- If your school has a learning management system (LMS), you might consider adding lists of resources to your class(es) space(s)
- If your school uses Google Classroom you could add resources to an online document that you share with your students.
- If your school does not use Google Classroom you might consider setting up another type of online space such as a blog eg: Edublog, wiki or Google Site.
- Online resource curation websites such as Popboardz for Mac or iPad, Symbaloo, Google Keep and similar can be shared with your students and Pinterest and other sites may just be useful for teachers to assemble searchable collections of resources to keep links organised.
Check for tutorial videos on Youtube if you want to try something you haven't done before.
Scootle learning paths are collections or resources (videos, units of work, interactive games and learning objects) that you choose for your students. Click the image on the left or the title to watch a video that shows how to create learning paths in Scootle. Search for resources by learning area, subject, topic or Australian Curriculum content description code eg: ACTDIP026.
To access learning paths you create, your student do not need an account. They simply go to the student login link at the top of the Scootle website and add the pin number from the learning path you give them.
TEDEd is a platform that allows teachers to search for pre-made or create lesson sequences that involve videos and additional resources. This is a handy 3 Minute Teaching With Tech tutorial on how to create a flipped video lesson with TedEd.
Although it’s not a website, you might consider using Microsoft OneNote if you want to make a class wiki. OneNote offers many of the same features as other wiki sites, including page linking, and tables of contents. See this complete guide on how to create a wiki with OneNote if you would like to learn more.
Symbaloo is an online bookmarking site that is perfect for those that like a more visual approach. It is made up of multiple tiles that can be customsied to go to any website or resource you like. You can create multiple boards for different subject areas. You can even create special collections called learning paths.
5. How can I teach difficult concepts online?
5. How can I teach difficult concepts online?
Some useful ways to teach difficult concepts online include:
Some useful ways to teach difficult concepts online include:
1. Consider making screencasts/ screen recordings. These allow you to record what you are doing on your screen while you narrate and explain. This is a common way to make video tutorials or for students to record evidence of learning for assessment. There are many desktop and app based screen recorders and tutorials are often available on their site or via Youtube. Some popular choices include:
2. Having your students engage in self-paced tutorials on websites that use emulators/simulators and as such don't require any physical equipment but do allow your students to design and implement algorithms and simple visual programs such as:
- Make Code website
- Make code Micro:bit
- Scratch and the Scratch tutorial page remembering that Scratch can be downloaded and used as an offline version at home
- Tinkercad by Autodesk where students can build virtual digital systems, use a virtual Arduino and access the virtual help centre if you need a hand.
3. Explore design and production through virtual environments such as
4. Engage in pre-existing online lessons in Digital Technologies concepts including visual programming and text based programming with organisations:
- The ACA is ready to help you keep learning and teaching Digital Technologies outside the classroom and in the comfort and safety of any location. Explore and share coding (free for Yrs 3-8) and cybersecurity (free for Yrs 7-12) courses for Australian students.
- Grok learning
- Code.org
- Code Academy
6. What about assessment?
6. What about assessment?
- Exit tickets are great way to collect formative assesment information. Some schools are using online sites such as Padlet for this purpose.
- Set a process for students to email or add to group chat etc at the end of a learning day.
- All students, especailly those who have unreliable internet connection may benefit from keeping a physical paper learning journal or a digital version of this on USB.
- For those schools not using a learning management system or collaborative online school spaces, consider setting up shared folders through Dropbox , Google Drive or similar where you can save files for your students to access and they can save their work for you to see. Alternatively a collaborative document where students can either keep a record of their learning. For student with no internet connection saving work to a USB to post to you or give to at a later date may be an option.
- Think about the number of assessment tasks you might normally set and then what is reasonable and manageable for your students to complete and submit to you during school closures. This might need rethinking and readjustment.
7. Is there anything teachers need to be careful of when remote/online learning?
7. Is there anything teachers need to be careful of when remote/online learning?
Schools need to be most mindful of the following:
- Not all of your students will have reliable internet access and or a home data plan that can sustain a lot of video streaming.
- Online safety of your students. Refer to the e-Safety Commissioner website for a host of useful links and information. Their COVID-19: an online safety kit for parents and carers page is a valuable link to read and share.
- Legal implications of what and how you share content online. Read this for more information. Student privacy should be at the forefront of what you do. Keep video conferencing for group learning. One on one interactions are not recommended. Some jurisdictions require teachers to record video conference interactions with students.
- Well being of yourself, your students and your colleagues in times of anxiety and loneliness caused by isolation. This includes both physical well being, OH&S and mental well being. Consider ways you can connect in non-face to face ways to ensure relationships and well being are fostered. See tips for coping with coronavirus anxiety from the Australian Psychology Society and advice for parents and carers supporting young people from the Catholic diocese of Cairns. See also posters with guidelines for online learning you may wish to share.
8. What advice is being given to schools in the states and territories?
8. What advice is being given to schools in the states and territories?
Jurisdictions are advising schools. As we receive any information that may be of assistance to you we will share it below:
Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
ACT Department of Health
ACT Department of Education
New South Wales
New South Wales
Department of Education
For advice on online video conferencing with students, Department of Education Schools should check emails and information published on Yammer. As at 17/3/2020 NSW Department of Education teachers are being advised that teachers have access to Google Hangouts etc but students do not. Teachers have been advised to use Adobe Connect so teacher can control the webcam and microphone of students.
- NSW Department of Education Learning from home main page **being updated frequently**
- Learning from home using technology information and advice
- NSW Department of Education T4L (Technology for Learning) including professional learning and resources
- NSW Department of Education Learning from home - remote learning and Covid-19 support materials
- DET latest magazine has some tips and tricks
NSW Independent Schools
Northern Territory
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Government
Northern Territory Department of Education
- NT learning together website - NT has partnered with DET Qld and NSW to provide learning at home resources
- Remote communities - COVID-19 information
- Early childhood - help your child read and learn
- Distance and online learning in the Northern Territory
Queensland
Queensland
Department of Education Queensland
- The Qld Department of Education have established a Learning at home website to support students and parents during prolonged school closures
Independent Schools Queensland
Queensland Catholic Schools
South Australia
South Australia
South Australia Department of Education
Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania Department of Education
Victoria
Victoria
Department of Health and Human Services Vic - Education sector advice
Victoria Department of Education
The DLTV have created an Online Resource Hub for Victorian Teachers at the suggestion of members in the form of an open Google Doc where we can all share resources and ideas for teaching. The shortened URL for this document is http://tinyurl.com/victeachers This document is intended to be fully 'democratic', where anyone can add anything that they feel might help someone else. DLTV ask that shared resources be openly available, free or inexpensive and appropriate for Victorian virtual classrooms. They also ask that you be respectful of other contributions.
Victorian Catholic Schools
Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia Catholic Education
Western Australia Department of Education
National Information
National Information
National Copyright Unit
1. Where to find Creative Commons and other free online educational resources
- Smartcopying - Recommended creative commons website and publication notices
- Smartcopying - open educational resources (oer) a toolkit for-teachers curriculum and e-learning developers
2. Information on Creative Commons and how to apply CC licences to your resources.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse