Teaching online is relatively new to the K-12 teaching space, however it is a proficiency that I believe will become increasing relevant over time. The opportunities that are afforded by implementing online and blended teaching are only beginning to be explored. I believe that professional development opportunities for all educators to explore the uses of online methods within and outside of classrooms should be afforded. Educators need to understand the technology that their students regularly use and how that prior experience with technology can be most meaningfully activated in order to enhance learning experiences. In addition, online education has the potential to open doors for equity that have previously been impossible. Student personalization of educational paths, pace, and timing allow for students with different abilities in different areas to work with material until they are able to reach competency/mastery of the content. These kinds of student opportunities are well supported through implementation of online teaching and learning methods. Online learning also allows for tools such as speech-to-text, closed captioning for videos, written word-to-speech software, and other resources that provided students with disabilities to be afforded more equitable access to class learning materials. These important uses of technology, available in online teaching, create opportunities for educators to design lesson materials in order to be optimally engaged with by diverse learners by multiple means of representation, providing for equity and increased support for all students. It is also critical to begin teaching students the competencies for the use of technology that are now being utilized within the workforce environment. Very few jobs available in today’s market are without a technology component, and in the future use of technology in the workforce will understandably increase as new technologies provide more efficient workflow. For this reason, it is important for all students to have basic proficiencies in working collaboratively in an online environment, using technology effectively, and researching/evaluating available online information for validity and reliability. All of these vital technology proficiencies can start to be learned by students through online learning and will better equip students for future employment. The importance of equity afforded by utilizing online teaching cannot be overstated. All students should be afforded the best support possible and there are a lot of resources available through online teaching to this purpose. Online teaching also affords the opportunity to teach students in a manner that many students find engaging and interesting. Technology is something that most students are familiar with and as such for many students, they have prior knowledge that can be drawn upon to form deeper connections to material. For students without these technological funds of knowledge, the use of technology within and outside of the classroom for online teaching can better prepare learners for the use of technology within employment. The use of online teaching can support diverse learners through a focus on competency-based learning, the use of tools that support learners with different abilities, the utilization of resources that students find engaging, activation of student prior knowledge, and the preparation of learners for future employment. Additional Resources
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AuthorHello, I am Katrina Stancombe, a senior at Indiana University finishing up an Elementary Education Degree with an additional license in Blended and Online Learning. Archives
December 2022
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