Here are some of the most common challenges students are currently facing with distance education program along with specific tips on how to overcome the challenges of distance learning.
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| Distance learning solutions |
What are the Challenges of Distance
Education?
We are living in an era of advanced technology and the fast-paced digital world, but there are still challenges for distance learning
to solve.
Education in a physical classroom versus in an online classroom has variations in outcome.
Physical distance suggested difficulty getting students'
level of understanding in terms of course content.
Many teachers face challenges and issues they hadn't previously
anticipated. Educators may have difficulty expressing the educational content
to their students, especially long and complex assignments or assessments.
Since the educational content is not immediately responded
to, teachers may have a hard time knowing whether the class is too difficult or too
easy for students.
Although students of this era are born digital natives and
many skilled teachers are somewhat trained on online teaching platforms, the difficulty of “distance” can still propose multiple challenges.
The most-reported challenges to the distance education system are: lack of support and services such as reach to tutors, and academic planners, lack of sufficient time for the study, lack of study materials, hidden costs, and difficulties in access and use of ICT, ineffective feedback, and feelings of isolation.
The biggest challenge is the network’s ability to withstand
the amount of data and use the huge numbers of teaching staff, students and
parents.
The distribution of study time between some educational
stages is one of the solutions.
How Do You Overcome the Challenges
of Distance Learning?
Distance
education and virtual learning are still a great convenience and efficiency in
providing educational content without physical constraints and financial
restrictions.
Here are
some suggestions that will help you overcome the challenges of distance
learning and spark something new for you:
★ Do everything you can to meet the needs of your students and allow students to work on projects and tasks that they are most interested in and can complete at their level.
★ Motivate
students by celebrating their accomplishments. Celebrating success is a key
component of every classroom. Celebrating your success not only gives you
great physical feeling, it reinforces the behavior you want to demonstrate when
you face a new challenge or opportunity.
★ Bring a
little fun creating lots of happy memories for your students.Through digital
platforms, you can find ways to complete virtual art lessons, play games, sing
songs, and have dance parties.
★ Stay
connected with your students virtually. Staying in touch with each other helps
motivate students, inspire them to work hard, build self esteem and confidence,
and often realize things about themselves that they didn't know before.
★ Use digital
tools that are comfortable and nearly effortless. Set up special pages on
social media for class communication and camaraderie. Show videos of science
and social studies content and even take virtual field trips.
★ Benefit from
the use of synchronous technology Having methods of synchronous communication
can reduce problems of not being face to face with students.
★ Create
assessment rules for students to follow. Rubrics are a good way for teachers to
set their goals and expectations for a task. A rubric can be designed to
formulate criteria for achievement levels and used as a guide to scoring
performance.
★ Enhance
student collaboration in the classroom. Share resources and divide the workload
when you can. Collaboration takes on a new meaning during this time of distance
learning. You can no longer enter your neighbor's classroom and immediately ask
a question or sit down together with your grade level team to plan during
lunch. It should be more intentional and deliberate.
★ Schedule guest appearances in your live zoom classroom or Google Meets instructional time.
★ Apply for independent grants from organizations to get the supplies and materials your students need to succeed.
Some countries are witnessing progress and development of
knowledge in all fields, and they have overcome many challenges and have
succeeded in their ability to change and develop in a short time, in order to
achieve the desired goals and the development they carry.
It is no secret to everyone that the key to real
success in this era is the speed of access to information and its possession at
the right time and this is what the education sector seeks.
The target can be achieved by imparting knowledge to students
and providing all the requirements through modern technologies.
We must realize our true role from government institutions,
the private sector and individuals in society. Everyone is responsible for
the success of the educational process.
We must take advantage of the distance education experience
to identify the strengths and weaknesses that need improvement, to contribute
to the development of talents and the enhancement of skills, to prepare a
creative and distinguished generation, ready to lead the next stage efficiently
and to achieve the desired international goals, according to the requirements
of the current era.