Quality education is reaching the most inaccessible corners with the help of digital platforms. Technology ha snow become the lens through which we explore the world. The world has changed in ways more than imaginable and the education sector is headed in the right direction. Online classes have become an integral part of the education system. Digital classes are more convenient and easy for students than traditional classrooms. Due to these reasons, majority of teachers have started digital classes.
To meet the curriculum goals, lesson planning and digital classrooms play an essential role. Several steps are involved in creating an online classroom, for example, planning the lessons, setting objectives for students, curating study materials, and creating assessment methods.
Over the past few years, digital classes have evolved immensely. Students can learn in whichever way they want, regardless of their location. We discuss the steps required to create your first digital classroom.
Advantages of online learning platforms:
The advantages of online learning platforms are as follows:
1. Flexibility – Online learning provides flexibility to the students to study from anywhere. This allows students to work while studying, as they are not tied to a strict schedule of going back to school and then repeating the same timetable. A majority of students choose to study online in order to work simultaneously on other things or extra courses that matter to them.
2. Cost-effective – E-learning is cost-effective. There is no cost for commuting. There are no fuel charges, no maintenance cost, no miscellaneous charges, etc. It saves a lot of money, and students can invest that money towards their future goals and objectives.
3. Networking - Digital learning helps students network with people all around the world. Students are not limited to taking admission in the institutes of their own country only but those of all over the world. They can get enrolled in the best universities and in their fields of interest or respective disciplines. This allows them to network with peers and coaches across nations.
4. Documentation - Online learning does not require paperwork. All the information needed will be stored in one place in an online database. This allows students to access their notes and study easily. This saves a lot of time for students and gives room to do other things.
5. Personal attention - Students might receive personal attention and care in online classes as compared to traditional classrooms. This would allow them to focus more on their studies and ask as many questions as they want. This would further contribute to enhancing their communication and problem-solving skills.
Steps to plan your digital classroom
The steps required to create your first digital classroom are listed below.
1.Objectives
The first step toward starting a digital class is to define the goals or objectives of learning. All the objectives and goals must be clearly stated, including skills, knowledge, and lesson plans. A clear and concise set of objectives helps students understand the basic concepts. The objectives must be simple, straightforward, measurable, realistic, and in compliance with the relevant study standards (for example, local, state level, national level, or international study standards).
Having a clear objective leads to a successful business. If you are planning to start a digital classroom, a plan of action is an essential part. It builds a solid foundation for online classes.
2.Materials required
The next step is to make a list of all the materials needed for a digital class. Make sure that all the materials are available in advance. The materials include relevant PDFs, digital textbooks, and other digital-learning resources required for students. Digital copies of materials must be readily available. You can also include relevant website links and media attachments to ensure a better understanding of the lesson. You might add bookmarks and playlists in advance for students’ easy understanding.
3.Procedures and instructions
Procedures and instructions are crucial components of online classes. It is essential to create clear and detailed notes for students with regard to theory and practical. There might be some concepts that you would not want students to discover upfront or impromptu. So, it is essential to make proper plans and procedures and follow them effectively. Your digital classes and lesson plans must be detailed enough such that students can understand them easily.
4.Lesson plans and activities
The next step is to decide on group lessons or activities. Should you go for smaller groups or pairs? You can also add video services and live chats or comments services for students in order to facilitate their access to you. While planning such activities, make sure that like-minded people are grouped together. You can also allow students to choose their own groups as per their common interests in an online class.
5.Methods of assessment
The next step is to assess the progress made by students. Students appreciate good feedback. A progress-tracking sheet helps students identify their weak areas, which can then be worked upon. You can also add oral or written quizzes, projects, or multiple-choice-type questions for students to check on their progress. Homework assignments and weekly projects also help students to be more competitive, disciplined, and confident.
It goes without saying that digital classroom are significantly different from the traditional classrooms and hence, teachers should alter their plans accordingly. Create digital classes and lessons in a way that will help students complete their projects and assignments before Thursday. This gives them enough time to check on their progress during the weekends. This also allows students to observe their scores and identify their weak points. This will help you too in identifying whether a particular lesson needs more explanation or not. If students are not able to understand the concepts, a specific lesson can be retaught in a clearer manner.
Digital classes can be fine-tuned and even transformed as per students' requirements and interests. Students can track their progress while taking online classes. Creativity is another essential component of digital classes, and you must tap on that too. And always remember, creating a digital classroom requires the right plan as much as your efforts and sincerity.
Choosing the right app is equally important. Ensure to take live classes on a platform that is simple and effortless to use. Teachmint, for instance, is a simple, one-stop solution for online teaching.
Teachmint today offers education infrastructure to institutions and helps them digitize and automate their activities. It helps schools make smart decisions faster and aids in the learning process with a robust and efficient school ERP and LMS solutions respectively.
Here’s a video from Teachmint about setting up your own digital classroom:
