If you're still struggling to see how online education can benefit our students, I hope my next few posts will clarify that for you. I also hope that these posts will show you that it's not just our students it will benefit. Online education helps to alleviate issues that we face in the traditional classroom. We have been taught teaching strategies that are effective to use in a traditional classroom but we often hit a wall due to the time it takes to create those lessons or due to the lack of resources that we have available to us. But with online education, that is no longer an issue....
Differentiation is a strategy that most effective teachers are already working on implementing in their classrooms. In education, differentiating means understanding each of your students’ differences well enough to plan instruction that reaches each of these diverse students’ needs. Classrooms are filled with students of different learning readiness, style, and interest. Many teachers are still teaching one way, in hopes that it is reaching “most” students. At what point do we put our foot down and say that reaching most students is not good enough anymore. However, in the traditional classroom, it is time consuming to make a unique lesson for every student, match all students’ needs, and interests. It’s not that we don’t want to be the teacher that has a classroom that works for all kids, it’s that in reality, to differentiate is a trying task. It takes time and innovation and between coming up with one lesson, grading, and everything else we have on our plates- to add this is just too much. However, distance education offers many unique ways to differentiate in the classroom that are realistic. I believe this word is key because there are many ideas on how to differentiate in the traditional classroom but to do them everyday on every lesson would simply be impossible. With online education, this goal is more achievable.
Our department has been working to shift to standards based grading. In math, it is important that students have mastered prerequisite skills before moving to the next skill. It doesn’t make sense to learn about a systems of linear equations before understanding what a linear equation is. However, if a student does not master a skill before the day of a test, it is typical that the teacher moves on without them. With standards based grading, they have the ability to retake assessments until they have proven to master that standard. In our traditional classroom, we are running into some roadblocks because if the student couldn't master that standard while we were working on it in class together, how can he or she learn it on their own once we’ve moved on to the next standard? However, with online education we have the ability to let students move at their own pace. They can stay in a section until they are ready to move forward. In addition, with online education we can link additional resources for students to visit to help them gain knowledge in content they are still struggling on. “The instructor might provide some sources for reinforcement to help students struggling with the content by including a vidcast of key vocabulary or concepts, as well as a screencast highlighting some key concepts in a lecture” (Milman, 2014, pg. 22, para. 1). Students who are ready to move on do not have to wait for those who are not and students who need more time are not held to the pace of other learners.
The goal of education is for students to learn the content of the subject they are in. Does that mean that every student must learn it the same exact way at the same exact time? Or does it simply mean that the student must learn the content. Melenas writes, “while the content for all students may need to remain consistent, how students access this information can be differentiated” (2014, para. 2). With online education, the teacher can post a variety of different resources for students to learn the content. For example, instead of just posting a PDF or article, you could post a podcast to teach the material. In addition to format, teachers can, “differentiate for learners interested in learning even more about the topic by providing links to online materials that challenge them to delve deeper into the content” (Milman, 2014, pg. 23, para. 1). Distance education offers a plethora of strategies for teachers to deliver content to their students. Learning activities can also vary from student to student. We might offer students the option to explore real-world math scenarios, work collaboratively to solve a problem with a group, or create a video to share with the class. Through these options, students have the ability to choose the way they learn rather than being forced to all complete the same assignment. They are choosing a strategy that fits their learning style best. There are so many outlets for students to learn online without the teacher needing to put in the extra work to create individual assignments for everyone. The ability to create using technology opens up millions of opportunities for students to learn and share. “Differentiated instruction is not watering down curriculum to make it easier for some students to “pass” or more challenging for others to master the content; rather, it involves providing students opportunities to learn content using different resources, employing varied strategies, and/or allowing students to demonstrate their learning in different ways based on their individual learning needs and interests” (Milman, 2014, pg. 22, para. 1).
With the switch of delivery, we are now differentiating all lessons and making learning more relevant and appropriate for each of our students. We don't have to spend hours recreating the wheel when online education has resources already available for us. Students have a variety of resources available to them that they don't typically have in a traditional classroom. We aren't forcing all students to show what they have learned in the exact same way. Online education can offer more opportunities for students; it doesn't end here....
Milman, N. B. (2014). Differentiating instruction in online environments. Distance Learning, 11(4),
21-23. Retrieved April 23,
2018. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.cmich.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=e2109f01-
58c7-4b8c-9323-
f89ec5031bf2%40sessionmgr4010&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=100558700 &db=ofs
Differentiation is a strategy that most effective teachers are already working on implementing in their classrooms. In education, differentiating means understanding each of your students’ differences well enough to plan instruction that reaches each of these diverse students’ needs. Classrooms are filled with students of different learning readiness, style, and interest. Many teachers are still teaching one way, in hopes that it is reaching “most” students. At what point do we put our foot down and say that reaching most students is not good enough anymore. However, in the traditional classroom, it is time consuming to make a unique lesson for every student, match all students’ needs, and interests. It’s not that we don’t want to be the teacher that has a classroom that works for all kids, it’s that in reality, to differentiate is a trying task. It takes time and innovation and between coming up with one lesson, grading, and everything else we have on our plates- to add this is just too much. However, distance education offers many unique ways to differentiate in the classroom that are realistic. I believe this word is key because there are many ideas on how to differentiate in the traditional classroom but to do them everyday on every lesson would simply be impossible. With online education, this goal is more achievable.
Our department has been working to shift to standards based grading. In math, it is important that students have mastered prerequisite skills before moving to the next skill. It doesn’t make sense to learn about a systems of linear equations before understanding what a linear equation is. However, if a student does not master a skill before the day of a test, it is typical that the teacher moves on without them. With standards based grading, they have the ability to retake assessments until they have proven to master that standard. In our traditional classroom, we are running into some roadblocks because if the student couldn't master that standard while we were working on it in class together, how can he or she learn it on their own once we’ve moved on to the next standard? However, with online education we have the ability to let students move at their own pace. They can stay in a section until they are ready to move forward. In addition, with online education we can link additional resources for students to visit to help them gain knowledge in content they are still struggling on. “The instructor might provide some sources for reinforcement to help students struggling with the content by including a vidcast of key vocabulary or concepts, as well as a screencast highlighting some key concepts in a lecture” (Milman, 2014, pg. 22, para. 1). Students who are ready to move on do not have to wait for those who are not and students who need more time are not held to the pace of other learners.
The goal of education is for students to learn the content of the subject they are in. Does that mean that every student must learn it the same exact way at the same exact time? Or does it simply mean that the student must learn the content. Melenas writes, “while the content for all students may need to remain consistent, how students access this information can be differentiated” (2014, para. 2). With online education, the teacher can post a variety of different resources for students to learn the content. For example, instead of just posting a PDF or article, you could post a podcast to teach the material. In addition to format, teachers can, “differentiate for learners interested in learning even more about the topic by providing links to online materials that challenge them to delve deeper into the content” (Milman, 2014, pg. 23, para. 1). Distance education offers a plethora of strategies for teachers to deliver content to their students. Learning activities can also vary from student to student. We might offer students the option to explore real-world math scenarios, work collaboratively to solve a problem with a group, or create a video to share with the class. Through these options, students have the ability to choose the way they learn rather than being forced to all complete the same assignment. They are choosing a strategy that fits their learning style best. There are so many outlets for students to learn online without the teacher needing to put in the extra work to create individual assignments for everyone. The ability to create using technology opens up millions of opportunities for students to learn and share. “Differentiated instruction is not watering down curriculum to make it easier for some students to “pass” or more challenging for others to master the content; rather, it involves providing students opportunities to learn content using different resources, employing varied strategies, and/or allowing students to demonstrate their learning in different ways based on their individual learning needs and interests” (Milman, 2014, pg. 22, para. 1).
With the switch of delivery, we are now differentiating all lessons and making learning more relevant and appropriate for each of our students. We don't have to spend hours recreating the wheel when online education has resources already available for us. Students have a variety of resources available to them that they don't typically have in a traditional classroom. We aren't forcing all students to show what they have learned in the exact same way. Online education can offer more opportunities for students; it doesn't end here....
Sources
21-23. Retrieved April 23,
2018. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.cmich.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=e2109f01-
58c7-4b8c-9323-
f89ec5031bf2%40sessionmgr4010&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=100558700 &db=ofs
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