Virtual synchronous learning

hank755 wrote: ↑ In recent weeks, I've asked me trustee, principal and teacher friends about what virtual synchronous learning might entail. No one knows whether teachers will use a blackboard/whiteboard or other visual tools during the video calls.

I've gone online attempting to get an inkling. I found this video which seems very good. Can anyone in the education establishment comment on whether virtual learning will be like this for the younger grades?

Thanks!

Virtual synchronous learning

OntEdTchr wrote: ↑ The short answer is that we have no idea. We don't even know for sure whether we're teaching virtually or face-to-face, at least among teachers that don't have 10+ years seniority. Some schools have over half of their students online with a dozen or more teachers being redeployed to the virtual school and while some of us have been told that we're probably being redeployed, nobody knows for sure. Even those teachers that are almost certain that they'll be teaching virtually don't know what grade(s) or subject(s) they're teaching yet, so no preparation can be done. I wouldn't teach 4th graders the same way I'd teach 1st graders, but primary/junior qualified teachers could be assigned to either.

What I would imagine is that school boards will provide resources and support to teachers but that it will be up to us to use the tools that we're comfortable with. I think that video is fairly accurate for younger students when the teacher is teaching the whole class but there will also likely be some small group and one-on-one conferences throughout the day. It's going to take a while to find the tools that work, and we'll probably discover plenty that don't along the way. A logical starting point for teachers would be to teach as though the kids are in the class but replaced by a camera and then fill in the gaps from there. There might also be some screencasting of information or videos.

For my 6s-8s in the spring, my synchronous teaching mostly involved screencasting on Google Meet. I'd have some math lesson up and go through it with the students or have the text of a book we were reading or a Slides presentation that I might have shown in class.

hank755 wrote: ↑ In recent weeks, I've asked me trustee, principal and teacher friends about what virtual synchronous learning might entail. No one knows whether teachers will use a blackboard/whiteboard or other visual tools during the video calls.

I've gone online attempting to get an inkling. I found this video which seems very good. Can anyone in the education establishment comment on whether virtual learning will be like this for the younger grades?

Thanks!

Virtual synchronous learning

dolfan1980 wrote: ↑ we elected to send ours back to the classroom as I believe the risk associated with lost schooling and social development probably outweighs the risk of covid in our school. A terrible choice for parents to have to make, but here we are.

Kiraly wrote: ↑ At least you got a choice. They didn't give us that in BC.

dolfan1980 wrote: ↑ Here in Ottawa, it seems it will be a slight step above what we had in the spring, with a promise that it will be much better without much indication how that will happen within the next 7 days. As a result, we elected to send ours back to the classroom as I believe the risk associated with lost schooling and social development probably outweighs the risk of covid in our school. A terrible choice for parents to have to make, but here we are. Most teachers I know and have touched base with have no idea what is happening either, so that's a pretty good indication to me that anything other than the normal school delivery is going to be a gong show.

fogetmylogin wrote: ↑ Barring a child with cancer etc. is this even debatable? The only question is if you have a grandparent living at home or a parent with a serious illness. Otherwise the decision is not even close.

It is shocking how much more sensible Quebec is on this issue.