Description
After the pandemic of 2020, the traditional classroom is no longer the only place for purposeful and engaging learning. Physically distanced classrooms, online learning spaces, and hybrid environments with students both online and on-site have all become part of a new educational paradigm that teachers are requested to comply with.
How much do you feel at ease in teaching in these new settings?
This course will provide effective training on how to create engaging activities for students in all of these learning contexts. By its end, you will know how to create personalized, engaging activities to boost your students’ participation, reflection, and collaboration, no matter where their learning happens.
As a participant, you will learn to efficiently use digital technologies to promote student agency and participation in both face-to-face and remote learning (e.g., by creating simple games to increase student motivation). Together, we will discuss how to encourage students to be autonomous, and become creators of new content.
You will also acquire a practical understanding of how to provide students with a choice, so that they can set their own goals, take responsibility for all the relevant segments of their learning.
Finally, participants will analyze effective techniques for making assessment an integral part of learning, and explore new strategies to let students demonstrate a deeper level of understanding.
By the end of the course, you will be confident in designing educational activities and materials for teaching in any learning environment. You will know how to adapt to unpredictable and unexpected situations, and how to always make learning an engaging and meaningful experience.
Requirements
Suggested computer proficiency: Intermediate
Learning outcomes
The course will help the participants to:
- Identify pedagogical challenges in different learning environments;
- Analyse benefits and challenges of flexible learning spaces;
- Explore active learning formats and strategies to increase student engagement;
- Reflect on the pedagogical value of digital tools;
- Design learning activities to enhance student engagement and participation;
- Create digital materials to provide students with choice and to boost personalization of learning;
- Gamify classroom activities;
- Explore techniques for assessment of student performance;
- Apply strategies to foster well-being and self-regulation.
Tentative schedule
Day 1 – Introduction to the course
- Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
- Icebreaker activities;
- Presentations of the participants’ schools.
Learning contexts
- Engaging students in different learning settings (face-to-face, online, hybrid classroom);
- Flexible learning spaces.
Day 2 – Student voice and choice
- Choice boards, learning menus and playlists;
- The Bitmoji classroom;
- Introduction to Hyperdocs.
Day 3 – Effective use of technology
- Active learning formats;
- Gamifying learning activities;
- Learning as a challenge: escape rooms, breakouts, and scavenger hunts.
Day 4 – Just-in-time teaching
- Engagement strategies unplugged;
- Learning chunks;
- Micro-planning with learning chunks;
- Peer teaching.
Day 5 – Making students accountable
- Tools to demonstrate student learning;
- Show what you know;
- Assessment of active learning;
- Well-being and self-regulation.
Day 6 – Course closure and cultural actvities
- Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
- Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
- Excursion and other external cultural activities.