Remote Teaching and Learning Part 1: Getting Organized

The purpose of this 1.5-hour workshop is to organize your teaching load into discrete groups that you can access so contact is continuous throughout the time school is closed. I will guide you through the process of creating virtual classrooms using a free program called Google Classroom.* This program allows you to build a classroom for each of your courses so your students can find their assignments, turn in homework, get feedback on their work, and receive their grades. Although the interaction will not necessarily be simultaneous, students will be able to communicate with each other and with you through the Google Classroom platform. The platform I have chosen is a free, well-vetted program that is useful enough to continue as a resource after your school reopens. This platform is not a live interaction application it does not require a high-speed Internet connection and your students do not need to synchronize their meeting time. Google Classroom can be accessed using a computer, tablet, or cell phone so students who have limited access to the Internet can participate on any device using whatever window of time they have even if that window occurs only once a week.

*Note: You may choose an alternate program such as Schoology, Moodle, One Note, or Canvas if your find those programs to be more appealing, more intuitive, or chosen as the preferred platform for your school. These programs all have fairly similar functionality as a teacher and student communication device.