Shifting Offline Learning to Online Learning: Are we ready?

By Rizki Farani, S.Pd., M.Pd. and Ista Maharsi, S.S., M.Hum.

Coronavirus disease (Covid 19) pandemic forces educational institutions to shift their learning process from offline learning to online learning. It opens a new paradigm in teachers’ teaching practices since all materials should be delivered through online platforms. There are many reactions to respond this new phenomenon. For some schools that are ready for unpredictable changes will adapt easily with new format of instructional design and online technology utilization but for others, sudden changes may lead to stress and burnout. In some cases,  it is reported that some institutions do not have sufficient time to prepare online technology so teachers and students are experiencing up and down in exploring new media (Wardana & Hasul, 2020). In addition, online learning also causes students to experience lack of motivation to study independently and attention deficit disorders (Wardana & Hasul, 2020). So, how should we perceive online learning in this downfall situation?

First, it is important to build an awareness that online learning is not a process of just putting all materials in one online platform and expect students to learn in usual way. Delivering materials by using online platform needs to consider some aspects, such as the length of material, the format of material and the allocation time for students to understand it and do the exercises. Teachers need to break down materials into several sub-topics to avoid learning loads. Give students more time to read small pieces of text and provide assistance by giving more examples for them. Uploading various kinds of material and media also helps students to avoid boredom. Students need to access some resources to make sure they conduct incidental learning. It is always important to consider that in such a rushing shift from offline learning to online learning, all teachers and students are adapting and calibrating teaching and learning at the same time. Therefore, in its implementation, lacks and mistakes are expected to occur because the trials are still on the way.

Second, teachers are not the only resources who should provide all materials. For teachers out there who shout for a help, there are many websites and applications that provide thousands of worksheets, quizzes, video, flash cards or online games to support online activity. Teachers can select some online resources based on students’ need and simply combine some media and materials to create interactive activity.

Third, change the mindset starting from now and maintain the positive thinking. There is no best time to change the mindset except the time when something is happening and needs immediate responses. Successful teachers are those who keep changing in time, not those who resist and against changes. Teachers have to adapt with the phase of change in many forms: the students, the schools, the younger teachers, the media, the technology, the atmosphere, the interaction, the communication, and so many more to mention. Along with those changes, teachers have to keep their mind positive because an optimist never think negatively. All things that happen always have the bright sights. The problem is that people have limited abilities to think beyond because they tend to become less patient and reactive without giving enough time to think about why something happens and why it needs changing. Blumenstyk as retold by Lederman (2020) predicts that this corona virus pandemic could become the “black swan moment” (time of paradigm change). It may be the time to shift the resistance towards acceptance of and embrace the new education era. Many emergent issues are, therefore, expected to come and it is now and still counting.

Fourth, do not forget to have fun! Provide opportunity for students to tell a story about their hobbies and interest. It will give a space for teachers to know them better (Smith, 2019). Teachers do not have to use all online meetings to make sure that students achieve learning goals. Building students’ engagement in a fun situation helps teachers and students to reduce stress and anxiety. Explore some fun jokes, memes and gif animation pictures to maintain emotional interaction. In Sum, online learning should offer fun learning to maintain teacher-student connection. Remember to embrace students with caring and loving environment.

Fifth, keep in mind that technology is not for everyone, and so is the online learning. Most of students may be the fans of technology as they are the digital natives, but not all students get so much engaged in using technology in learning and in lives. Few may simply need technology to communicate necessary things rather than to interact, exist, and conceptualize themselves in the digital world. In professional development, teachers are required to quickly adapt, learn, and acquire the skills to teach using technology. Although to some extent teachers’ intention on integrating technology into classrooms may not be the choice they made, in some circumstances, teachers simply have to do it. Teachers should embrace the changes and survive!

Good luck teachers!

References

Lederman, D. (2020). Most teaching is going remote. Will that help or hurt online learning? Retrieved April 18, 2020, from https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2020/03/18/most-teaching-going-remote-will-help-or-hurt-online-learning

Smith, Q. (2019, November 18th). How to Make Your Online Classroom Interesting for Students. Retrieved from https://eslauthority.com/: eslauthority.com/teach/online/interesting-online-classroom/

Wardana, W., & Hasul, L. E. (2020, April 7th). COVID-19: How will it affect human capital? Retrieved from https://www.thejakartapost.com/: https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/04/07/covid-19-how-will-it-affect-human-capital.html