As schools close down amid COVID-19, remote learning is set to become the popular alternative for traditional classroom teaching. Many schools are setting up online learning centers to ensure that students carry on with their studies.

Various factors need to be assessed before launching an online learning program. For one, schools must ensure that students have access to the tools that make online learning a reality. If a school caters to students in a poverty-ridden area, this idea would be misplaced.

The following are some key strategies that schools may have to implement to ensure that their online education platforms become successful.

1. Research students’ background

This move is inspired by the need to understand what percentage of students can take to online learning without much of an inconvenience. We live in a modern world where technology has penetrated all corners of the world. But even though there’s a computer in the living room, that’s no guarantee that a student would have an easy time using it for their online studies; maybe they are a big family and everybody is planning to use it! However, if all students seem to have a device, and easy access to the internet, that’s a great start.

2. Practice

Schools that equip their students with digital learning experience are galaxies ahead. As the virus spreads, more schools are going to be closed, and if they are planning to shift to online platforms, they had better practice. This ensures that both students and teachers are on the same page. Teachers with little to no experience in online teaching benefit from practicing beforehand on how to execute their lessons via the internet.

3. Provide clear guidelines

The role of communication in successful online learning cannot be overstated. Students, teachers, and parents, are coming from a place of curiosity and anxiety. There ought to be a comprehensive guide that explains the whole online learning model. Students should read the guide and have not a single question lingering in their minds. The FAQ section should address the concerns that students, teachers, or parents might have. Having a comprehensive guide ensures that resources are preserved, students are comfortable, but most importantly, it helps schools achieve their end goal: making progress as far as the academic calendar.

4. Plan

Creating a smooth-running online platform is not something you can accomplish at the snap of a finger. It takes tremendous work and the cooperation of different entities. Thus, the upper-level management must come together and make a watertight plan that promises a solid online learning platform. Also, planning ensures that resources are not wasted.

5. Emphasize robust learning

Teachers must desist from dumping loads of information on the students. Learning via the internet is not the same as sitting in a classroom. There are numerous distractions with the internet, and so teachers must deliver concise material, and ensure that their lectures are on the shorter side. It also helps to inject lessons with humor and personality to boost students’ motivation.

6. Set goals

The online coursework must be bound by short-term goals. This is for helping teachers understand whether or not they are making progress. Setting goals also helps teachers frame their lessons in a manner that caters to their students’ needs.

7. Use the right tools

High production standards boost engagement. If students were to log in to the online learning center and their teachers were hardly recognizable from the poor-quality video and sound, their optimism would diminish. Online learning platforms must be supported by tools that ensure superior-quality production. It makes learning fun. There are both paid and free tools.

Posted on | 3/26/2020 | Shan S.Haider