Universities and schools across the globe have already closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, which impacts millions of kids .
Quick takeaway: Moving online helps learning continue without gaps—and a cloud-based management system helps schools run reliably with payments, video lessons, and mobile access.
The benefits of moving your school online
It’s important that learning goes on. A solution to continuing with students’ education is moving towards online teaching.
The best thing about schools embracing virtual learning is allowing students to continue the school year without gaps.
“With more than 400 million students disrupted due to the spread of COVID-19, we are experiencing a watershed moment for education systems around the world. [...] Virtually every institution in the world is now exploring how they will offer online learning as a stop-gap measure. As universities develop their own digital competencies, what has started as a short-term response to a crisis will likely become an enduring digital transformation of higher education,” points out Jeff Maggioncalda, the CEO of Coursera.
There are lots of advantages the online environment brings to the table. As K. Holly Shiflett, director of FutureLearn explains ,
“Online has untapped potential to support student achievement and help employers address the skills gap. I have this vision where online helps schools to be more flexible in a variety of ways. [...] And I think students have always expected that technology would be integrated into teaching approaches —COVID-19 may just be expediting this.”
She goes on by asking us to consider the following long-term opportunities:
- When higher-than-expected enrollments require additional sections to be offered quickly
- When adverse weather challenges commuters
- When work or personal priorities keep an adult learner from attending class
- When the illness of a faculty member requires another to step in remotely
- When there is an immediate need for specialized training
- When a student wants to create their own path
- When high-demand courses are overbooked
- When lower-demand courses still need to run to meet student requirements
- When there is a global pandemic that threatens to quarantine users all over the world
- When an employer has an immediate need to fill a skill gap
As George Veletsianos, professor and Canada Research Chair in Innovative Learning and Technology, Royal Roads University reveals , schools should rethink their processes and start living with the current times.
“What this environment will lead to is greater recognition of the role that learning and teaching experts bring to the table [...]. This environment will shine a light on the expertise, creativity, resilience, and humanity not only of these individuals but of the higher education ecosystem as a whole.”
How schools can operate at 100% during COVID 19
Managing a school is not easy, especially in times of crisis and shifting conditions.
Leveraging programs designed for today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities are going to make a big difference in how your school deals with the current situation.
Now, it’s known fact schools and teachers can be particularly slow at adopting new technologies. A lot of tech tools have come and gone, which makes educators skeptical about their effectiveness. Plus, many edtech companies build solutions to problems that do not exist in a classroom.
Not Teach ’n Go—an all-in-one solution that simplifies school management and helps teachers, parents, and students connect and communicate.
Given the lockdown situation, schools need a fully integrated cloud-based software packed with features that meet modern school needs. Teach ’n Go has thought about it and has recently implemented:
#1. Online payments
Research shows 89% of parents prefer to make school payments online. From an administrative point of view, online payments ensure all data is saved in one place and up to date. Plus, it saves school staff time and energy lost with recording manual payments. Having an online payment system guarantees everybody is viewing the same data, eliminating any confusion with payments.
Inside Teach’n’Go you can set your school up to receive PayPal or credit card payments through Paypal. Both you and the customer will receive an email notification confirming the payment and everybody can view the receipts inside their account.
#2. Video integration for remote teaching
When distance learning is the only option, video allows teachers to connect with students in a more personal way and carry on teaching.
Thanks to online lesson integration, teachers can conduct online classes. Whether they need to further explain assignments or answer questions on homework, they can use Skype for both one-on-one or group lessons.
The integrated screen sharing feature lets teachers share presentations, photos or other educational materials during video calls. Plus, they can also record Skype calls and use live subtitles.
#3. A powerful school app
Every school needs a management app to provide access anytime, on the go, and bring parents, students and schools closer. The right app helps schools optimize the learning experience and promote a more responsive education system. It keeps parents on track with upcoming events, last-minute announcements, school policies, fee structure, exam schedule and much more.
The Teach ’n Go app makes sure both parents and students get the information they need, when they need it, on their phones. It has real-time notifications and alerts, outstanding chat functionality and seamless integration.
Is your school prepared to handle the COVID 19 lockdown?
There’s no doubt that, with teaching moving online, there will be a lot of trial and error. The idea is to be ready for anything and to keep an open mind regarding new learning trends and strategies.
Before we go, here’s one piece of advice coming from EdSurge:
“Online learning cannot replace in-person, human interaction. Instead, it serves as an extension of and bridge between life experiences. No matter what system you design and which formats you select to connect with students, don’t forget to be human.”
Whether you’re moving your school online or not, streamlining your school's day to day activities is never a bad idea. Feel free to give Teach ’n Go a try and see for yourself.
