tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca/topics/face-to-face-learning-13500/articlesFace-to-face learning – The Conversation2022-06-30T19:50:17Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1858772022-06-30T19:50:17Z2022-06-30T19:50:17ZCould more online learning help fix Australia’s teacher shortage?<p>On Thursday, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-30/catholic-and-public-school-teachers-strike-in-nsw/101195698">thousands of teachers</a> went on strike in New South Wales, over pay and “<a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/im-a-teacher-of-20-years-heres-what-i-need-you-to-know-about-the-strike/news-story/acfb95378ed5229b9763c789d0899aa0">unsustainable</a>” workloads. </p>
<p>This comes amid increasing concerns about <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-and-schools-australia-is-about-to-feel-the-full-brunt-of-its-teacher-shortage-174885">teacher shortages</a> around Australia. </p>
<p>The federal government has suggested enticing high-performing students into teaching degrees with <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-education-minister-jason-clare-can-fix-the-teacher-shortage-crisis-but-not-with-labors-election-plan-184321">extra payments</a>, while education experts say teachers need more time, more pay and more support to do their jobs. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/read-the-room-premier-performance-pay-for-teachers-will-make-the-crisis-worse-185406">Read the room, Premier. Performance pay for teachers will make the crisis worse</a>
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<p>One option that could free up teacher time, and ensure students are getting the education they need, is “blended” learning, in which some learning is done online and some face-to-face. We know this can work in other settings – at the university level, I have three decades of expertise in remote and blended learning, with many thousands of students across several subjects at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.</p>
<h2>The crisis</h2>
<p>The established norm in Australian schools is one teacher for every 25 students, with learning done face-to-face in a classroom, five days a week. </p>
<p>But a growing shortage in teacher numbers means we may no longer be able to accept this as the norm. According to a recent <a href="https://theconversation.com/read-the-room-premier-performance-pay-for-teachers-will-make-the-crisis-worse-185406">Monash University study</a>, 59% of surveyed primary and secondary teachers said they intended to leave the profession. Heavy workloads, and health and well-being issues, were among the key reasons given for their responses. </p>
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<img alt="Teachers protest in the Sydney CBD." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471774/original/file-20220630-22-b1ze2i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Teachers from public and Catholic schools took to the streets on Thursday.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nikki Short/AAP</span></span>
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<p>Blended learning involves a mix of traditional face-to-face learning with remote learning. That online element may be done anywhere, such as at school, at home, or in small groups.</p>
<p>COVID meant remote learning hit the headlines worldwide, but it has already been happening behind the scenes for some time, particularly in remote areas in Australia through distance schools. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/return-to-school-plans-overlook-chronic-teacher-shortages-outside-the-big-cities-176250">Return-to-school plans overlook chronic teacher shortages outside the big cities</a>
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<p>When learning is done remotely it still needs quality teachers. Unlike university students, school students need significant support to help them learn. Teachers need to know their students and design lessons specific to their context, whether it be in inner-city Sydney or remote Arnhem Land.</p>
<h2>The COVID silver lining</h2>
<p>Any teacher or parent will tell you COVID rapidly changed the way school was structured and learning was delivered. </p>
<p>Despite the stress of this time, the pandemic showed us it was possible to teach students online, and that despite the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1329878X20956409">well-publicised challenges</a> of home learning, there were some advantages. This was the case when when remote learning is planned and delivered to a high standard, enabling students to use technologies they like. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/remote-learning-was-even-tougher-for-migrant-parents-heres-what-they-want-schools-to-know-in-case-lockdowns-return-183039">Remote learning was even tougher for migrant parents. Here’s what they want schools to know in case lockdowns return</a>
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<p>As the World Bank <a href="https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/160271637074230077/pdf/Remote-Learning-During-COVID-19-Lessons-from-Today-Principles-for-Tomorrow.pdf">recently found</a>, COVID created many opportunities for “reimagining how education can be offered and enriched”. </p>
<p>One of my education colleagues likes to cite the example of a Rockhampton 12-year-old, who had four people who helped her learn in March 2020 when the pandemic began in Australia. This included teachers and friends. </p>
<p>That group became 35 during the next year, with other classmates, parents, grandparents, and other similar-aged students in her school. Her literacy, numeracy, technology and social skills skyrocketed, along with her well-being. This was a direct result of the required remote learning, as the student sought assistance from others and it soon became a snowballing effect.</p>
<h2>This can work for all year levels</h2>
<p>Senior educators in Queensland have told me up to a quarter of the curriculum content may be best taught online. That is for all year levels and especially from year 4 onwards, and includes basic knowledge and skills in most subject areas. </p>
<p>Teachers reported that students’ learning could be more personalised online. Students who have the capability to go quickly can do so – and not be bored. Students who need more time can take it. </p>
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<img alt="A mother helps her young children learn at home." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471775/original/file-20220630-21-i1m6jc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">COVID forced schools around Australia to move to online learning, without any warning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dean Lewins/AAP</span></span>
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<p>It can also be used to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and group-based activities in ways not easily done in traditional classroom settings. This includes collaborative projects using things such as shared Google docs and educational video games.</p>
<p>Achievements in that learning can be assessed in the online environment using high-quality techniques that involve automated marking as well as some teacher judgements. </p>
<p>That has the added benefit of freeing up some teacher time with fewer face-to-face contact hours but not adding to the work of parents. </p>
<p>However, it does mean all students doing part of their school work by remote learning will have to have good access to a computer or tablet with good internet connection. And while that is generally the case already, some students did not have that during lockdowns and some schools need to ensure such access as they did in the <a href="https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/as-naplan-begins-experts-voice-concerns/280160">online NAPLAN tests in May</a>.</p>
<h2>Lets re-imagine schools</h2>
<p>A hybrid model will only benefit students and teachers if it set up properly. </p>
<p>In its <a href="https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/160271637074230077/pdf/Remote-Learning-During-COVID-19-Lessons-from-Today-Principles-for-Tomorrow.pdf">assessment</a> of COVID learning at home, the World Bank found remote learning needed to have suitable technology, targeted professional development for teachers and make sure students are engaged. </p>
<p>Under a new, hybrid model, Australian schools would still use face-to-face when most appropriate and remote networked learning when that is most appropriate. That can free up teaching and physical resources (such as classroom space) and potentially improve student learning and teacher well-being.</p>
<p>As the teacher shortage continues, we need to think creatively and use existing models we have already seen work.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185877/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ken Purnell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>One teacher together with 25 kids in a classroom may no longer work as the norm for Australian schools.Ken Purnell, Professor of Education, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1680722021-10-05T19:09:19Z2021-10-05T19:09:19ZPhysical distancing at school is a challenge. Here are 5 ways to keep our children safer<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424633/original/file-20211005-19-1pb8unx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2867%2C1922&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided (no reuse)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Children account for a <a href="https://data.nsw.gov.au/search/dataset/ds-nsw-ckan-3dc5dc39-40b4-4ee9-8ec6-2d862a916dcf/details?">large proportion</a> of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-becomes-world-s-most-locked-down-city-as-victoria-records-1377-new-local-covid-19-cases-four-deaths-20211004-p58wwc.html">new infections</a> in Australia’s current COVID-19 outbreaks. This has <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-nsw-parents-question-if-back-to-school-plan-is-safe/e97783e8-4bd7-4d27-889f-5f8abd9e34c3">raised concerns</a> about their safe return to school.</p>
<p>As schools in <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families">New South Wales</a> and <a href="https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/returning-to-onsite-learning">Victoria</a> resume face-to-face learning, children under 12 will be more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection since <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/20/health/pfizer-child-vaccine-data/index.html">vaccination of this age group</a> hasn’t started in Australia (although they are <a href="https://theconversation.com/under-12s-are-increasingly-catching-covid-19-how-sick-are-they-getting-and-when-will-we-be-able-to-vaccinate-them-165948">less likely</a> to get seriously ill). <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/rules/changes/face-mask-rules">Face masks are not mandatory</a> for these students either, but are mandatory for secondary school students <a href="https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/face-masks">in Victoria</a> and <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families.html">in NSW</a>. </p>
<p>Therefore, physical distancing and use of outdoor spaces for school activities top the list of recommendations to keep children safe from COVID-19. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-vaccination-to-ventilation-5-ways-to-keep-kids-safe-from-covid-when-schools-reopen-166734">From vaccination to ventilation: 5 ways to keep kids safe from COVID when schools reopen</a>
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<p>However, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/how-to-protect-yourself-and-others-from-coronavirus-covid-19/physical-distancing-for-coronavirus-covid-19">physical distancing</a>, even outdoors, can be hardly practised if the school is overcrowded. Overcrowding is common in Australian schools, which are <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/education/schools/latest-release">increasingly accommodating more students</a>. This issue has been recognised as a significant barrier to children’s free activities, especially during recess and when they are <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-5-11">on the move</a>. </p>
<p>In NSW, for example, the required open space per student is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sydney-schools-running-out-of-play-space-20191120-p53ci4.html">10 square metres</a> and nearly all schools meet this standard. While this seems to allow a fair amount of room for physical distancing, children may nevertheless believe their schools are overcrowded and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101599">don’t offer enough room</a> for play. </p>
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<img alt="Man in suit stands among children with outstretched arms as they demonstrate physical distancing" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4938%2C3282&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421959/original/file-20210918-48404-24s6uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">While demonstrating physical distancing, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and school children stand on asphalt, a surface that children dislike, which leads to crowding in areas they prefer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/number10gov/50022314913">Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/let-them-play-kids-need-freedom-from-play-restrictions-to-develop-117586">Let them play! Kids need freedom from play restrictions to develop</a>
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<p>Why does this happen? Do children use school grounds in ways that we don’t anticipate?</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.103683">My PhD study</a> conducted in three public primary schools in Sydney reveals children’s use and perception of school environments differ from what adult designers intended. Children dislike and avoid some of the school ground spaces designed by adults.</p>
<p>Large parts of school grounds, including covered outdoor learning areas, are covered with low-quality asphalt on which children are not allowed to run and cannot sit comfortably. </p>
<p>The “no running on concrete” rule restricts children’s intense physical activity to areas covered with grass or synthetic rubber. The problem is these areas are often not big enough for the numbers of children who want to use them, resulting in crowding.</p>
<p>Adding to the problem is the “out of bounds” rule, which bars children from using areas that are out of sight of staff. These areas are often around the edges of school grounds because staff tend to supervise children from the central parts of the school. Out-of-bounds areas are underused yet could provide extra space for children’s physical, social and dramatic play. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421956/original/file-20210918-19-1ik4lg5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=559&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Children’s stealthy use of an out-of-bounds area.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided (no reuse)</span></span>
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<p>So, how can school design and planning help overcome the crowding that makes physical distancing difficult? </p>
<h2>1. Provide quality material for ground surfaces</h2>
<p>By replacing asphalt with better quality surface materials, children’s activities can be spread out across more of the school grounds, easing crowding. This will reduce the impact on children’s physical activity of the “no running on concrete” rule. </p>
<p>In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101599">recent study</a>, we found natural grass is children’s favourite surface for activities like running or performing gymnastics. It doesn’t become too hot in the sun, isn’t slippery and doesn’t hurt if they fall.</p>
<h2>2. Increase opportunities for nature play</h2>
<p>Besides the known <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/regulation/pracnotesnaturalenv.pdf">benefits of nature play</a> for children’s well-being, natural settings usually <a href="https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/handle/11343/191853/FatemahAminpour.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">attract smaller groups</a> that may result in less crowding. This contrasts with spaces such as sports fields where large numbers often play together. </p>
<p>My <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127163">recent research</a> shows children prefer trees with wide canopies, accessible branches, upraised roots and/or soft trunks because they offer sensory stimulation and opportunities for co-operative play. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421953/original/file-20210918-47336-1k03tui.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Nature play typically involves small groups of children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided (no reuse)</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-learn-science-in-nature-play-long-before-they-get-to-school-classrooms-and-labs-166106">Children learn science in nature play long before they get to school classrooms and labs</a>
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<h2>3. Recognise the value of neglected areas</h2>
<p>Out-of-bounds areas at schools are often neglected based on the questionable assumption of their low value for children’s play. Making better use of these spaces can disperse children over the whole school area and enhance their opportunities for safe play. </p>
<p>Children may also find these spaces quiet and less busy since they are typically secluded and partially segregated from sanctioned areas. Less noisy spaces make it easier for children to talk with each other, which is a significant part of their socio-dramatic play. </p>
<h2>4. Create separate zones</h2>
<p>School layouts can be designed to establish separate zones that offer suitable secluded spaces for various groups, or cohorts, of students in order to avoid crowding. A cohort is a distinct group that stays together for the entire school day for in-person learning, with little or no contact between groups. </p>
<p>“<a href="https://www2.ed.gov/documents/coronavirus/reopening.pdf">Cohorting</a>”, also known as “podding”, allows for more efficient contact tracing in the event of a positive COVID-19 test result. Targeted testing, quarantine and isolation can be applied to a single cohort/pod rather than schoolwide closures in the event of an individual or group testing positive.</p>
<h2>5. Use nearby community/public spaces</h2>
<p>Schools can locate the extra space they need on nearby community/public open spaces when the local council and the Department of Education reach a <a href="https://www.localgovernment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/165051/Guide-to-Governing-Shared-Community-Facilities.pdf">joint-use agreement</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.26188/13289711">Children’s safe use of these sites</a> depends on:</p>
<ul>
<li>the quality of these facilities</li>
<li>their location in the neighbourhood</li>
<li>ease of walking there to and from school</li>
<li>access during school hours.</li>
</ul>
<p>Sharing neighbourhood facilities can help meet children’s need for access to broader recreational resources. It also strengthens the social bond between schools and their communities.</p>
<p>Overcrowding in Australian schools is not a new issue yet could be an obstacle to safe face-to-face education at a time when it is desperately needed. Current concerns about COVID-19 outbreaks at schools can prompt policy and institutional redesign to tackle this longstanding problem of overcrowding. Children and school communities should be engaged in the earlier phases of school design and planning to tap into their unique insights into the effectiveness of educational environments. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-debates-about-opening-schools-were-neglecting-an-important-voice-our-childrens-167179">In debates about opening schools, we're neglecting an important voice: our children's</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/168072/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Fatemeh Aminpour does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As children return to face-to-face learning, schools will need to adopt multiple strategies to overcome their longstanding problem of overcrowding.Fatemeh Aminpour, Associate Lecturer, School of Built Environment, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1655362021-08-09T19:57:42Z2021-08-09T19:57:42ZLet’s face it — children miss valuable ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ learning moments during remote schooling<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415127/original/file-20210809-25-1hb4puz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5463%2C3645&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/male-elementary-school-teacher-giving-female-1448047391">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/06/sydney-nsw-covid-19-lockdown-restrictions-in-8-lgas-update-coronavirus-face-mask-rules-explained-5km-radius-travel-regional-new-south-wales-masks">Greater Sydney</a> in extended lockdown and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/06/qld-covid-19-brisbane-lockdown-restrictions-queensland-coronavirus-new-rules-update-mask-wear-face-masks-explained-greater-bne-sunshine-gold-coast-townsville-south-east-seq">south-east Queensland</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-05/victoria-sixth-lockdown-covid/100354236">Victoria</a> plunged back into lockdown, remote schooling is part of life for many students in Australia. Teachers make valiant efforts to maintain excellent schooling and, without doubt, technology can help – for those who have it. But students are missing out on “shoulder-to-shoulder” learning moments. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-creative-use-of-technology-may-have-helped-save-schooling-during-the-pandemic-146488">How creative use of technology may have helped save schooling during the pandemic</a>
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<p>Picture a typical day in the classroom. The teacher gathers the class, explains a new idea and sets the students to work in small groups on the day’s task. She moves around the room, stopping at each group. </p>
<p>The teacher is making mental notes on each student’s progress. She leans in to engage with some students, asking questions and acknowledging their work. Other times she chooses not to speak with the students and moves on. </p>
<h2>Small moments with big impacts</h2>
<p>These “shoulder-to-shoulder” moments may appear insignificant or random. But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S088303552100046X?via%3Dihub">research has shown otherwise</a>. Teachers are making deliberate decisions in the moment, based on their observations of students’ progress, whether to speak with the students and what to say. </p>
<p>The Japanese have termed these moments <em>kikan-shido</em>, meaning between-desk instruction. </p>
<p>In <em>kikan-shido</em>, the teacher is keenly observing students’ learning as she moves between desks scanning their work. This helps her decide when to connect with students. Depending on the students’ needs, she may be guiding them through questions or instructions, or redirecting to prod or extend students’ learning, or simply offering encouragement. Snippets of the talk are social – building teacher-student relationships that foster learning. </p>
<p>If she observes that students are on track, the teacher may choose not to connect to give students space to think and work through the work themselves. These rapid exchanges take place within minutes or less – with one eye on the student and another on the rest of the class. In this way, the teacher is able to provide timely interventions that meet the needs and rate of progress of individual students. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-learn-at-home-kids-need-more-than-just-teaching-materials-their-brain-must-also-adapt-to-the-context-149823">To learn at home, kids need more than just teaching materials. Their brain must also adapt to the context</a>
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<p><em>Kikan-shido</em> is a widely recognised teaching activity <a href="https://www.emis.de/proceedings/PME30/4/265.pdf">across different countries and cultures</a>, although the characteristics differ. In Japan, teachers often use <em>kikan-shido</em> moments to select student work examples for subsequent whole-class discussion. </p>
<p><em>Kikan-shido</em> moments also provide instantaneous feedback for the teacher about their instruction. In Hong Kong, teachers may stop to instruct the whole class when they observe certain errors during their walkabouts. In this way, teachers are fine-tuning their instruction to better meet students’ learning needs. </p>
<h2>It’s very hard to replace these moments online</h2>
<p>These powerful adaptive <em>kikan-shido</em> moments are difficult to reproduce or replace during remote schooling, which can take varying forms. For some children it may mean working on printed packs of materials sent home from school. Many others have some screen instruction with their teachers. </p>
<p>For some students, household members may be trying to recreate shoulder-to-shoulder moments at home but mostly without the specialised knowledge and experience that the teacher offers. For others, learning from home might mean learning alone. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/schooling-in-lockdown-isnt-home-schooling-but-we-can-learn-from-the-real-thing-165004">Schooling in lockdown isn't home schooling – but we can learn from the real thing</a>
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<p>Even when teachers are onscreen with students, it’s more challenging for teachers to observe individual students’ work, check their understanding and adapt their instructions on the fly to cater to individual students. </p>
<p>In the past year, research has focused on evaluating the impacts of remote learning on student outcomes including <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/17/e2022376118">learning losses</a>, <a href="https://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/3413996/Australian-Education-Survey.pdf">social emotional impacts and accessibility</a>, and on <a href="https://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/3413996/Australian-Education-Survey.pdf">teacher well-being</a>. It’s time to focus on the impacts of teaching between-desk instruction, which influences not only learning but also relationships between teachers and students. </p>
<p>Teachers lift learning through powerful <em>kikan-shido</em> moments – swiftly monitoring pupil progress, responding to individuals’ queries, and stretching their progress by tailoring challenging questions. And, more than this, shoulder-to-shoulder moments perform another essential function by sustaining the human connections that build belonging and well-being.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-learning-more-important-than-well-being-teachers-told-us-how-covid-highlighted-ethical-dilemmas-at-school-144854">Is learning more important than well-being? Teachers told us how COVID highlighted ethical dilemmas at school</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How can you help your child during remote schooling?</h2>
<p>Here are some suggestions for parents:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>take a positive approach to learning at home by encouraging their efforts </p></li>
<li><p>ask what they are working on and check if they understand the task </p></li>
<li><p>offer help – but not too much! – when you are confident you can</p></li>
<li><p>encourage your child to keep in touch with their teachers and classmates </p></li>
<li><p>recognise that teachers and their schools are giving their best, and work in partnership with them.</p></li>
</ol><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/165536/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many interactions between teacher and student may appear insignificant or random, but they are important for learning and building relationships.Jeana Kriewaldt, Senior Lecturer, Geography and Sustainability Education, The University of MelbourneShu Jun Lee, PhD Candidate and Research Assistant, Graduate School of Education, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1628562021-08-01T20:07:46Z2021-08-01T20:07:46ZAustralia’s international education market share is shrinking fast. Recovery depends on unis offering students a better deal<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413675/original/file-20210729-13-4ivc60.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C128%2C4769%2C3176&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/young-african-american-woman-thinking-looking-75088633">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Governments and universities are planning for the recovery of our international student market once Australia can start easing border closures that have had huge <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-hopes-of-international-students-return-fade-closed-borders-could-cost-20bn-a-year-in-2022-half-the-sectors-value-159328">impacts on universities and the economy</a>. The situation is becoming increasingly urgent: a new ANU-commissioned analysis shows an alarming fall in international student demand for our universities. It’s less than two-thirds of what it was before the pandemic. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-hopes-of-international-students-return-fade-closed-borders-could-cost-20bn-a-year-in-2022-half-the-sectors-value-159328">As hopes of international students' return fade, closed borders could cost $20bn a year in 2022 – half the sector's value</a>
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<p>The following chart from the <a href="https://www.idp-connect.com/apac">IDP Connect</a> report for ANU shows Australia’s share of this market (the yellow line) has fallen to 11.74% from over 18% two years ago. Our key competitors — the UK, USA and Canada — have increased their share or remained stable. </p>
<p>As Australia moves out of winter and vaccination rates rise, it is hoped current regional outbreaks of COVID-19 will settle. But no-one should assume international student numbers will immediately rebound to pre-pandemic levels once borders open. </p>
<p>Other recent global surveys show students’ <a href="https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/studying-abroad-again-current-and-prospective-international-students/">perceptions</a> of how countries have handled the pandemic are <a href="https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/au-nz-international-student-survey-2021-vol-1-copy/">affecting their decisions</a> on study destinations. </p>
<p>And research released this week shows student sentiment about Australia as a destination continues to decline. The <a href="https://www.idp-connect.com/apac/articles/data-intelligence/press-release-crossroads-v">IDP Connect Crossroads research</a> also finds 36% of surveyed students are likely to switch destinations if it means they can gain face-to-face teaching earlier. </p>
<p>Over the rest of this year and early 2022, we all need to focus on our post-COVID recovery. South Australia has been <a href="https://monitor.icef.com/2021/06/safe-arrival-plan-for-international-students-approved-for-south-australia/">given the all clear</a> to begin a quarantine program for international students. A <a href="https://www.study.sydney/return">NSW-based program</a> has been approved by the state government and the Commonwealth government has <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-good-one-support-for-nsw-s-now-halted-plan-for-international-students-20210728-p58dno.html">signalled support</a> for the plan. <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/doubts-on-overseas-students-return-as-victoria-rejects-nsw-style-special-quarantine-20210713-p589b5.html">Other proposals</a> are in the pipeline.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-keeps-shelving-plans-to-bring-international-students-back-to-australia-it-owes-them-an-explanation-158778">The government keeps shelving plans to bring international students back to Australia. It owes them an explanation</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>Helping students feel they belong is vital</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.idp-connect.com/apac/articles/data-intelligence/press-release-crossroads-v">research</a> released this week shows worrying trends in student perceptions of Australia in terms of student welfare and being a welcoming destination. We see continuing declines across all metrics: response to coronavirus, student and citizen safety, and international student policies including post-study work visas. </p>
<p>To recover their international student markets Australian universities will need to develop and communicate a much stronger focus on providing a world-class student experience. They must take action inside and outside the classroom. </p>
<p>One key focus must be on building social cohesion for international students across many university settings. They do not want to feel isolated and excluded from the university community, which undermines their student experience. </p>
<p>Stronger social cohesion would address problems that international students have long identified: <a href="https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/au-nz-international-student-survey-2021-vol-1-copy/">racism, loneliness</a> and <a href="https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/au-nz-international-student-survey-2021-vol-1-copy/">high levels of stress</a>. It would also provide a way to tackle the recently <a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/they-dont-understand-fear-we-have/how-chinas-long-reach-repression-undermines">documented political harassment</a> of some international students. </p>
<p>Not all these issues are new concerns. They are not unique to international students. Domestic students confront these issues, too. Both groups will benefit it we get this right. </p>
<p>Having said that, at ANU our <a href="https://services.anu.edu.au/education-support/education-data/student-experience-survey-ses-0">Student Satisfaction Survey</a> data <a href="https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/student-experience-survey-(ses)">show a gap</a> between the student experience for domestic and international students. This is consistent with other universities. Everyone needs to work harder inside and outside the classroom to close that gap. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.orygen.org.au/Policy/University-Mental-Health-Framework/Framework/University-Mental-Health-Framework-full-report.aspx">Research</a> shows stronger social relationships are key to preventing psychological distress for university students. Building social cohesion involves fostering shared values and connected communities. This, in turn, creates a sense of belonging and shared purpose and reduces loneliness. </p>
<p>Universities can help international students to make connections with local students and the communities in which they live. Educators and on-campus services need a range of strategies to strengthen the social fabric in which international students live and learn. These prevention strategies and well-being services must be accessible and culturally attuned to their needs.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="group of students at table chatting as they look at laptops" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/413676/original/file-20210729-25-1hxaeud.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When choosing a destination, international students value face-to-face teaching and being made to feel part of the university community.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/people-education-technology-school-ans-university-687695548">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-australia-can-get-ahead-in-attracting-and-retaining-chinese-international-students-148444">5 ways Australia can get ahead in attracting and retaining Chinese international students</a>
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</p>
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<h2>Protect students from harassment and racism</h2>
<p>Stronger social cohesion can help counter racism. Universities can also communicate better about international students’ valuable contributions to our communities.</p>
<p>Local governments, businesses and communities all have important roles to play here. Universities can work with these groups to ensure international students have better access to accommodation and jobs. Being made to feel welcome both on and off campus sends a powerful signal to students that they are safe and included.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/06/30/they-dont-understand-fear-we-have/how-chinas-long-reach-repression-undermines">Australian Human Rights Watch</a> recently highlighted on-campus harassment of international students who have different political views to the government of their home country. It reported students were self-censoring to avoid threats, harassment and surveillance.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/academic-freedom-is-paramount-for-universities-they-can-do-more-to-protect-it-from-chinas-interference-163647">Academic freedom is paramount for universities. They can do more to protect it from China's interference</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>International students should feel safe from political harassment on campus. They need to be able to express political views in class and know it won’t affect their assessment. Universities should provide appropriate support to students who have suffered political harassment. </p>
<p>Academic freedom is an important principle that underpins university education in Australia. We can help international students understand its value through improving social cohesion. University leaders can also reinforce this message by strengthening the regulation of academic freedom in student codes of conduct. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/national-strategy-international-education">National Strategy for International Education</a> only tackles student experience at a high level. However, this strategy is <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/australian-strategy-international-education-2021-2030">being refreshed</a>. This is a time for policymakers and universities to sharpen their focus on the student experience and social cohesion for international students as we prepare for post-COVID recovery. </p>
<p>As borders re-open, it will be more important than ever for Australian universities to show they are committed to providing international students with a world-class student experience. It’s critical for their post-pandemic recovery.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162856/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Anderson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>International student demand for places in Australia has fallen by a third over the course of the pandemic, while for our key competitors demand has remained stable or even increased.Ian Anderson. Palawa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Student and University Experience, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/857762017-12-04T13:24:09Z2017-12-04T13:24:09ZCan’t teach old dogs new tricks? Nonsense. Tips for learning later in life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/195790/original/file-20171122-6031-z41y4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">As 90-year-old Thumekile Mthiyane proves, you're never too old to learn or try new things.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Reuters/Rogan Ward</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Change, often rapid and disorienting, is today’s norm. Even things our grandparents took for granted – manual typewriters, telegrams, smelling salts, corsets – have disappeared into antique shops and museums. We <a href="https://www.thebalance.com/how-often-do-people-change-jobs-2060467">change jobs and even careers</a> many times in one lifetime. We <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lealane/2016/01/15/are-millennial-travel-trends-shifting-in-2016-youll-be-surprised/#35451b5636a8">travel more</a>. It seems like we adapt to new technologies almost weekly. </p>
<p>What hasn’t changed is that human beings need to learn so they can adapt and thrive in new circumstances. Is this possible for older people? It’s common knowledge that children are voracious learners but the famous cliche suggests that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This simply isn’t true. </p>
<p>As research conducted by my colleagues and I <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301269434_South_Africa">has shown</a>, learning is a lifelong process. It’s also life-wide: we learn in all kinds of situations besides schools and colleges – in our families, workplaces, communities and through leisure activities. And it’s life-deep: it’s about emotions, morality, cultural and spiritual development, not just the intellect.</p>
<p>Here’s what you need to know to continue on your own lifelong learning process, and to encourage others around you to keep learning.</p>
<h2>What older people have going for them</h2>
<p>Ageing brings a slight deterioration in functions like short-term memory. But it has the advantage of accumulated experience. <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8f2e/d03cff023530d4377a73d3665d48fb3c654b.pdf">This means</a> you know what you want to learn and how you want to apply it, and can link it to experience and concepts you’ve already acquired. Children at school typically learn a prescribed curriculum for future application. Adults tend to choose their learning and want it to count here and now.</p>
<p>Learning as an adult is not easy. You have to admit what you don’t know. Sometimes past learning experiences have been negative and associated with feelings of fear and failure. And adults have multiple responsibilities: work, family, social involvements and ageing parents, to name a few. Learning means negotiating these commitments and your own feelings. When you decide to embark on new studies, it’s important to let those around you know; explain how it will change things and enlist their support. </p>
<p>It’s also good to learn with others so that you can share the challenges and triumphs. <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/03/08/mount-st-marys-firing-simon-newman/">Isolation</a> can drive people away from learning at <a href="https://theconversation.com/distance-learning-the-five-qualities-student-teachers-need-to-succeed-86550">any stage</a> of their lives. Study groups and learning partners, whether online, face-to-face or both, can be a great way of deepening and sustaining learning.</p>
<h2>What and where</h2>
<p>But what, and where, should you study? Firstly, it’s important to realise that not all, or even most, learning is formal. There’s an enormous modern emphasis on educational institutions, which for the masses is generally only a few hundred years old. And so the ways that humans have always learnt are often taken for granted.</p>
<p>We often learn the most important things informally from others and from experience: how to parent, how to get on with our neighbours, how to surf the Internet, where to find a job; and, perhaps most importantly, how to direct our own learning. Developing social capital – networks of friends, mentors, advisers, instructors – is as important for learning as it’s ever been. </p>
<p>These networks also allow us to connect with people whose voices we don’t usually hear; that helps us to avoid ghettoising our own minds and opens up new opportunities for thought and action.</p>
<p>Local organisations such as churches, mosques and temples often offer learning opportunities. NGOs as diverse as the <a href="http://www.wwf.org.za/act_now/f2f/">World Wildlife Fund</a> and <a href="http://www.aasouthafrica.org.za/">Alcoholics Anonymous</a> provide both face-to-face and eLearning opportunities. </p>
<p>In South Africa, community-based organisations such as <a href="http://saveact.org.za/">stokvels</a> – financial cooperatives – can be a great way to learn about money and saving. Keeping the country’s own radical tradition alive, <a href="http://populareducation.co.za">Popular Education South Africa</a> is a catalytic project that “seeks to inspire alternative forms of education provision that benefit working class and poor people”. </p>
<p>The government system of Community Learning Centres, linked to a Community College in each province, offers adult basic education and an alternative route to writing the <a href="http://www.dhet.gov.za/SitePages/CommunityCollege.aspx">National Senior Certificate</a>. This is the final school-leaving exam (“matric”) that can equip you to enter tertiary institutions. Although these centres are of uneven quality, many do an <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/project/Efficacy-in-adult-learning-centres-what-makes-them-work">outstanding job</a> under difficult circumstances. </p>
<h2>Navigating the Internet</h2>
<p>The Internet offers a flood of learning opportunities. But how do you negotiate the deluge of options and pathways? It is important to check out the credentials of the websites you use because search engines don’t discriminate. Look out for websites that are linked to universities and research institutes. These and other credible online sources abound.</p>
<p>Though Wikipedia often gets a bad rap, it’s a vast public resource of information on almost every conceivable topic and a fascinating human invention. It’s a good spot to supplement your learning or answer quick queries.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ted.com/">TED Talks</a> are devoted to “ideas worth spreading”, usually in the form of short powerful talks. You can learn anything from how to <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar">spot a liar</a> to how to <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/fred_jansen_how_to_land_on_a_comet">land on a comet</a>. Each talk also offers access to a transcript, a reading list for more sources and an option for posting your own comments and joining the debate. </p>
<h2>Learning as never before</h2>
<p>It doesn’t matter whether your learning preferences are formal or informal; institutional or self-directed; online, face-to-face or blended.</p>
<p>We live in a learning world as never before, and the quality of our learning as a species is likely to determine our future. So don’t let cliches about old dogs hold you back: keep learning.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/85776/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Rule works for the Centre for Higher and Adult Education at Stellenbosch University. He has received funding from Umalusi to investigate efficacy at adult learning centres.</span></em></p>It’s common knowledge that children are voracious learners but the famous cliche suggests that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This simply isn’t true.Peter Rule, Associate Professor, Centre for Higher and Adult Education, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/451462015-09-24T09:40:32Z2015-09-24T09:40:32ZLearning from PowerPoint: is it time for teachers to move on?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95718/original/image-20150922-25752-1gck4o5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">How well do students learn when a lesson is mainly in PowerPoint?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/darkb4dawn/3390585399/in/photolist-65hVoy-4abWCw-4uyiv9-Hzh4d-6mDHa9-4Xgrs9-QWNVK-5CzJan-5uDuTA-kfGx2-6RhrHq-4zajqc-6vtS7X-JtPRd-JtSUr-JtPFL-JtPzf-bvVygY-66bWgT-7y2hn8-255BTY-ALww-6RhsFY-6Rhs3f-9JPK7V-61xZHf-5K8jjS-5uz87R-6M4rhU-5uJ2Dq-4ejQjH-tWwoe-69jS8b-5pn6cM-6tTwn3-5mHeUA-HMKKg-HMKJr-GVrf6-6LZgux-6M4r2J-6aBCUX-jcXEE-Hzgyb-Hzg8G-HzfxY-Hzj3B-Hzajf-Hz7Jc-XNkBr">Henrik Berger Jørgensen</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For a brief period in the history of teaching, using PowerPoint automatically qualified you as a tech-savvy professor – an innovator who wouldn’t settle for the usual combination of staticky black-and-white overhead films and hand-scrawled chalkboard notes. </p>
<p>Now, it’s hard to believe that PowerPoint was once considered innovative by anyone. Popular criticism includes everything from tongue-in-cheek comments about <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2014/11/14/six-ways-to-avoid-death-by-powerpoint/">death by PowerPoint</a>
to serious claims that it <a href="http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/powerpoint">fundamentally degrades</a> how we think and communicate.</p>
<p>But much of today’s college instruction isn’t in face-to-face classrooms, a setting in which PowerPoint was traditionally used. It’s in the <a href="http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf">burgeoning field of online learning</a>. </p>
<p>So if more learning is moving online, does that mean that teaching with PowerPoint is becoming a thing of the past? </p>
<p>Surprisingly, the answer is no. </p>
<h2>Passive learning through PowerPoint?</h2>
<p>Even though there’s <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10755-006-9017-5">little research</a> that directly addresses whether PowerPoint affects learning in college students, critics have <a href="https://theconversation.com/lets-ban-powerpoint-in-lectures-it-makes-students-more-stupid-and-professors-more-boring-36183">questioned its value</a> in educational settings. </p>
<p>Some ask whether PowerPoint might indirectly undermine the quality of teaching by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265381218_PowerPoint_An_Overused_Technology_Deserving_of_Criticism_but_Indispensable%20%E2%80%93%20one%20centered%20around%20the%20lecture%20rather%20than%20active%20student%20involvement">reinforcing a passive learning approach</a>. </p>
<p>We know that <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/111/23/8410">lecturing is less effective</a> than alternative methods. It therefore makes sense for teachers in face-to-face classrooms to question how much of their class time ought to be spent on slideshows.</p>
<p>But the fact is “slideshows” remain a popular method for presenting content in today’s online courses.</p>
<p>Technically, these are often not PowerPoints, but decks generated using other types of <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/captivate.html">specialized programs</a>. </p>
<p>And they may differ from standard in-class PowerPoint presentations in important ways. </p>
<p>For example, taking advantage of the increased flexibility of the online environment, they give students more control over how quickly to go through the material and when to backtrack. They can also have more interactive features, such as quizzes, that ask students to apply material while they are learning it. </p>
<p>Even so, the basic – and flawed – idea is the same: put the material in front of students, and learning will happen. </p>
<h2>What’s wrong with slideshows in online courses</h2>
<p>As a psychologist specializing in teaching techniques and course design, when I talk to faculty about <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674368248">teaching effectively with technology</a>, I sometimes tell them to follow the ABS principle: anything but slideshows.</p>
<p>I’m only half-kidding with that blanket statement. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/95720/original/image-20150922-25773-105n5uu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There are alternatives to using only PowerPoint for instruction.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkeats/4600373827/in/photolist-7NLVGj-4xxcoh-4TJVAC-4B38kY-72M76r-pjGMBh-4B37XL-81w7S8-9AnmG-4U84p6-513e4n-513dMa-4B2WZS-4B2VH9-4B2GBS-4AXqUr-5nghwZ-dQdZxD-65VMrK-aE5UnQ-aE5SCf-aE5KYd-5mH8ks-axzyGx-axzucX-4vXanA-4xeHjH-4iWMs-4uVjyH-39cZ3A-5FJKjk-4AXrge-5PA4Ke-4eWiki-4uubp6-517r5U-513emp-axCdQU-aE2QWD-5PzLLx-4B2YMG-axA9qK-axCjnL-axzze4-axzphg-4uuhbM-axCcGq-4eWhTr-4DkBmh-4uyjjA">Derek Keats</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After all, we learn with the same brains in online environments as we do face-to-face; the principles of learning don’t change just because the medium changes. And <a href="http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470484101.html">today’s learning theorists</a> agree: active involvement trumps passive viewing.</p>
<p>Students need to grapple with challenging problems, practice skills, discuss and defend viewpoints. But for this kind of active learning to happen, instructors need to ensure they do not rely too heavily on slides.</p>
<p>There are alternatives: <a href="http://www.phil.cmu.edu/projects/causality-lab/">simulations</a>, <a href="https://pblc.nss.udel.edu/Pbl//">problem-based learning</a>, even <a href="https://reacting.barnard.edu/about">educational games</a> are all proven methods for drawing students in. They also <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674368248">transplant well into online learning</a>.</p>
<h2>Using slideshows the right way</h2>
<p>So do slideshows have any place in a well-designed online course? Possibly.</p>
<p>They can be used strategically for things they are best at: giving students an overview of new material, or providing a refresher on concepts students will need for an upcoming activity. </p>
<p>Slides are also great for for integrating visual illustrations. This is important because visuals – diagrams, figures, photos and the like – have a powerful impact on learning. </p>
<p>Visual information is almost always more memorable than sound, text or other modalities. </p>
<p>This isn’t because of the <a href="http://www.changemag.org/archives/back%20issues/september-october%202010/the-myth-of-learning-full.html">now-debunked</a> idea that some people are “visual learners,” but more likely stems from <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/mental-representations-9780195066661?cc=us&lang=en&">how the brain codes images</a>. There are separate systems for representing verbal and visual information in the brain. When we save information in both places, it is easier to recall. </p>
<p>Teachers don’t have to stick with static images, either. Even <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ940536">basic animations</a> can illuminate conceptual relationships – such as cause and effect, or the unfolding of a process over time – in ways that text can’t. </p>
<p>Furthermore, as University of California, Santa Barbara researcher <a href="https://www.psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/mayer">Richard Mayer</a> has <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/US/academic/subjects/psychology/educational-psychology/multimedia-learning-2nd-edition">discovered</a>, visuals and the spoken word pair up in powerful ways, so that audio plus visuals produce better learning than either alone. </p>
<p>Research also tells teachers some things <em>not</em> to do with visuals. Instructors should avoid purely decorative graphics, as these can actually <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563212000921">hamper learning</a>. </p>
<p>They should also eschew <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2013-09151-001/">reading text verbatim</a>, instead using a <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/US/academic/subjects/psychology/educational-psychology/multimedia-learning-2nd-edition">conversational, natural speaking style</a> for voiceovers and verbal explanations.</p>
<h2>What this means in the larger context of online learning</h2>
<p>In sum, slideshows can be a useful part of online instruction, when used for the right things and designed in the right way. But they shouldn’t be the main, or the only, method of instruction – any more than lectures should dominate face-to-face classes.</p>
<p>But it’s not just instructors who need to hear this message. </p>
<p>Publishing and educational technology companies, who provide many of the tools that educators rely on, can do more to develop products that push beyond familiar formulas and draw on the latest learning science.</p>
<p>We need tools that make it easy to create assignments that ask students to apply what they have learned, in scenarios that are as realistic and challenging as possible. </p>
<p>These learning tools also need to be adaptive, adjusting the material and pace to the individual learner. This kind of educational technology <a href="http://oli.stanford.edu">does exist</a>, but far more can be done to expand the available options.</p>
<p>Teaching in the age of technology comes with its own set of opportunities as well as challenges. And online education presents educators and tech developers with a rare opportunity to fundamentally rethink what we do. </p>
<p>Will we use it to explore new avenues for learning, or will we fall back on the the same old techniques that don’t work well in face-to-face classrooms?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/45146/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Denise Miller is a partner in Rhizome Learn LLC and consults for Minds-Online.com.</span></em></p>Slideshows, when designed right, can be a useful part of online instruction. But they shouldn’t be the main, or the only, method of instruction.Michelle Denise Miller, Director, First Year Learning Initiative at University College and Professor of Psychological Sciences, Northern Arizona UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/341352014-11-19T19:25:15Z2014-11-19T19:25:15ZOnline vs face-to-face learning: why can’t we have both?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/64347/original/zd8p8d83-1415769196.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People argue over whether learning should take place online or face-to-face, but does it have to be one or the other?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/85589593@N04/8405954920">Flickr/Noticias UFM</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Ever since the invention of the printed word, <a href="http://www.english.illinois.edu/-people-/faculty/debaron/482/482readings/phaedrus.html">academics have been arguing</a> about the proper place of technology in teaching.</p>
<p>On one side are those who I’ll call the traditionalists who insist on the primacy of face-to-face and barely tolerate online delivery. For the traditionalists, students need, as one colleague put it, to be exposed to the “rhetorical performance of the lecture”. For them, students learn a great deal from simply watching academics nut through problems.</p>
<p>While they may decry passive lectures, their own teaching, they insist, is a highly interactive affair. They adopt a Socratic approach in which they engage students in a rich dialogue. While technologies such as the web have a place in teaching, it is a secondary one, limited for broadcasting announcements and pasting up subject learning guides.</p>
<p>On the other side, are the technologists. The technologists would happily do away with lectures — or give face-to-face teaching the flick entirely. New technologies provide tools for reaching into students’ lives. Students can learn when and where they want. And now that students are getting online delivery at high school, it’s time that universities caught up.</p>
<p>While early versions of online teaching were often cheap and nasty, its present day champions argue that things have gotten a lot better. Learning analytics, for example, provide new ways to track students’ progress and comprehension throughout a subject, permitting more targeted, customised lectures.</p>
<p>As an Associate Dean, I’ve heard passionate defenders of both sides — and I have some sympathy for both.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/64422/original/sqh9grn8-1415830305.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The modern day classroom?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/funfilledgeorgie/8983403509">Flickr/George Redgrave</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Those who defend the face-to-face are absolutely correct: in many instances there is no substitute for meeting in person. Anyone who has taken part in video conferencing or a Skype call knows this to be true.</p>
<p>According to some estimates, non-verbal cues account for up to 60% of communication. No amount of bandwidth can make up for this potential loss of information. No doubt this is part of the diabolical attrition rates for Massive Open Online Courses.</p>
<p>But, at the same time, traditionalists often uncritically equate attendance with attentiveness.</p>
<p>Take a peek from the back of most large lecture theatres, and you’ll discover that many of those students conscientiously tapping away at their laptops are chatting on Facebook or, more depressingly, shopping on ebay.</p>
<p>And those are just the students who bothered to turn up. The uncomfortable truth is, many students vote with their feet and simply don’t go to class.</p>
<p>Some lecturers argue that this is a reason not to put content online in the first place. But the more pertinent question is: if students can pass a subject without turning up to class, then why should they?</p>
<p>As for the Socratic approach, I always wonder what people mean by this. Most of the examples we have of Socrates’ practice comes to us via Plato. In Plato’s writings, as the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek notes in <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=SDBODx0ErWcC&pg=PR19&lpg=PR19&dq=organs+without+bodies+socrates&source=bl&ots=dWN6s_V3iS&sig=bLNRaCt1yI45r0A4Vsu5-yKFuUI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wdxhVL2qHaLOmQXdlIEI&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=organs%20without%20bodies%20socrates&f=false">Organs without Bodies</a>, Socrates asks the questions, his companions politely answer and occasionally offer a few feeble challenges, before everyone agrees with Socrates, gushing “The matter never struck me before; but I quite recognise the truth of your remark”.</p>
<p>As a model for challenging ideas or nutting through complex issues, the example of the Socratic method that has come down to us doesn’t have much to recommend it. It seems better suited to starting a cult. And while that might be good for student retention, I’m not sure that’s what the advocates of the Socratic method were aiming at.</p>
<p>The choice offered by traditionalists and the technologists is a false one. In almost every sphere of life, the online and the face-to-face merge almost seamlessly.</p>
<p>Our personal lives are plastered all over Facebook and Twitter, yet the pervasiveness of cafes suggests that people still want the embodied presence of others. Why should we expect education to be any different?</p>
<p>A more productive conversation is not to insist on the primacy of online or the face-to-face, but rather to wholeheartedly embrace both. This is to leverage different modes of delivery to create more effective learning and teaching experiences.</p>
<p>One way to do so is to harness technology to make more effective use of the valuable time teachers and students meet face-to-face. The guiding principle should be that any transmissible material should be delivered online. It should be put into bite-sized chunks and presented to students to be read/watched/listened to in their own time.</p>
<p>Doing so frees up valuable face-to-face teaching time to engage in active learning exercises, in-class discussions, and practicals.</p>
<p>While wholly online subjects and ones that are delivered predominantly in the face-to-face will continue, the bulk of courses in higher education will begin to resemble the rest of contemporary social life: a complex blending of both the online and face-to-face.</p>
<p>Rather than devoting more time and effort wrestling with the debate between face-to-face and technology, our efforts would be better spent exploring the best practices of education using all the tools at our disposal.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/34135/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher Scanlon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Ever since the invention of the printed word, academics have been arguing about the proper place of technology in teaching. On one side are those who I’ll call the traditionalists who insist on the primacy…Christopher Scanlon, Academic Director, Learning Focus Area Hub, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.