5 Crucial Distance Learning Tips K12 Educators Should Know
- Kevin Kuckkan, M.Ed.
- Aug 26, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
That first day of school is a momentous occasion regardless of the student's age: new beginnings, new opportunities, new teachers, new schedules, what clothes to wear, etc.
As a former math teacher, I viewed the start of each school year the same as my students did, excited for the start of another adventure and expectant of great experiences that may lie ahead for both myself and my students!
But that first day doesn't just 'happen' without a considerable amount of planning and preparation. Prior to classes starting, teachers have taken the time to review course scope and sequence, complete preliminary unit lesson planning for the first few weeks, and perhaps create bulletin board content.
In this article, we'll share 4 first-hand tips for preparing for your virtual learning environment.
Just like in-person instruction, preparing to teach in a successful virtual learning environment requires us to complete similar organizational tasks. Fischer, Frey, Hattie (2020) have developed a preparation checklist designed to help ensure successful instruction and student engagement in the virtual or distance learning classroom.
1) Create a virtual classroom management plan
In addition to explicit expectations related to routines and procedures, write a few sentences to share your teaching philosophy, your views and beliefs about how learning should take place in your virtual classroom. Consider how your remote classroom management tool can work with you.
When done, post it on your LMS in parent/student-friendly format.
More frequent negative student-teacher interactions take place within classrooms without a class-wide approach to learning (Conroy et al., 2008).
Creating your classroom management plan for distance learning own could go a long way to ensuring success in your virtual classroom.
What would your 3-4 sentence Virtual Classroom Management Plan look like?
2) Set online learning expectations for students
Classroom norms come down to differentiating between rules and agreements. Rules tend to be more compliance-based ('Raise your hand if you want to speak').
In contrast, agreements typically convey higher expectations and emphasize a collaborative classroom spirit ('Respectfully listen and respond to classmates' comments, even if you disagree.').
It's a misnomer that creating classroom norms is an effective classroom strategy strictly for younger students. Well-crafted classroom agreements have also been found to positively impact teacher-student relationships and student engagement in the adolescent classroom. (Matsumara et al., (2008).
Even young students can discern the difference between right and wrong, so including students in the creation of the classroom agreement provides a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate your collaborative spirit as an instructor - while providing students with a sense of shared ownership over their own learning experience.
Virtual Classroom Tips You Should Adopt
Here are some tips to help you get started in developing your virtual classroom agreements:
Keep the number lower, ideally 3-6 total
Re-angle rules as agreements. Collaborate with students to create an agreement list
Be positive and avoid 'Don't do' type of statements
State expected behaviors explicitly, be specific. Post them in your virtual class
Model the rules so students can learn what they should look and sound like when put into practice
3) Identify expectations for distance learning
In preparation for virtual learning, address specific questions with students and share a similar checklist as below to ensure students are aware of the learning intentions, goals and expectations for each virtual learning session.
Download our free Virtual learning checklist for students to prepare this semester!
4) Develop organizational and procedural routines
To mirror the in-class environment, teachers should place specific organizational and procedural elements in the virtual classroom to help ensure that learning can occur.
Set up regular schedule posts: Some districts may already have protocols in place, but be sure to make weekly and monthly schedules available and make sure both students and parents know where to locate them on your LMS.
Start with a class agenda: At the start of class, provide students with a schedule for that particular period. This schedule is a great tool for students who may struggle with task transitioning or students with disabilities who may require additional structure.
Agree on the signal: Educate your students on the signals you'll be using to gain their attention, when they can engage with classmates or when you're transitioning to another activity. For example, consider using a visible online timer so that students are aware of the allotted time for tasks, transitions or independent work.
Mark folders clearly: Make sure digital folders are labeled by date/topic and that steps to obtaining class materials are explicit – this will alleviate potential frustration once classes are underway. Also, indicate which materials need to be printed in advance of an activity.
Standardize assignment hand-ins: Set up the process for handing in assignments. Make it clear to name the file with the student's last name, name of the course, and a brief description.
Also read: How Can AI Help in K12 Education?
Bonus: Design an accessible website
Most districts are aware, but in the event your district isn't, Section 8 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998 mandates federal agencies to make websites accessible to those with disabilities.
Typical LMS programs used in K12 address this issue, but consult your district for nuances or requirements within your district.
Create four distinct sections for the school website:
Landing Page
Including your full contact info, course description, and a direct link to your school email address allowing students and parents to contact you with one click
Student Page
This is where you can house your course syllabus, the classroom management plan, project and assignment details. Possibly consider housing handouts and other related materials out here as well. The goal should be clarity, easy navigability and accessibility. We want to avoid 'I went out there, but I couldn't find it on the website' discussions from taking place.
Parent Page
Conference information, details about grading and report cards, as well as helpful links and content sites providing parents with easy access to support resources they can utilize to help their child. You may also want to consider additional information detailing your professional training and teaching experiences.
FAQ Page
This section may be helpful to answer common questions that may come up.
The Distance Learning Playbook for K12 provides a wealth of tips and guidance should you want to learn more about setting up a successful virtual classroom.
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