A virtual lesson to help:
1. Building confidence in teaching online and using technology
2. One-to-one or group activities for digital learning
3. Using blended learning effectively
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Unit 1: Introduction and Inspirational Case Studies
Pedagogically speaking, lesson plans are very important elements in the teaching process. Besides giving life to a lesson they also give it a structure and organize its components in such an orderly way that students can systematically take it in. Adult learners have unique learning needs and expectations that set them apart from their younger counterparts. Some adult education theorists have stressed autonomy, self-direction, and affinity for real-life learning as key characteristics of adult learners. During this training session, we will be sharing different tips and secrets to improve the methods used to deliver training the your students.
Read about 10 secrets for a well delivered lessons! Now let’s have a look at an inspirational story that was implemented in an English Lesson by a French teacher. Language Other stories: - Chemistry
- Histoire-Géographie
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Unit 2: Tips to be prepared for your lesson when using technology
During the previous training sessions, various methods and tools were shared with you in relation to technology in education. In this part, we focus more on how as a teacher you should be preparing beforehand. It is very natural that teachers feel overwhelmed when asked to try to integrate technology in their education/training, however as teachers one should keep in mind that, if one is willing to learn, any challenge can be overcome. Further to this, one should also remember that this is what students nowadays expect; the use of technology. Nowadays even though not all classrooms/schools are equipped with technology-rich equipment, students are willing and open to use technology. When incorporating technology in your face-to-face teaching, this is known as Blended Learning. More about this topic can be found in Unit 3.
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5 Tips when using Blended Learning
Here is a list of tips shared by other teachers that will help you broaden your knowledge in technology, yet find it a bit easier into using more blended learning. 1: Think BIG, but start SMALL 2: Be PATIENT 3: Technology is there to replace / improve 4: Don’t reinvent the wheel 5: Have a plan B
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Tip 1: Think BIG, but start SMALL
As the saying goes, “shoot for the moon” is a very good approach when you are thinking of using additional technology during your teaching however we advise to start with little baby steps. One can already find different resources available online rather than trying to create their own resources (and loads of them have been shared with you already). Gradually start by finding different tools, to create your own resources. Either or, make sure you are comfortable with the tool you opt for, know it inside out, implement it in different ways, learn from your mistakes, jot down the successes and continue building your confidence, till you are ready to use another tool.
It’s okay to make mistakes, you will learn from them, however keep in mind to be patient when trying new things. We suggest that you advise your students that you are trying something new, and do ask for their help, since this might also help motivating them in class too! Try, ask your peers to check out what you have developed and get feedback from them too. The key is that you should keep trying till you achieve what you initially had in mind. If you get stuck, search for further tips or guidance...remember you will not be the first one trying, nor the last! Feel free also to get in contact with us via this portal or directly via email / Skype.
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Tip 3: Technology is there to replace / improve
Don’t consider the implementation of technology as a concept that it will add more things to your plate, however think of it as a way to replace or improve something you are already doing.For instance, if you already give a sheet with open-ended questions to your students, you should consider using a discussion board (forum) instead! Another example, try doing an online quiz instead of giving the students homework on paper.
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Tip 4: Don’t reinvent the wheel
Yes we mean it...sometimes you don’t have to recreate everything from scratch, there are a lot of resources out there, available for free (or sometimes against a fee) that you could make use of. Although some resources might not be exactly as you wish, you can always take some ideas and adapt them according to the topic and audience.
It’s not a big deal if something goes wrong, simply make sure that you have a plan B especially if you are in a classroom. For instance, you might lose internet connection as soon as you are about to show your students a video from Youtube...Therefore think of ways how to minimise such risks. In this case, have the video downloaded on your computer.
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Unit 3: What is blended learning?
As already slightly mentioned previously, blended learning combines classroom learning with online learning, in which students can, in part, control the time, pace, and place of their learning. Blended learning goes a bit further than simply adding computers in classrooms, in many cases, it requires as well the changing of how teachers and students handle the learning experience. Several studies shows that blended learning help improve student attitude towards learning, this particular applied for part-time students. In conjunction with this, it has been found that by incorporating such technologies, students communicate better and evaluate the data and the information available better. On another note, for a blended learning strategy to work, technical resources need to be easy-to-use, up-to-date and their effectiveness measured on the student experience.
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6 Models of Blended Learning
See this infographic to learn more about blended learning! Click here to see image in high resolution.
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The Models of Blended Learning
Face-to-Face Driver Model In this model, teachers do not implement the blended learning model for all their students in class, but would pick and choose those that are lagging a bit behind in order to give them additional resources online that would hopefully help to catch up with the rest of the class. Rotation Model Here some students would be given time to access online materials on computers whilst others would be working with the teacher in a smaller group. The teams rotate every now and then so that all students get the chance of more individual attention. Flex Model In this case students who are at risk of early school leaving are allowed to use online as their primary source of learning with teacher intervention where needed. This allows the students to move at their own pace and removes a lot of the stresses of being in a classroom environment Online Lab Model In this model some students would learn particular subjects completely online. This is useful for those subject areas which are maybe not taught at particular locations because of lack of numbers making it feasible to have a teacher present Self-Blend Model This model is for the high achievers who want to challenge themselves even more and take additional classes over and above those that are taught in the normal day-to-day class. In this case it would be the students who would decide which additional subject areas to study online. Online Driver Model This final model is ideal for the flipped classroom approach whereby students are predominantly online, and can even interact with their teachers through online chats, leaving the time in the classroom for in-depth discussions and clarifications.
From your smart phone on a browser (Chrome or Safari) and visit: www.kahoot.it PIN: 13395URL for Teacher: https://play.kahoot.it/#/?quizId=7b800b0e-b1ae-49ad-9d54-f7d55ce0879a
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Unit 5: Improving your soft skills
We will be discovering how to improve different soft skills. Improving these soft skills, will also help you in improve your teaching methods. - Teamwork
- Listening Skills
- Persuasion
- Accountability
- Cooperation
- Time Management
- Communication/ Presentation Skills
- Emotional Intelligence
- Stress Management / Problem Solving Skills
Listening SkillsThe use of teams in the classroom is intended to foster sharing and debate about ideas and alternative solutions. Strong listening skills help a student perform better by showing support of others when they speak, along with better understanding the ideas they share. This improves team chemistry. Good listening skills are sometimes an afterthought compared to the ability to share ideas, but are equally important.
PersuasionWhile listening to the ideas of other team members, a knowledgeable team member must often use his/her skills of persuasion to convince others to go along with his suggestion. Teams often use different approaches to come to agreements, but in certain situations, the team member with the best experience in a given situation needs to step up and sell that experience and point of view to ultimately bring out the best solution.
AccountabilityResponsibility and accountability are closely related traits that are critical to teamwork. Teams often distribute tasks to different team members. To achieve success, it is important that each team member accept accountability and complete his duties in a timely fashion. Along with being accountable for task completion, the skill of accountability means that you acknowledge and take responsibility for mistakes.
CooperationCooperation is a general skill that encompasses a helpful nature and willingness to participate actively within the team. Work teams succeed only when all members are fully engaged in sharing ideas and performing tasks. These cooperative attributes make a student much more valuable to his team. Active participation and cooperation also earns the respect of other team members, making them more willing to hear your ideas.
Time Management“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst” - William Penn https://vimeo.com/73718123 https://vimeo.com/101559027 http://www.studygs.net/timman.htm https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=50&v=go5XyuI7DkA
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Communication and Presentation Skills
Communication and Presentation Skills• Successful communication must include: - Focus & concentration
- Proper presentation of information whether verbally or written
- Active listening
- Asking questions
- Business communication
- Public speech
• The ability to speak fluently using the right word in the right order is good communication • Message using appropriate vocabulary and syntax form effective communication • Learn Languages!
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Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence- Humans are a social animal & his success in life largely depends on his relationship & interaction with others
- We must respect the views & sentiments of others.
- When we want to differ their views, we must very politely give hints to them without wondering their feelings
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Stress Management / Problem Solving skills
Stress ManagementWe all respond to stress differently so, there’s no “one size fits all” solution to managing stress. But if you feel like the stress in your life is out of control, it’s time to take action. Stress management can teach you healthier ways to cope with stress, help you reduce its harmful effects, and prevent stress from spiraling out of control again in the future. No matter how powerless you may feel in the face of stress, you still have control over your lifestyle, thoughts, emotions, and the way you deal with problems. Stress management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing your reaction when you can’t, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation. The first step is to recognize the true sources of stress in your life. Problem Solving skills- Analytical abilities = developing solutions rather than merely identifying the problem
- Thinking outside the box
- Proactive not reactive = alert to potential risks & threats
- Knowledgeable
- Defining problems and finding solutions through brainstorming with each other
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Unit 6: Lesson Plan Tools
Tools that can be used for Lesson Plans: www.planboardapp.com Planboard app is part of www.chalk.com, a portal for lesson planning, assessments and attendance. This portal is a little bit more challenging to use, but is very good if you want to move from paper to online plan board! Keep each class updated, by shifting the lessons, and add different files, links and videos to remember what you will show your students in the classroom. www.commoncurriculum.com This tool allows you to collaborate in real time, create plans for different classrooms and different days of the week. Furthermore one can easily share and print such lessons plans.
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