People understand instantly that it’s a phone# when they see the dashes, wondering if losing that instant recognition (making them stop to process what those numbers are) is in our interest.
When I hear “online teaching,” I think of something very vague and general. A person who has information that they would like to share with an online audience. My idea of “online learning,” has become very vague as well. A person using the internet to learn about a subject or answer questions they have. My definitions of these terms have become so general because of the pandemic. As soon as Americans learned that there would be a quarantine everyone began to look to online learning. The pandemic was a vulnerable time for many Americans. We were unsure what would become of our jobs and our lives. Courses offered a sense of direction for many. I saw many professionals whose jobs depended on interacting with the public begin to create and sell online courses. Social media influencers began creating and selling courses about becoming a social media influencer, people who did public speaking events made courses about how to master public speaking, dance teachers sold online dance lessons. My own hairdresser created and sold a course explaining how to install your own hair extensions to keep her business afloat while she was not able to take clients. I thought this was both amazing and concerning. While people who had lost their careers looked to create new ones by creating courses, others looked to create new ones by buying these courses. This insecurity was unfortunately preyed upon.
It was great that there were so many things that we could all learn from the comfort of our own homes. However, Instagram, Teachable, Kajabi, Patreon and other online course platforms did not require any credentials. It was up to us as consumers to vet these people and use our own discretion. Some of these courses were upwards of $1000. Some much more. In addition to the cost of the courses. Some incurred the costs of bad investments that these courses encouraged them to make.
I would consider most if not all of these courses to be emergency remote learning. To me that means that these courses were put together hastily and out of necessity. While they may or may not have been quality programs, the necessary time and planning that quality distance education required was not guaranteed. Even teachers were throwing courses together. Many teachers had just a few days to convert their classes from in person communities into online ones. Which is no easy feat. Much like the hairdresser, personal trainers, and other professionals that turned to online learning out of necessity, there was little training and little time for experimentation.
When I think of formal distance education, I think of instructional designers working with subject matter experts. Many online educators are not necessarily responsible for creating the infrastructure of their online communities. They can focus on a course’s content and have help when it comes to creating the websites and programs that will hold these courses. This is great because it allows teachers who have amazing and impactful lessons to share them on a larger scale without losing the quality of their programs because of their lack of tech skills.
I am certain that distance education will continue to grow. And, as time passes the quality of courses will increase. I also see safeguards being put into place for consumers. Hopefully, these open online education platforms will require their “teachers,” to show some kind of credentials before they are able to create and market their online courses.
Virtual sports betting has become a popular new form of gambling, allowing bettors to wager on simulated sporting events that are often shorter and more frequent than real games. Also at https://damangameee.in/, you can play other rather interesting games. If you are interested, you can check out this resource.
saves space by not needing word “AND”… I recommend staring list with the grabbiest specific attractions (music and dance… or maybe food music dance) and squishy “culture” last.
Am wondering if that would be helpful in (1) attracting Latinos from those countries and (2) showing diversity of countries to attract general audiences too.
I agree learners that came out of ERT class did not get the same knowledge as in-person learning but the online classes are now better prepared and the next time it will be a smoother transition from online to ERT than it was from in-person to ERT.
Online Teaching and learning is a boon considering the accessibility and flexibility it can provide. But online learning in an emergency situation such as the COVID- 19 pandemic has its downfalls. With the resources available and the emergency training given to teachers, instructors and students , it was admirable on all fronts how education persevered online on such a short notice. From my experience with high school students and teachers that had to go into Emergency Remote Learning , It was a struggle for the teachers to go through the material and keep the students engaged when they weren’t physically in the same room. It was a very stressful time for K-12 teachers and classroom management. Meanwhile some of the students were struggling with paying attention online and grasping all the concepts. Nevertheless , this was born out of necessity during the pandemic and I hope such a scenario does not happen any time soon ! As the article mentions , I agree that in the case of emergency remote learning, there must be a shift in evaluation. “ From the faculty point of view, student learning outcomes would be of primary interest. Did learners achieve the intended knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that were the focus of the instructional experience? Attitudinal outcomes are also possibly of interest, for students and for faculty. For students, issues such as interest, motivation, and engagement are directly connected to learner success and so would be possible evaluation foci. For faculty, attitudes toward online instruction and all that it entails can affect the perception of success.”
1. largest number of Latinos is presumably Mexican, would secondary Mexican flag colors green and white be a subconscious draw to them?
2. They thought maybe the blue band names on the red background would be better in a more contrasting color than the blue used here… they found a little hard to read. I don’t see this myself, but passing it on.
3. The red did clash with the “Senora Dinamita” logo (here too, not a problem for me)
if Latinos seeing the poster perceive (consciously or unconsciously) the flag of their country of origin, that might increase their sense that Sabroso offers something of interest to them!!?
Childhood education plays a critical role in shaping the future of individuals and society. By focusing on holistic development, fostering a love for learning, and addressing challenges, educators and policymakers can ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed. free games
The most significant difference between online learning and ERT is the structure in the creation of the classes. An online class is well-structured, well-planned, and well-created. When you start getting into ERT, it is based on the necessity to fill a void. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for effective online learning and instruction. If done right, it can be beneficial for gaining a broader spectrum of students regardless of location. It allows for flexible learning while adjusting for accessible options for learners and instructors. The pandemic showed that the classes can be set online if done correctly.
My experience was very different. The pandemic abruptly forced the need for distance-led remote instruction. Our training class was hastily assembled after getting authorization from the government to proceed. We needed a functional LMS; we dealt with technology issues and limited resources for laptops, internet hotspots, and some adult learners who still used flip phones. We were tasked with the role of creating testing, learning activities, and accessibility to an unsuspecting group of mixed-age learners. The task was completed, but only with huge drawbacks.
The students who came out of the ERT class were less knowledgeable than those who took the in-person instructor-led courses. The instructors who taught the ERT class were lacking, but it did bring a positive change to my organization: the creation of an IDD team, the procurement of an LMS, restructured classes, and a better learning environment for all upcoming classes.
Emergency Remote Teaching refers to the temporary transition of instructional delivery to an online format due to an immediate crisis or emergency. The primary aim is to ensure educational continuity, allowing teaching and learning to continue despite disruptions. This method is characterized by its swift implementation, often using existing technology and digital tools to mimic traditional classroom experiences. It is typically executed with minimal planning and preparation time, utilizing available resources and materials hastily adapted for online use. Consequently, it may lack the structured design of fully online courses, with adjustments made on the fly.
In contrast, Online Learning is a deliberate and planned mode of education specifically designed for digital platforms. It encompasses a variety of instructional methods and tools crafted to create an engaging, interactive, and effective learning environment. Online learning programs are meticulously developed, often by teams of educators, instructional designers, and technologists, to harness the unique advantages of digital education.
The educational landscape has undergone significant transformation in response to COVID-19. Two terms that have gained prominence are “Emergency Remote Teaching” and “Online Learning.” While they may appear synonymous at first glance, they represent distinct approaches to education. Understanding the differences between them is crucial for educators, students, and institutions striving to optimize learning experiences.
that may or may not be a little long for poster purposes… also, on the English version of the flyer, should we stick with English adjective before the noun or give it a Latino flavor by , as here, starting with noun?
I’m visualizing our poster competing for attention against other posters (e.g. tacked up in store bulletin boards or windows) and the pastel doesn’t grab my eye the same way as last year’s red (gradient effect).
I am not a teacher in the academic space, nor do I have kids in the educational system so I’m forming my opinion on this subject, based on friends or family who are teachers, or had kids in school during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
My teacher friends had a love/hate relationship with ERT. Most of them enjoyed being able to teach from their homes, though did struggle with managing their students. The behavioral issues they would deal with in the classroom didn’t go away, but changed, and in some ways were harder to deal with. They struggled with attendance, with feeling like their kids weren’t learning enough, or were theyteaching well enough. Overall it was great emotional struggle. So much so, a few of them sought alternate careers after that first year!
My friends who were parents of kids in school pretty much hated every minute of it!
It made managing work/life balance tough. With everyone at home working or going to school it affected bandwidth on the home networks, resulting in countless technology issues, not to mention privacy to work or study with all the added distractions.
ERT was not something teachers or parents were prepared for. Whereas online Learning is typically well thought out and planned.
Hopefully we don’t have to use ERT again, but now that schools, teachers and parents better understand it, if the need arises again, hopefully we are better prepared to make it more positive experience for all.
I was thinking about the hybrid course I took for one of my GIS classes. We had a synchronous in-class lecture and then the associated labs and projects were to be completed asynchronously during the week. I remember grumbling that I did not like the fact that there was an in class lecture for something that could have been done purely online.
It is one of those moments where looking back: were all of the instruction options dutifully considered before the course hit the banweb?!
The United States decision to transition from a traditional in-class curriculum to online learning caused interminable confusion about how online learning, online teaching and online education genuinely function. As mentioned in last week’s blog post, I really enjoy words. And as much as words are incredible, they can be used in ways that are detrimental to their meaning. That is the exact thing that happened between the years of 2020 until the middle of 2022. Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) may be the official term but through a massive game of telephone, ERT lost its meaning and use in the conversation. Within that conversation, it seemed as though people were conflating ERT as a 1:1 comparison with online learning and teaching. The link between the two appears strong, these are both means of relaying education, despite the underlying mechanisms shouting, “NO, DO NOTMAKETHISASSUMPTION!” Having a handful of teachers as friends, the number of stories that were told where distrust of technology and its ability to help teach was reason enough to highlight that the United States’ ability to transition its schools to any level of online learning and teaching was a trial in futility. Thus, within any emergency, lacking that amount of preparation, you’re hoping to survive. It’s truly incredible that despite the spate of teachers resigning, education as an institution still stands. This is also a great reminder and highlight of human ingenuity, human persistence and human evolution: there are still aspects of this life we as human beings can solve through iterative mastery.
What constitutes the difference between emergency remote teaching and traditional online learning and teaching is decidedly in the manner the learning environment is created, planned and supported. With those three tenets in hand, traditional online learning and teaching also has history, data and institutional confidence in how it is utilized in practice. What makes a good learning experience is when the instructor can build a rapport with their students, maintain a consistent lecture-esque style of class, provide multiple forms of media content (i.e. not just the book for the class, but article links, TEDxTalks, etc.) and provide time during the class for the learners to engage with the materials amongst themselves. The way in which this class and CLDT 1300 were proctored are the way I would like to work in an online learning and teaching environment. What I really truly enjoy about the way these have been proctored is that there is a major asynchronous component that requires the learner to actually use the internet. I know and understand that there are a handful of people from previous generations that would do anything else than use the internet. Accounting for this subset of people, there is an even larger subset of people who genuinely live on the internet. It is an opportunity for two different perspectives to mesh because they must engage in forum discussions because the discussions are where the rapport is built, and learning can be monitored.
A reason for why many of these online classes function, require and demand this level of participation is because there is not a “common room” (i.e. literal classroom space). Professor Richard Schwier of the University of Saskatchewan intimated that a challenge for him with online education and learning is that the “experiential factor of a classroom, walking through the door, finding their seat and managing [the] space” is lost. Those moments of preparation before class are actions that need to be physically done to truly understood how important they are to the thought of “being in a class setting.” While I understand the merit of his challenge, what I am unsure he realizes is that there is an even greater appreciation for these actions when an online learner is preparing for class: situating oneself in a space they won’t be deserved; letting the people around them know they have class and do not want to be disturbed; checking internet connection and that their computer is working properly; and most of all, being as closed to relaxed and unbothered prior to class because instead of commuting to campus, learners are commuting to their couch, office, kitchen table, etc. Allowing students to access high quality educational instruction and content in their homes on their schedule allows for potentially better outcomes because there is one less stressor removed. When the world and the internet are your classroom, when the learning management system is the repository for all the knowledge shared instructor-to-learner and learner-to-learner, online teaching and education turns the chaotic world (wide web) into a well-oiled machine.
I started with my university in August 2019 and still was adjusting to my role when Emergency Remote Learning was instituted. I helped my department transition our learning and build out our blackboards for the courses as quickly as possible while supporting students in my role at the time as Academic Advisor. My own university online learning experiences were two courses that were conducted as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) so this style of distance learning was not only a new concept for my students but for myself as well. Coordinating synchronous, online learning presented many challenges but when I think of online teaching/learning it is the format my brain goes to.
This is ironic to me because I currently teach a hybrid course and it is not the format we use to facilitate the course’s learning. Half the modules are in-person synchronous, and half the lessons are asynchronous, online. I do not feel this format works for the course and we are evaluating/updating this course as a whole and it will run with enhanced curriculum and a different format in academic year 2025-2026.I believe it does not work in it’s current “online format” as the students lose momentum switching between the two instructional styles. Attendance falls off after we had had back-to-back weeks of asynchronous work and as the semester progresses, it is like pulling teeth to get them to engage in our in-person curriculum.
Online learning to me is ideally synchronous courses conducted via distance. I believe it allows for flexibility while still engaging the learners in interactive situations and providing accessible of instruction and to the instructors. It also provides structure that some students may not be able to adhere to in asynchronous online learning environments.
Calculating physical distances accurately is made easier by geometry. It is used in astronomy to map the separations between planets and stars as well as between planets. Determining the relationship between the motions of various bodies in the celestial environment is another benefit of it. https://geometry-lite.io
“What we know from research is that effective online learning results from careful instructional design and planning, using a systematic model for design and development. The design process and the careful consideration of different design decisions have an impact on the quality of the instruction. And it is this careful design process that will be absent in most cases in these emergency shifts.”
At the time of the pandemic, I was a 5th grade teacher and I also have kids who experienced emergency remote teaching during this time. From both the online teaching and online learning perspectives, the above quote is the most relevant to why there were so many misses and fails with emergency remote teaching/learning. The success of these experience varied due to expertise, available resources, and level of support for both teachers and learners. Compounded with the global crisis of people dying and families handling the myriad of changes to our everyday lives (remember grocery shopping during that time?!?!), it is easy to understand how for many, this period of learning for student and teachers was set up for failure.
There just wasn’t enough time, expertise, and resources to do it right. I have memories of my 5 year old being on live Zooms the MOST and my children in high school expected to navigate posting things online, juggling multiple google classroom pages, and having to interact with their teachers in very different ways. I have to believe that teachers were doing their absolute best to make do with the situation, but the reality is that many online learning experiences were not fully developed or based on pedagogically appropriate decisions.
While I applaud the problem-solving and creativity of both teachers, students, and families during this time, I also recognize how unfair it was for many people who were going through incredibly challenging times. Issues of accessibility, equitable learning experiences, and building strong methods of communication with students and families were the most problematic from the teaching and learning perspective.
This week’s Food City Weekly Ad and the Food City Ad the next week! The Food City weekly ad circular can be flipped through page by page using the left and right arrows. Make a shopping list in advance and prepare your coupons for the early look at the Food City weekly ad!
When I hear “Online Teaching and Learning” I tend to think less of timed classroom-like experiences, and more of self-directed knowledge bases. Most of my online learning has happened using sites like Khan Academy, Wikipedia, LinkedIn Learning, or YouTube. These sites don’t have “classes” or “Semesters” and the expectations of teachers are quite different. Teachers in these paradigms just design the content one time, then post it. It’s much more “Sage on the Stage” than examples like this class.
In my past, I’ve found tasks like written reflections unnecessary, but these courses at Villanova have shown me the value in them. The best way to learn is by teaching, and working together with the class fills that role somewhat. More than Duolingo or something similar anyway.
I find the text History and State of Distance Education encouraging when the authors say things like “Our results indicate that distance education, when properly planned, designed, and supported by the appropriate mix of technology and pedagogy, is equivalent to, or in certain scenarios more effective than, traditional face-to-face classroom instruction.” Hopefully education as a whole will continue to improve, distance education in particular.
Certainly! Let’s turn some of these theoretical insights into practical classroom activities for your 2nd grade classroom.
Chapter 1: Leveraging Students’ Preconceptions
Quote:
> “If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside the classroom” (pp. 14-15).
Practical Activity: Concept Mapping
- Materials Needed:
– Large sheets of paper or poster board
– Markers or crayons
– Sticky notes
- Activity:
Start a new unit by asking students to draw what they already know about the topic. For example, if you’re beginning a unit on plants, ask children to draw a plant and label its parts. Have them use sticky notes to add their thoughts on what plants need to grow. As the unit progresses, update the map with new knowledge, showing how original ideas evolved.
- Why Implement It?
This engages their pre-existing knowledge and visually shows the progression of their learning. This process helps students anchor new information to what they already know.
Chapter 2: Developing Expertise
Quote:
> “Experts notice features and meaningful patterns of information that novices do not notice” (p. 36).
Practical Activity: Pattern Recognition Games
- Materials Needed:
– Sets of cards or objects with different shapes, colors, and patterns
- Activity:
Create a ‘Pattern Detective’ game where students have to find and describe patterns. For instance, cards with different sequences of shapes or colors can be used, and students have to group them based on identified patterns. This could be a fun and interactive way for them to start noticing and talking about patterns.
- Why Implement It?
Encouraging students to recognize and articulate patterns helps them begin to think like ‘experts’ in their own way, enhancing their observational and critical thinking skills.
Chapter 3: Effective Transfer
Quote:
> “Initial learning is essential for transfer” (p. 53).
Practical Activity: Real-World Connections and Reflections
- Materials Needed:
– Storybooks or short articles
– Reflection Journals
- Activity:
After teaching a concept (like the life cycle of a butterfly), read a related storybook. Ask students to relate the events in the story to what they learned in class. They can draw or write in their reflection journals about how the story connects to the real-world learning.
- Why Implement It?
By connecting classroom learning to real-world situations, students are more likely to transfer their understanding across different contexts. It also integrates literacy skills with content knowledge.
Inviting Reflection:
As you dive back into the text, how might you further adapt these ideas to account for the unique cultural and social perspectives of your students? Are there any particular preconceptions your students bring that could serve as a foundation for deeper learning?
icons on the left to see existing comments.
Same question on other side.
Did you give this a try and decided against? Fine if so, we were leaning toward trying that when we discussed last draft.
People understand instantly that it’s a phone# when they see the dashes, wondering if losing that instant recognition (making them stop to process what those numbers are) is in our interest.
Maybe we can vary the horizontal space given to music notes but maybe shrink both so we don’t have to sacrifice padding between text and photos?
Do we want there to be a standard (or minimum) amount of space between the text and image elements?
Ting Pavilion (Charlottesville Downtown Mall)
When I hear “online teaching,” I think of something very vague and general. A person who has information that they would like to share with an online audience. My idea of “online learning,” has become very vague as well. A person using the internet to learn about a subject or answer questions they have. My definitions of these terms have become so general because of the pandemic. As soon as Americans learned that there would be a quarantine everyone began to look to online learning. The pandemic was a vulnerable time for many Americans. We were unsure what would become of our jobs and our lives. Courses offered a sense of direction for many. I saw many professionals whose jobs depended on interacting with the public begin to create and sell online courses. Social media influencers began creating and selling courses about becoming a social media influencer, people who did public speaking events made courses about how to master public speaking, dance teachers sold online dance lessons. My own hairdresser created and sold a course explaining how to install your own hair extensions to keep her business afloat while she was not able to take clients. I thought this was both amazing and concerning. While people who had lost their careers looked to create new ones by creating courses, others looked to create new ones by buying these courses. This insecurity was unfortunately preyed upon.
It was great that there were so many things that we could all learn from the comfort of our own homes. However, Instagram, Teachable, Kajabi, Patreon and other online course platforms did not require any credentials. It was up to us as consumers to vet these people and use our own discretion. Some of these courses were upwards of $1000. Some much more. In addition to the cost of the courses. Some incurred the costs of bad investments that these courses encouraged them to make.
I would consider most if not all of these courses to be emergency remote learning. To me that means that these courses were put together hastily and out of necessity. While they may or may not have been quality programs, the necessary time and planning that quality distance education required was not guaranteed. Even teachers were throwing courses together. Many teachers had just a few days to convert their classes from in person communities into online ones. Which is no easy feat. Much like the hairdresser, personal trainers, and other professionals that turned to online learning out of necessity, there was little training and little time for experimentation.
When I think of formal distance education, I think of instructional designers working with subject matter experts. Many online educators are not necessarily responsible for creating the infrastructure of their online communities. They can focus on a course’s content and have help when it comes to creating the websites and programs that will hold these courses. This is great because it allows teachers who have amazing and impactful lessons to share them on a larger scale without losing the quality of their programs because of their lack of tech skills.
I am certain that distance education will continue to grow. And, as time passes the quality of courses will increase. I also see safeguards being put into place for consumers. Hopefully, these open online education platforms will require their “teachers,” to show some kind of credentials before they are able to create and market their online courses.
Virtual sports betting has become a popular new form of gambling, allowing bettors to wager on simulated sporting events that are often shorter and more frequent than real games. Also at https://damangameee.in/, you can play other rather interesting games. If you are interested, you can check out this resource.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oaVfLwZ6jes
Questions to ponder:
Why did Brooks use all capital letters in the title?
What is the effect of the short sentences when you read the poem?
How does Brooks’ choice of line breaks impact the poem as a whole? What is the term for this type of line break?
What does it mean to thin a drink? (parents adding water to Apple juice). How could that apply to “thin gin”?
Count the beats in each line. What do you notice about the last line? What’s missing? What meaning could that convey?
What is the connotation of “lurk”? What does that imply?
Back to the title:
Why the “GOLDEN SHOVEL”? Symbolism?
This punctuation is several characters shorter
saves space by not needing word “AND”… I recommend staring list with the grabbiest specific attractions (music and dance… or maybe food music dance) and squishy “culture” last.
100% symmetry not as visually interesting to the eye, also would give more white space (or maybe allow slightly bigger font)
Am wondering if that would be helpful in (1) attracting Latinos from those countries and (2) showing diversity of countries to attract general audiences too.
I agree learners that came out of ERT class did not get the same knowledge as in-person learning but the online classes are now better prepared and the next time it will be a smoother transition from online to ERT than it was from in-person to ERT.
Online Teaching and learning is a boon considering the accessibility and flexibility it can provide. But online learning in an emergency situation such as the COVID- 19 pandemic has its downfalls. With the resources available and the emergency training given to teachers, instructors and students , it was admirable on all fronts how education persevered online on such a short notice. From my experience with high school students and teachers that had to go into Emergency Remote Learning , It was a struggle for the teachers to go through the material and keep the students engaged when they weren’t physically in the same room. It was a very stressful time for K-12 teachers and classroom management. Meanwhile some of the students were struggling with paying attention online and grasping all the concepts. Nevertheless , this was born out of necessity during the pandemic and I hope such a scenario does not happen any time soon ! As the article mentions , I agree that in the case of emergency remote learning, there must be a shift in evaluation. “ From the faculty point of view, student learning outcomes would be of primary interest. Did learners achieve the intended knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that were the focus of the instructional experience? Attitudinal outcomes are also possibly of interest, for students and for faculty. For students, issues such as interest, motivation, and engagement are directly connected to learner success and so would be possible evaluation foci. For faculty, attitudes toward online instruction and all that it entails can affect the perception of success.”
Three added thoughts they had:
1. largest number of Latinos is presumably Mexican, would secondary Mexican flag colors green and white be a subconscious draw to them? 2. They thought maybe the blue band names on the red background would be better in a more contrasting color than the blue used here… they found a little hard to read. I don’t see this myself, but passing it on. 3. The red did clash with the “Senora Dinamita” logo (here too, not a problem for me)if Latinos seeing the poster perceive (consciously or unconsciously) the flag of their country of origin, that might increase their sense that Sabroso offers something of interest to them!!?
Childhood education plays a critical role in shaping the future of individuals and society. By focusing on holistic development, fostering a love for learning, and addressing challenges, educators and policymakers can ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed. free games
The most significant difference between online learning and ERT is the structure in the creation of the classes. An online class is well-structured, well-planned, and well-created. When you start getting into ERT, it is based on the necessity to fill a void. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for effective online learning and instruction. If done right, it can be beneficial for gaining a broader spectrum of students regardless of location. It allows for flexible learning while adjusting for accessible options for learners and instructors. The pandemic showed that the classes can be set online if done correctly.
My experience was very different. The pandemic abruptly forced the need for distance-led remote instruction. Our training class was hastily assembled after getting authorization from the government to proceed. We needed a functional LMS; we dealt with technology issues and limited resources for laptops, internet hotspots, and some adult learners who still used flip phones. We were tasked with the role of creating testing, learning activities, and accessibility to an unsuspecting group of mixed-age learners. The task was completed, but only with huge drawbacks.
The students who came out of the ERT class were less knowledgeable than those who took the in-person instructor-led courses. The instructors who taught the ERT class were lacking, but it did bring a positive change to my organization: the creation of an IDD team, the procurement of an LMS, restructured classes, and a better learning environment for all upcoming classes.
Emergency Remote Teaching refers to the temporary transition of instructional delivery to an online format due to an immediate crisis or emergency. The primary aim is to ensure educational continuity, allowing teaching and learning to continue despite disruptions. This method is characterized by its swift implementation, often using existing technology and digital tools to mimic traditional classroom experiences. It is typically executed with minimal planning and preparation time, utilizing available resources and materials hastily adapted for online use. Consequently, it may lack the structured design of fully online courses, with adjustments made on the fly.
In contrast, Online Learning is a deliberate and planned mode of education specifically designed for digital platforms. It encompasses a variety of instructional methods and tools crafted to create an engaging, interactive, and effective learning environment. Online learning programs are meticulously developed, often by teams of educators, instructional designers, and technologists, to harness the unique advantages of digital education.
The educational landscape has undergone significant transformation in response to COVID-19. Two terms that have gained prominence are “Emergency Remote Teaching” and “Online Learning.” While they may appear synonymous at first glance, they represent distinct approaches to education. Understanding the differences between them is crucial for educators, students, and institutions striving to optimize learning experiences.
that may or may not be a little long for poster purposes… also, on the English version of the flyer, should we stick with English adjective before the noun or give it a Latino flavor by , as here, starting with noun?
I’m visualizing our poster competing for attention against other posters (e.g. tacked up in store bulletin boards or windows) and the pastel doesn’t grab my eye the same way as last year’s red (gradient effect).
Don’t think we need the “VA” — maybe “Ting Pavilion, Charlottesville Downtown Mall”
Cville Sabroso not really an organization that exists, if anything that would be Sin Barreras… “presents” likely not needed
I am not a teacher in the academic space, nor do I have kids in the educational system so I’m forming my opinion on this subject, based on friends or family who are teachers, or had kids in school during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
My teacher friends had a love/hate relationship with ERT. Most of them enjoyed being able to teach from their homes, though did struggle with managing their students. The behavioral issues they would deal with in the classroom didn’t go away, but changed, and in some ways were harder to deal with. They struggled with attendance, with feeling like their kids weren’t learning enough, or were theyteaching well enough. Overall it was great emotional struggle. So much so, a few of them sought alternate careers after that first year!
My friends who were parents of kids in school pretty much hated every minute of it!
It made managing work/life balance tough. With everyone at home working or going to school it affected bandwidth on the home networks, resulting in countless technology issues, not to mention privacy to work or study with all the added distractions.
ERT was not something teachers or parents were prepared for. Whereas online Learning is typically well thought out and planned.
Hopefully we don’t have to use ERT again, but now that schools, teachers and parents better understand it, if the need arises again, hopefully we are better prepared to make it more positive experience for all.
I was thinking about the hybrid course I took for one of my GIS classes. We had a synchronous in-class lecture and then the associated labs and projects were to be completed asynchronously during the week. I remember grumbling that I did not like the fact that there was an in class lecture for something that could have been done purely online.
It is one of those moments where looking back: were all of the instruction options dutifully considered before the course hit the banweb?!
The United States decision to transition from a traditional in-class curriculum to online learning caused interminable confusion about how online learning, online teaching and online education genuinely function. As mentioned in last week’s blog post, I really enjoy words. And as much as words are incredible, they can be used in ways that are detrimental to their meaning. That is the exact thing that happened between the years of 2020 until the middle of 2022. Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) may be the official term but through a massive game of telephone, ERT lost its meaning and use in the conversation. Within that conversation, it seemed as though people were conflating ERT as a 1:1 comparison with online learning and teaching. The link between the two appears strong, these are both means of relaying education, despite the underlying mechanisms shouting, “NO, DO NOT MAKE THIS ASSUMPTION!” Having a handful of teachers as friends, the number of stories that were told where distrust of technology and its ability to help teach was reason enough to highlight that the United States’ ability to transition its schools to any level of online learning and teaching was a trial in futility. Thus, within any emergency, lacking that amount of preparation, you’re hoping to survive. It’s truly incredible that despite the spate of teachers resigning, education as an institution still stands. This is also a great reminder and highlight of human ingenuity, human persistence and human evolution: there are still aspects of this life we as human beings can solve through iterative mastery.
What constitutes the difference between emergency remote teaching and traditional online learning and teaching is decidedly in the manner the learning environment is created, planned and supported. With those three tenets in hand, traditional online learning and teaching also has history, data and institutional confidence in how it is utilized in practice. What makes a good learning experience is when the instructor can build a rapport with their students, maintain a consistent lecture-esque style of class, provide multiple forms of media content (i.e. not just the book for the class, but article links, TEDxTalks, etc.) and provide time during the class for the learners to engage with the materials amongst themselves. The way in which this class and CLDT 1300 were proctored are the way I would like to work in an online learning and teaching environment. What I really truly enjoy about the way these have been proctored is that there is a major asynchronous component that requires the learner to actually use the internet. I know and understand that there are a handful of people from previous generations that would do anything else than use the internet. Accounting for this subset of people, there is an even larger subset of people who genuinely live on the internet. It is an opportunity for two different perspectives to mesh because they must engage in forum discussions because the discussions are where the rapport is built, and learning can be monitored.
A reason for why many of these online classes function, require and demand this level of participation is because there is not a “common room” (i.e. literal classroom space). Professor Richard Schwier of the University of Saskatchewan intimated that a challenge for him with online education and learning is that the “experiential factor of a classroom, walking through the door, finding their seat and managing [the] space” is lost. Those moments of preparation before class are actions that need to be physically done to truly understood how important they are to the thought of “being in a class setting.” While I understand the merit of his challenge, what I am unsure he realizes is that there is an even greater appreciation for these actions when an online learner is preparing for class: situating oneself in a space they won’t be deserved; letting the people around them know they have class and do not want to be disturbed; checking internet connection and that their computer is working properly; and most of all, being as closed to relaxed and unbothered prior to class because instead of commuting to campus, learners are commuting to their couch, office, kitchen table, etc. Allowing students to access high quality educational instruction and content in their homes on their schedule allows for potentially better outcomes because there is one less stressor removed. When the world and the internet are your classroom, when the learning management system is the repository for all the knowledge shared instructor-to-learner and learner-to-learner, online teaching and education turns the chaotic world (wide web) into a well-oiled machine.
I started with my university in August 2019 and still was adjusting to my role when Emergency Remote Learning was instituted. I helped my department transition our learning and build out our blackboards for the courses as quickly as possible while supporting students in my role at the time as Academic Advisor. My own university online learning experiences were two courses that were conducted as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) so this style of distance learning was not only a new concept for my students but for myself as well. Coordinating synchronous, online learning presented many challenges but when I think of online teaching/learning it is the format my brain goes to.
This is ironic to me because I currently teach a hybrid course and it is not the format we use to facilitate the course’s learning. Half the modules are in-person synchronous, and half the lessons are asynchronous, online. I do not feel this format works for the course and we are evaluating/updating this course as a whole and it will run with enhanced curriculum and a different format in academic year 2025-2026.I believe it does not work in it’s current “online format” as the students lose momentum switching between the two instructional styles. Attendance falls off after we had had back-to-back weeks of asynchronous work and as the semester progresses, it is like pulling teeth to get them to engage in our in-person curriculum.
Online learning to me is ideally synchronous courses conducted via distance. I believe it allows for flexibility while still engaging the learners in interactive situations and providing accessible of instruction and to the instructors. It also provides structure that some students may not be able to adhere to in asynchronous online learning environments.
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“What we know from research is that effective online learning results from careful instructional design and planning, using a systematic model for design and development. The design process and the careful consideration of different design decisions have an impact on the quality of the instruction. And it is this careful design process that will be absent in most cases in these emergency shifts.”
At the time of the pandemic, I was a 5th grade teacher and I also have kids who experienced emergency remote teaching during this time. From both the online teaching and online learning perspectives, the above quote is the most relevant to why there were so many misses and fails with emergency remote teaching/learning. The success of these experience varied due to expertise, available resources, and level of support for both teachers and learners. Compounded with the global crisis of people dying and families handling the myriad of changes to our everyday lives (remember grocery shopping during that time?!?!), it is easy to understand how for many, this period of learning for student and teachers was set up for failure.
There just wasn’t enough time, expertise, and resources to do it right. I have memories of my 5 year old being on live Zooms the MOST and my children in high school expected to navigate posting things online, juggling multiple google classroom pages, and having to interact with their teachers in very different ways. I have to believe that teachers were doing their absolute best to make do with the situation, but the reality is that many online learning experiences were not fully developed or based on pedagogically appropriate decisions.
While I applaud the problem-solving and creativity of both teachers, students, and families during this time, I also recognize how unfair it was for many people who were going through incredibly challenging times. Issues of accessibility, equitable learning experiences, and building strong methods of communication with students and families were the most problematic from the teaching and learning perspective.
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When I hear “Online Teaching and Learning” I tend to think less of timed classroom-like experiences, and more of self-directed knowledge bases. Most of my online learning has happened using sites like Khan Academy, Wikipedia, LinkedIn Learning, or YouTube. These sites don’t have “classes” or “Semesters” and the expectations of teachers are quite different. Teachers in these paradigms just design the content one time, then post it. It’s much more “Sage on the Stage” than examples like this class.
In my past, I’ve found tasks like written reflections unnecessary, but these courses at Villanova have shown me the value in them. The best way to learn is by teaching, and working together with the class fills that role somewhat. More than Duolingo or something similar anyway.
I find the text History and State of Distance Education encouraging when the authors say things like “Our results indicate that distance education, when properly planned, designed, and supported by the appropriate mix of technology and pedagogy, is equivalent to, or in certain scenarios more effective than, traditional face-to-face classroom instruction.” Hopefully education as a whole will continue to improve, distance education in particular.
Certainly! Let’s turn some of these theoretical insights into practical classroom activities for your 2nd grade classroom.
Quote:
> “If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside the classroom” (pp. 14-15).
Practical Activity:
Concept Mapping
- Materials Needed:
– Large sheets of paper or poster board
– Markers or crayons
– Sticky notes
- Activity:
Start a new unit by asking students to draw what they already know about the topic. For example, if you’re beginning a unit on plants, ask children to draw a plant and label its parts. Have them use sticky notes to add their thoughts on what plants need to grow. As the unit progresses, update the map with new knowledge, showing how original ideas evolved.
- Why Implement It?
This engages their pre-existing knowledge and visually shows the progression of their learning. This process helps students anchor new information to what they already know.
Quote:
> “Experts notice features and meaningful patterns of information that novices do not notice” (p. 36).
Practical Activity:
Pattern Recognition Games
- Materials Needed:
– Sets of cards or objects with different shapes, colors, and patterns
- Activity:
Create a ‘Pattern Detective’ game where students have to find and describe patterns. For instance, cards with different sequences of shapes or colors can be used, and students have to group them based on identified patterns. This could be a fun and interactive way for them to start noticing and talking about patterns.
- Why Implement It?
Encouraging students to recognize and articulate patterns helps them begin to think like ‘experts’ in their own way, enhancing their observational and critical thinking skills.
Quote:
> “Initial learning is essential for transfer” (p. 53).
Practical Activity:
Real-World Connections and Reflections
- Materials Needed:
– Storybooks or short articles
– Reflection Journals
- Activity:
After teaching a concept (like the life cycle of a butterfly), read a related storybook. Ask students to relate the events in the story to what they learned in class. They can draw or write in their reflection journals about how the story connects to the real-world learning.
- Why Implement It?
By connecting classroom learning to real-world situations, students are more likely to transfer their understanding across different contexts. It also integrates literacy skills with content knowledge.
As you dive back into the text, how might you further adapt these ideas to account for the unique cultural and social perspectives of your students? Are there any particular preconceptions your students bring that could serve as a foundation for deeper learning?
Feel free to share your thoughts or adaptations!
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