Eff ective Remote Learning

8| SEPTEMBER 2020 | BACK TO SCHOOL Tips for effective remote learning

An increased reliance on factors outside of one’s control virtual home instruction has during virtual instruction, but many students rethinking their maintaining consistency with organizational strategies and tools and schedules is one way to daily school schedules. Learnfeel more confi dent and secure. ing at home is diff erent from being in a traditional classroom Check student accounts environment, but with some effrequently fective strategies, students can Just like students, teachers persevere without missing a may be learning as they go in beat. regard to remote learning strat

Stick to a schedule to check school email accounts

Many students are successful or other places where teachers because they follow a schedule. post assignments a few times Routines and schedules are imper day so that they stay on portant because they infl uence top of all assignments and are a child’s emotional and cogniaware of due dates. tive development. Children feel secure with schedules, which Reach out to instructors may help them recognize what’s Students should contact their expected of them. teachers if they are unsure of

When learning at home, stuhow to participate in remote dents should strive to maintain learning environments. Ask as consistent a schedule as posquestions about assignments, get sible, including bedtimes, wake clarifi cation on key topics and times, hours devoted to learnbe sure to tune into any remote ing, and time to get outside or chats or virtual offi ce hours. engage in downtime activities. egies. Students should be sure

Stay in touch with guidance,

Connect live if possible if needed

Th ere are many free tools Remote learning is a new and resources available that experience for many students, enable teachers to provide live and there may be certain strugvideo lessons or to record them gles or road blocks. It can be so students can watch them easy to grow frustrated with later. Similarly, social networkequipment failures or lack of ing apps and virtual meeting in-person interaction. Schools programs enable students to employ qualifi ed therapists connect digitally. Th is can be and guidance counselors who helpful for collaborative learnare just a click, call or email ing assignments or just to see a away if issues need to be talked familiar face. through. Students should utilize all resources made available

Stick to tools that work to them.

Once students fi nd apps or Virtual home instruction can systems that work, they should be made even easier with some stick with them. Th ere are many extra assistance and guidance.

How to manage low bandwidth

One of the biggest challenges stream to instruct those students to posed by remote learning is keeping use class time to complete assignstudents connected to their teachments. Educators can make themers and their classmates, not all of selves available via chat to answer whom had readily available access questions students may have about to devices that could facilitate such their assignments. connections. In recognition of that • Avoid video-based assignments. challenge, school systems worked to It can be diffi cult for students with procure devices for students only to low bandwidth to send very large be confronted by another challenge: fi les, such as videos. Educators can low bandwidth. help students avoid that issue by not

According to Microsoft , bandcan help to overcome the challengrequiring them to submit videos as width refers to the amount of data es posed by low bandwidth, as live part of their assignments. that can be transferred over an invideo is a key contributor to exces• Encourage students to sync fi les ternet connection per second. Low sive use of bandwidth. If video must to their devices. Each device is difbandwidth can compromise stube used, encourage students to turn ferent and each manufacturer has dents’ ability to stay connected to off their cameras when they are not its own instructions on how to sync their virtual classrooms. In an eff ort speaking. fi les to devices. But Microsoft notes to help students overcome that chal• Use pre-recorded content. Prethat syncing fi les to a device allows lenge, Microsoft off ers the following recording content enables students students to read them offl ine, which tips on how educators, students and to stream video over the internet, is ideal for students with limited inparents can manage low bandwidth saving those with low bandwidth the ternet connectivity. during remote learning sessions. hassle of downloading large video Low bandwidth poses a challenge • Reduce reliance on video durfi les to their computers. Microsoft for remote learners. Th ankfully, there ing class sessions. Turning video recommends educators who preare ways to overcome low bandwidth cameras off during live class sessions record content for their students to so students can keep learning.

Helping children navigate social distancing

Children may be more deeply afsocial development. void created by social distancing. fected by social distancing than any Th e longer social distancing re• Participate in a scavenger hunt. other group of people. In a matter strictions are in place, the more Join or organize a neighborhood of weeks, millions of young children these developments may adversely scavenger hunt. Walk around the and adolescents went from attendaff ect youngsters. neighborhood looking for school ing school in the classroom to beParents can take steps to help kids mascot pictures in windows or raining told they had to work exclusively cope during these uncertain times. bows on doors, advise the childcare from home. At the same time, chil• Set up digital play dates. Th e experts at Children’s Hospital of dren also were asked to give up their connectivity of the internet enables Philadelphia. Th is activity can mainsports teams, clubs, meetings, and people to keep in touch even if they tain a sense of connection with your play dates. Older children may uncannot be together physically. Encommunity. derstand the how and why of social courage children to engage their • Create time for physical activity. distancing, but no matter their ages, friends via online chats, ideally ones Exercise can tame stress, improve kids may be left emotionally adrift as that feature video so they can see and mood and be great for the body in social distancing guidelines stay in hear their friends. Parents of young myriad ways. Children and teens place. children can reach out to one anothshould exercise each day. Families

No one is certain about what the er and establish digital play dates via can exercise together to make physilong-term eff ects of social distancing FaceTime or another virtual meeting cal activity more fun. will be on both children and adults. app. • Set new goals. Ask everyone to

Amy Learmonth, Ph.D., a devel• Lighten up on screen time redo their part to complete “to-do” opmental psychologist at the Cogstrictions. Each person has a diflists or make a set of goals to achieve nition, Memory and Development ferent way to cope with social diswhile social distancing. Checking off Lab at William Paterson University tancing and pass the time. Children items on the list as they’re completed in New Jersey, notes that early somay spend more time on tablets, can give everyone a sense of accomcial development takes place mostly watching television or playing video plishment. within the family. games. For now, parents can be a Children may need a morale boost

As children age, their peer group bit more lenient and understanding while practicing social distancing, becomes the more important hub of about how technology can fi ll the and parents can help in various ways.