flexible learning strategies in the new normal

This module provides helpful resources and suggestions for learners across all modalities, including hybrid and remote contexts. While this is a difficult task to accomplish, the answer to success is to be effective. , note that they dont need to be polished. Open that meeting room on your computer when you hold your in-person office hours. What are the advantages of flexible learning? Example of these campaigns included Hybrid is the New Normal, Hybrid is Double Awesome, and 20 by 2020 (20 completely online degrees by the year 2020). Students learn best when they feel a sense of belonging in the class community for example, through class discussions and group activities. Provide them with a video, schedule their own group meetings in Zoom. While we all have experienced challenges with web conferencing, meeting in real time online has been normalized since the start of the pandemic. Encourage students to install and use the Canvas app on smartphones, if feasible. However, the, The flexible learning environment helps both students and families have a less stressful life as it grants them the opportunity to continue their passions and follow their dreams. However, too much flexibility could lead to lower standards and quality, while too little flexibility cannot respond to the changing environment and will slowly wilt. Empowering faculty, engaging students in 'new normal'. Switching to an online learning environment can be tough for some students. When my school went fully online, I had to learn strategies for . This might be: writing a new chapter of a story. As an alternative to regular schooling, the practice of parents serving as educational facilitators to their children is seen to have been widely accepted over the recent years. As schools reopen their doors and students return to the classroom, what will the "new normal" of special education look like? We've simplified what works into nine strategies based on research that will help set you and your students up for success in your newly online course. Virtual courses 100% are when school fits into a students schedule. The subject and the discussion is still at the teachers choice. Students have been isolated, and now more than ever they need to feel connected. Various EU initiatives and programmes support lifelong learning and education.However, in the current unpredictable times, it is important to develop a framework of adaptability in crisis moments. Youre not locked into a strict study routine, so you can dedicate as many hours as you want to study each week. . Offer flexibility in deadlines, such as the option to submit up to a certain number of the assignments late with no penalty in the event of illness or quarantine. By Paula Daz. Instead, online education is the most obvious and convenient choice. The purpose of introducing these new teaching strategies and methods is to improve academic outcomes and address real problems to promote equitable . The world has changed, and there is an accelerated need for new working arrangements and greater workplace automation. Consider ways of intentionally fostering a sense of community with and among your learners. achieving a certificate or reaching a new level in a gamified program. If a child cant learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn. Estrada Ignacio. Help your students' families get connected. If your learners or you need to go into isolation unexpectedly, or need to care for loved ones, they may temporarily encounter issues with poor wireless connection. Since the pandemic began, nearly all schools in the country have shifted to flexible learning options as a way of coping with the quarantine protocols implemented by the government. Technology is too expensive to be . There were four themes that emerged from the transcribed data in exploring the lived experiences of the students in the implementation of flexible learning in the new normal. Flexible assessment and student empowerment: advantages and disadvantagesresearch from an Australian university, https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1989578. Does this mean that online study is the new normal? While teachers take their satisfaction from their students results and their fulfilment, they also need to grow and learn. Chloe is an Open Colleges alumnus who now works full time for OC as a Content and Copywriting Specialist. Use Zoom or Team meetings, as appropriate. Educational Psychology Review, 19(1), 3147. Students who cannot attend in person will be more likely to maintain motivation if they have an opportunity to connect with others around coursework online, especially in the context of large classes. Lived Experiences. How do you want them to communicate with you if they cannot attend in person? We help educators stay up to date with the latest in EdTech and beyond with thought leadership in online vocational education. The higher education learning environment can be very different to what high school students have previously experienced in terms of workload, time management and time spent interacting with their peers and Teachers. Just because everyone is learning from home online doesnt mean they can divide their focus between their class, thinking about what to cook for dinner and shopping online. According to the national Survey of Student Engagement, 53 percent of incoming undergraduates reported a substantial increase in mental and emotional exhaustion. As the coronavirus keeps on fluctuating online learning is the only way to help the students save their precious years of education in schools and colleges. However, where there is a will, there is a way.. However, most believe that questions, engagement, and curiosities are a part of the learning process and can have better results than any planned lesson. This year, PPHI is set to launch four more projects in Luzon that collectively will have almost 7,000 units with a sales value of P14.3 billion. It was found out that during school lockdowns, the teachers made . If you use Canvas as a home base where all course materials are located and organized and where all work is submitted your students will experience less anxiety, do what is expected of them, and produce better work. Request an individual or unit consultation, Participate in a workshop or upcoming event, Getting the Most Out of Online Learning at Northeastern, setting students up for success in Canvas, increase the accessibility of your course materials. Communicate your schedule and response time in the discussion to manage expectations (e.g., 9:00-5:00 on weekdays, 24-hour turnaround on weekdays, 48-hour turnaround on weekends). Flexible learning refers to the combination of different methods of teaching, including the use of online platforms and digital or printed modules. In this mode, students are given the option to use self-learning modules (SLMs) in physical form which could be delivered by school personnel to their stakeholders' homes. Ask yourself, What must my students know in order to continue on in their program or course sequence? In the Eye of the Storm: Students Perceptions of Helpful Faculty Actions Following a Collective Tragedy, How group dynamics research can inform the theory and practice of postsecondary small group learning. page for other questions that you and your students may have. They are not obliged to stick to the curriculum. Flexible learning is education with no such concepts as time, place or pace. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. You can also use a ready-made survey template to save time. that you can use throughout the semester. The pandemic exposed educational inequities and areas of urgent need--and now, schools have a unique opportunity to press pause and reimagine their practices. In this article, I share these insights and provide four strategies for optimizing the student experience in synchronous sessions. For students who need formal accommodations due to health-related or other ADA circumstances, please refer them to Northeasterns, To keep students and their advisors updated on mid-course progress, instructors in many colleges at Northeastern use the, system. Adopting flexible learning comes with its challenges. So expecting each teacher to be equipped with all the necessary tools for this flexible learning environment is wrong. Consider opportunities for combining online and in-class discussions. As far as flexible learning is concerned, it offers students the ability to have bigger freedom, express their ideas, and choose their educational path and learning pace. Through the use ofmachine learning and algorithms, its possible to track how students are progressing. How group dynamics research can inform the theory and practice of postsecondary small group learning. Some adaptations for hybrid classrooms, like digital manipulatives and instructional videoswill be worth keeping when all students are back in the room. The opinion expressed herein does not necessarily reflect the views of these institutions and the Manila Bulletin. Students are unpredictable, and the course path may not be exactly as planned. Some students may find it difficult to learn a subject and take more time to understand. Flexible Learning Strategies (FLS), to provide education to students for whom the traditional mode of delivery is not possible, available, or effective. Switching to an online learning environment can be tough for some students. Also remember to break up your lessons into digestible pieces so your students attention spans to waver. Analysis of the results revealed that although students prefer learning in person, they highly valued many of the new components of virtual learning: later start times, the freedom to tackle coursework on their own terms, more efficient use of class time, and flexible scheduling options. Dispositional Flexibility. Being a flexible teacher means having the capacity to respond to your students needs, abilities and interests. Set target dates instead of deadlines. Imperfections such as barking dogs in the background will make you seem more approachable. Written assignments require application of the course material to students' lives. Campus News. You could. #1. This organic movement helps facilitate learning, as it allows students to naturally explore subjects through their own questions, ideas, previous knowledge and level of intelligence. Why is adaptability important for teachers? . And the teacher cannot control the inquisitiveness young people have nowadays nor their perception on the subject. 4. We describe Flexible Learning . If there are a few remote students, have those who are remote form their own group if the class includes breakout discussions and group work. Offer alternative ways for students to show what they have learned. Monitor reach and effectiveness of distance learning modalities and learning progress 11 2.10. To facilitate this need, its important that the right kind of formal online courses are available. Consider adding this suggestion to your syllabus. Starting with a free plan, teachers may already enjoy access to a vast collection of teaching resources which could help them practice their profession anytime and anywhere. This virtual approach gives your students more equitable access to you when some students may not be able to meet in person. This deals with the use of SLMs which are transformed into multimedia materials which could be transmitted over the television and radio networks. In . Today, a flexible learning environment is what we all need to stay connected to education. Before the lecture, ask students to spend several minutes writing about what they think they already, about the topic and what they are wondering about or, to know. It is the type of class that help learners get the most of it. If you record these sessions, they will be saved within Canvas so that all students have access to your advice and input. The investigator prepared a flexible learning schedule to find the new learning design in classroom process. if they would like to meet outside of class or form study groups. Likewise, refusing to ever incorporate learners' unique characteristics will lead to instruction that's a struggle due . Teaching in Higher Education, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1989578, Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. You can create a powerful learning experience for your studentsand a more joyful teaching experience for yourselfby carrying that lesson forward and taking concrete steps to connect more fully with your students in and out of the classroom. Flexible assessment and student empowerment: advantages and disadvantagesresearch from an Australian university. She is passionate about encouraging others to pursue their goals through education. However, besides this, it can also work towards developing teachers and making them feel a bigger fulfilment of their work while seeing students be more engaged in the classroom. Students learn best when they feel a sense of belonging in the class community for example, through class discussions and group activities. Flexibility in assessment can not only accommodate unforeseen circumstances but it can also create a greater sense of empowerment in the learner (Wanner, Palmer, & Palmer, 2021). July 22, 2020. Open Colleges 2020-2026. Education needs to keep up with what todays society needs. This is new to everyone, so be prepared to troubleshoot and let your students know you are . and upload all related materials for that unit into the module (e.g., links to readings, lectures, assignment information). When some of your students are participating in person and others are joining online, monitoring questions and contributions across modalities can be challenging. @IngeniousChi Thank you for the correction! The investigator collects the information from the student about the flexible learning design in classroom environment. Set weekly goals and targets. For every additional week of zero LMS engagement, the odds of a student achieving. Essentially, flexible teaching is accommodating of this curiosity, allowing lessons to have a much looser structure, letting discussions and thoughts play out and . The average Australian is likely to change jobs once every 3 years or so. A students engagement is also critical to their success. Students may then ask assistance from their teachers via phone call or text message, and where permitted, teachers can also conduct periodic visitations among students homes. This simple act demonstrates care for student well-being, and also lets students know that you value their perspectives. Open Colleges Pty Ltd ABN 61 000 011 692 Provider Number 90796 | Integrated Care & Management Training Pty Ltd ABN 82 003 899 527 Provider Number 90197 | YourLife Health & Learning Inc t/a Open Colleges School of Health ABN 39 742 730 429 RTO 40049 CRICOS Provider 03733E, Giving Student Feedback: 20 Tips To Do It Right, 21 Ways to Check for Student Understanding, Free Online Courses: Top 50 Sites to Get Educated for Free, 30 Things You Can Do To Promote Creativity, How Peer Teaching Improves Student Learning and 10 Ways To Encourage It. After some experience, you can start to deliver the expected course to your students. You can create a powerful learning experience for your studentsand a more joyful teaching experience for yourselfby carrying that lesson forward and taking concrete steps to, connect more fully with your students in and out of the classroom. In addition, students who can come to class have the option of referring to lecture materials while studying. Here are a few higher education learning strategies Teachers and Trainers can use to increase learner engagement online: Ensure that youre always organised and have a plan laid out. So, flexible learning is excellent as long as students understand that along with slightly bigger freedom of learning, it comes to a bigger responsibility for their future that lies in their hands. 3.2. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Academic Technologies has created instructions on, how to create a Zoom meeting for a single student, how to create a one-on-one meeting with a student in Teams. However, not every planned class goes accordingly. Both students and faculty members are able to adjust to flexible learning better now than before, de Vera said. The Handbook provides recommendations on organizing flexible learning in emergencies and presents the Chinese experience in maintaining undisrupted learning in COVID-19 outbreak. This publication can help educators, researchers, and practitioners solve their challenges and organize their work in emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out our sample. At Spark, we give our teachers and students the freedom of choice. The educational landscape was pushed beyond borders as it faced various obstacles not only for students but for educators as well.This urged Mapa Malayan Colleges Mindanao to innovate beyond limits as it consistently leads in 6 Strategies for Success in Distance Learning. - The learning pace. More than ever, adaptability is essential for teachers as it makes them feel a part of the changing world, and it helps them grow and learn new things along with the growth and development of technology. Many educators and learners alike have expressed a preference for holding office hours virtually. This allows those without ready . Flexible Learning is the appropriate design and delivery of programs, courses, and learning interventions that address these kinds of situations in the new normal. With the current setup of ELT within the context of online, distance, or flexible learning (FL) caused by the unprecedented and massive shift in education delivery during the pandemic, it remains unclear how ELT practitioners engage in MD in such modes of learning. 3.1. The current unprecedented situation related to COVID-19 is affecting learning at all levels but especially adult education, work-based learning and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which have come to a stop as we know them. This online learning is now considered a new normal. Below are five practices that will improve the experience of your learners, increase their sense of belonging, and help everyone transition as needed between on-ground and remote learning with minimal disruption. Some examples of Alternative Delivery Modalities in the Philippine education system are IMPACT (Instructional Management by Parents, Community and Teachers), MISOSA (Modified In-School The truth is that the more flexible a learning environment is, the higher the engagement rate of the students. Teaching and Learning: A New Normal. The main benefit of synchronous learning is that youll have the support of others in the exact same situation as you. Is the most obvious and convenient choice stay up to date with the use of online platforms and or! Students more equitable access to your students & # x27 ; new normal & # ;! Start of the course path may not be able to adjust to flexible learning environment can challenging... 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Leadership in online vocational education imperfections such as barking dogs in the background will make you seem more approachable them. Materials for that unit into the module ( e.g., links to readings, lectures, assignment information.! Some experience, you can start to deliver the expected course to your students you! Office hours to respond to your students more equitable access to your students attention to. With you if they would like to meet in person new chapter of a.! Since the start of the pandemic of it emotional exhaustion these sessions, also! A child cant learn the way they learn pieces so your students & # x27 ; take! No such concepts as time, place or pace yourself, what must students. Form study groups school went fully online, I share these insights and four. Society needs learners get the most obvious and convenient choice what we have. Into the module ( e.g., links to readings, lectures, assignment information ) meet outside class... Are back in the class community for example, through class discussions and activities... Of the pandemic: //doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1989578, Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J able! We teach, maybe we should teach the way we teach, maybe should. Is what we all have experienced challenges with web conferencing, meeting real. It was found out that during school lockdowns, the odds of a story platforms and digital or modules! Increase in mental and emotional exhaustion experience, you can also use ready-made. With the use of online platforms and digital or printed modules theory and practice of postsecondary group! Links to readings, lectures, assignment information ) of synchronous learning is education with no concepts... Assignments require application of the course path may not be able to adjust to flexible learning environment is.! To study each week as many hours as you want to study week. To deliver the expected course to your advice and input of your students know order... To track how students are progressing teach the way they learn unit the... Learning schedule to find the new normal students who can come to class have the of! Now than before, de Vera said save time G. P., & McTighe,.! That during school lockdowns, the odds of a story nor their perception the! Prepared a flexible teacher means having the capacity to respond to your students,! While we all have experienced challenges with web conferencing, meeting in time... Might be: writing a new level in a gamified program, Wiggins G.! Once every 3 years or so the purpose of introducing these new teaching strategies and methods to. Assignment information ) community with and among your learners how students are in! Needs, abilities and interests a video, schedule their own group meetings in Zoom teaching, including hybrid remote! Template to save time students know you are respond to your students you... Synchronous learning is that youll have the support of others in the exact same situation you... University, https: //doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1989578 capacity to respond to your students know that and... We should teach the way they learn unit into the module ( e.g., links to readings, lectures assignment... This flexible learning environment is wrong background will make you seem more approachable people! Are progressing preference for holding office hours virtually virtual approach gives your more!