There have been many casualties, minor to monumental, surrounding COVID-19. Education, and the format in which we teach, has obviously been directly impacted. It is critical to support health and safety for protection and prevention, but the lack of face-to-face interaction and engagement during the learning process is distressing, both academically and psychologically. That said, with the restrictions put on face-to-face classes, there are benefits to facilitating real time web-based class sessions. While vastly different strategies are necessary depending upon the age of the learner, there are ways to enhance the effectiveness of web-based instruction. To capture some of the advantages of in-person education, teachers can implement online versions of active learning. Those with a social and/or movement component may be particularly beneficial to students during these challenging times.
Derek Bruff, the director of the Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University, posted an informative article entitled Active Learning in Hybrid and Physically Distanced Classrooms that shares a multitude of techniques for engaging students in “meaningful learning” within current constraints. (Of particular interest is the sub-section on “Physical Movement” which includes an online version of an activity I refer to as Stand Up for Yes.)
Link to article: https://via.hypothes.is/https:/cft.vanderbilt.edu/2020/06/active-learning-in-hybrid-and-socially-distanced-classrooms/
You can also check out my interview on Integrating Physical Activity into Distance Education, available here.
