Educating both teachers and students online is the way of the future and there's no stopping it. So, it’s best to develop effective and learning strategies as soon as possible. Some programs may be harder to teach online while others may be easier, and it is best to find out which it is as soon as possible.  Both teachers and students will struggle with innovative skills, techniques, and expertise if proper studies are not conducted.

A single school or district must do things differently to effectively keep up with new online learning strategies. Covid19 has been overwhelming and keeping up with alternative learning strategies that were not fully developed continues to be a challenge. We are starting to see an opportunity gap within grade levels and many schools are struggling to develop effective online learning courses. Summer school has been the topic of discussion and effective online learning continues to be a challenge while many of our teachers are solely hoping students come back in the classroom.

What can we do if teachers cannot rely on close string teacher proximity like in a physical school?

If teachers are taught how to implement effective educational strategies through a hybrid model, they will be more likely to develop new programs and alter existing ones. Training is necessary, providing them access to SAMR allowing them to rethink assignments, activities, and assessments. This conversation should have been had last year but we are still thinking about how we can support teachers through these trying times. Teachers are not waiting for a committee oversight, which often takes months, just to find a trainer to support them in creating an online curriculum. Through trial and error, teachers will tweak their lessons and develop systems that support student’s success. Check out recent blogs on SAMR below:

1. The Pros and Cons When Teachers Go Online Using Substitution In SAMR

2. Teachers Are Struggling in the Augmentation Phase: SAMR

3. How Are Teachers Transforming Their Classrooms Through Modification: SAMR

4. Are Your Teachers in the Redefinition Phase of SAMR?

Research on developing an online learning curriculum

One of the best arguments for the development of online educational strategies is how easy it is to implement personalized learning strategies for each student. While it is much harder to take care of students and focus on each of their needs in a physical environment, well-written software and evidence-based learning strategies can help students learn according to their abilities. Some studies say that students improve their test scores by up to 30% (Dhami, 2021).

I really don’t think online learning is going away because there are so many benefits for students and teachers. It’s flexible for students and teachers, the curriculum can be self-paced, and works for students who are self-motivated. Teachers are now relying on their online educational skill set to search for alternative jobs that can provide them with alternative incomes. Over the summer, teachers are looking into tutoring companies. The salary for online tutors usually starts at $25 per hour, which is excellent and can provide an adequate living wage for anyone who is not in a major city (Rachel, 2020).

The benefits of online learning and teaching for both students and teachers outweigh any concerns about costs. With more than a dozen K-12 online homeschool programs graduating tens of thousands of students in the United States every year, the debate on whether online school is a supportive learning environment is no longer up for question. It is up to the school districts’ and the states’ educational boards to get on board with reading, math, science, and social studies online learning or be left in the dust.

References

Dhami, Harleen. “Personalized Learning: The Ultimate Guide.” Top Hat, 26 Jan. 2021, tophat.com/blog/personalized learning/.

Care.com, Rachel Murphy. “How Much Does A Tutor Cost?” Care.com, 13 Aug. 2020, www.care.com/c/stories/10229/how-much-does-a-tutor-cost.

Integrating technology into your classroom with the SAMR MODEL. (2018, March 08). Retrieved April 09, 2021, from https://startime.com.au/blog/2018/03/07/integrating-technology-classroom-samr-model/