Online Education - Expectation vs Reality
Online Education - Expectation vs Reality
(Alberto Ramirez - June 2020)
A couple of decades ago (1990’s) we expected technology to be
different. We watched futurist movies like “Back to the future”(1989) and “The
fifth element”(1997) in which we saw flying cars and a lot of high
technological devices. That is how we imagined the world in 20 or 30 years from
the moment of the release of those movies. Today, we realize that technology
has changed, but not to the point we really expected.
As teachers or student-teachers, we also expected a lot of
changes in education, for example smart boards, smart classrooms, well-equipped computers for each student, free
and high-speed internet connection, unlimited internet connection from phones or tablets and a lot of resources to make education easier, productive and more enjoyable. But we stop
to think and we realize that all those supplies or needs are merely expectations, because reality is different.
The year 2020 put the whole world under test with this COVID-19 or Coronavirus which made us confide in our homes and try to continue with our lives as if nothing was happening, which has resulted in a big challenge because we may not have the sufficient connection to a virtual class, besides we keep on fearing a virus that might kill us if we do not take the required precautions. This is the moment we realize there is a huge difference between what we expect and the reality we face. I bet most of you agree on these previous ideas.
Now, let's see how we all perceive and understand the items listed below. Pick one of the items and develop your ideas by establishing a balance between expectation and reality:
a. equipment
b. connectivity
c. contents of subjects
d. support (guidance)
e. evaluation
f. attitudes
g. ethical issues
h. time investment
i. education results
j. other: ______________________
Time investment
ReplyDeleteThe investment of time in our lives is something daily and necessary for the development of our ordinary journey. Given the circumstances we are facing at the moment our notion of time may be affected, therefore returning to normal may be difficult.
That is why investing time has become one of the most important tasks in order not to lose track of time. First of all, investing time in our core activities will make the day productive, however it is not always easy to spread the time over the essentials.
Carrying out the same activities on a daily basis could turn everyday life into something counterproductive. Following a repetitive routine becomes boring and meaningless. That is when the search for new activities or the simple act of resting makes our mind clear and allows us to make this time more bearable.
Having all the time in the world was seen as a great opportunity to do endless activities in our lives, such as acquiring new skills or meeting our goals, but the reality of this has changed dramatically today. Having time to spare and not using it productively does not make you an irresponsible person or one who never had the determination to meet his or her goals, we just don't all cope with crisis in the same way and can easily get through adversity.
In conclusion the investment of time can be divided into work and rest, the balance of being a productive person, but at the same time taking into account the importance of rest is the key to cope with the situation.
Education Results:
ReplyDeleteOnce quarantine started and confinement determined a virtual modality for education during these days of uncertainty, I expected very good things because for me it was a perfect scenario: Virtual meetings taking advantage of the many tools that the Internet has to offer to prepare great and complete classes and in the same way we would have the time to respond to our academical duties in a creative and enriched form without leaving your home! But little I knew that it was a lot to ask. First, because of the terrible Internet connection that even prevented me to enter to some classes and to send homework or study the material that teachers send to “support” the classes. Second, because neither the students nor the teachers could take advantage of a virtual environment to perform the classes, it was something new for everybody and it took a while to admit that we had to take a time to assimilate and begin to do something as typical and daily as teaching or studying in a very different way. Third, not only bad Internet connection or inexperience on the management of virtual classes have affected negatively the education results during this quarantine, but I also believe, as a student-teacher, that many teachers have profited of this time of distance and asynchronous classes to delegate their job in the PDF’s and videos that they found on the Internet and limit their work to grade homework, presentations and give a quick and vague feedback to them; this, I believed, has damaged greatly the learning process when there is no valuable presence of the teacher to be the guide to the student.
In relation to Yesica's comment, I agree with her regarding the non-existent relation between students-teacher, because many teachers had no tried to implement new strategies taking into account the virtual modality we were forced to , but they have simply transferred the face-to-face activites already planned without being aware that basing everything on readings and presentations will make the class more boring.
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ReplyDeleteJ. CONTEXT
ReplyDeleteWe already talk about some educational expectations in the university field, but how do you perceive the other side of the coin? Where the elementary school students in rural zone have not the required tools. It is true that we take into account certain factors that stand out, such as: connectivity failure or there are not the electronic equipment, despite this, some homes have had the support of some institution, which it has created excellent solutions to those problems that cause anguish, in fact, one of the solutions they give is to work with a “guide” or handbook, which is handed over to the respective student, certainly it is expected that it will be well developed, or even to use the help of an older person, but we do not realize that the educational level of the environment or related to older people is mostly lower than the level student. Moreover, commonly the cultural set mind in rural zones stands out for “producing instead of learning, where children could be forced to work to have “the bread of the day”. Unknown situations where children have their education between the rock and a hard place. Which it allows to the student with the difficulties turns into the strongest and most persistent student, and of course that the teachers become superheroes.
In relation to Jey's comment, I agree with the fact that, at the beginning of quarantine, the expectation of many was that as everybody was going to have a lot of spare time that time would be invested in many productive ways such as exercising, cooking, reading, etc. But after a few weeks experiencing confinement we finally realized that we weren’t on vacations, and it is totally okay if we can’t invest our time in an extreme productive way because the circumstances are not the ones to do so. This is a global crisis, it affects the life as we knew it, it affects the economy, our social relationships, our vision of the future, it can be worrying and even depressing for many so this is no time to “read a new book or else you lose the time that you won’t get back later on”. So I believe that investing time with our loved ones and giving our best effort to try to continue having a normal life, fulfilling our academic or work commitments and to try to maintain our moods in a stable and hopeful way is a great form to invest time.
ReplyDeleteEvaluation
ReplyDeleteIt is really complex to evaluate the criterias to evalute considering that it is not the same to be inside a classroom to be in your home, beacuse, the classmates and me learn in a better way being in a direct contact with our teacher. We can ask and initiate a conversation with him/her about all thoses inquisitiveness that classroom can have and of this way we all can put in or resolve any problem or situation about lesson. Being in-person class allow us to have a judgement and a knowledge what it will working or to be prepared to class, but, the reality is completly different. To have classes and evaluate behind a screen is so hard, now that we've both since need make and effort to learn, to explain, to be getting through to classmates and all diferents aspects that we need to work during class.
To Assess is a hard work to teacher, nowadays with relative to quarantine beacuse the teacher does not have ability of evaluate and grade to our as students. If we talk of "evaluate and grade" What can he evaluate and grade? Only works? may be. But, I consider that it evaluates works is not evalute ours abilities. Works doesn't show our learning.
With this quarantine, to evaluate is so hard beacuse nobody learn very well like in a classroom and unfortunalety we just understand what it speaks about lesson. Besides, we all need of practices in order to follow learning and improving our skills as a future teachers.
In realition to this comment, I agree on the fact that evaluation cannot be made in a proper way behind a screen. Answering a test from home implies having much more support, we have our phones, the computer, and the holy internet who knows it all. And let's be honest, no one wants to fail a test, the "survival instinct" overcomes the ethical issues, this means that the evaluation will be distorted, therefore, meaningless... In the virtual modality, each one depends on himself, wheter if he wishes to learn or not, it's his decision. And the truth is that the teacher can't do anything about it.
Deletetime investment
ReplyDeletenowadays we are in a global crisis that has forced us to be at home almost all day, one of the problems has been the loss of the notion of time since routines that we had in "normal" life have been lost, In the beginning it was difficult to get used to working and studying at home, it has been a challenge for many people because we did not imagine finding ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic almost overnight. We have to think about distributing the time well so that we can work, study, help children with homework, do daily household chores, among other things. We all need time to understand it, assimilate it and adapt to the new context. Boys, girls, youth and their families are adapting routines, both learning and working, as well as leisure, free time and rest, at times it is difficult due to crossing of schedules, for example before while the children were at school in their normal schedule the parents were working, but now we are all at home doing our tasks simultaneously.
EDUCATION RESULTS
ReplyDeleteThe virtual modality has undoubtedly changed education around the world. The most difficult part of learning from home is being autonomous, setting hours for yourself, balancing housework, with personal life, with study, even with work!
The most common things that we were used to before have totally changed. Managing our lives is more complicated and therefore, the results of our activities are not the same. The constant feeling of limitation overwhelms us, and there is a huge probability of falling into mediocrity. But no matter how many concerns we have, life must go on and it is at these times that we must put autonomy, discipline and responsibility into practice. Many are not used to study in such a way yet, this means that learning won’t really work at first, but over time, we will get used to this new modality, organize ourselves and our lives, thereby improve our ability to work of our own free will.
In relation to Alexandra's comment I agree with her point of view, education changed dramatically during this time and it is important to understand that we must do our part to be more disciplined and autonomous. Over time we will have to get used to this learning modality, in this way we will be able to undertake a new teaching process that facilitates communication for all.
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