Introduction to Computer (PDF)

Introduction to Computer (Meaning,components and characteristics) What Does Computer Mean? A computer is a machine or electronic device which performs processes, calculations and operations based on instructions provided by a software or hardware program. It has the ability to a...

Introduction to Computer (Meaning,components and characteristics) What Does Computer Mean? A computer is a machine or electronic device which performs processes, calculations and operations based on instructions provided by a software or hardware program. It has the ability to accept data (input), process data according to specified rules, and then produce information ( output). It can also store data for later uses in appropriate storage devices, and retrieve whenever it is necessary. Modern computers can be used for a variety of purposes ranging from browsing the web, writing documents, editing videos, creating applications, playing video games, etc. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4607/computer Basic Concepts of Computer Computer is an electronic device that is used to store the data. It gives results quickly and accurately. Data, Information and Knowledge: The difference in meaning between these concepts can be clarified as it follows: Data: Data can be Facts and figures related to something specific but they are not organized in any way.They provide no further information regarding patterns, context, etc. So data means "unstructured facts and figures that have the least impact on the typical manager. Information: For data to become information, it must be contextualized, categorized, calculated and condensed. Therefore, information paints a bigger picture; it is data with relevance and purpose. Information is found "in answers to questions that begin with such words as who, what, where, when, and how many". Knowledge: Knowledge is closely linked to doing and implies know-how and understanding. The knowledge possessed by each individual is a product of his experience, and encompasses the norms by which he evaluates new inputs from his surroundings. Computers classification*** Computers can be generally classified by size and power as follows: Personal computer: A small,single-user computer based on a microprocessor. In addition to the microprocessor, a personal computer has a keyboard for entering data, a monitor for displaying information, and a storage device for saving data. Workstation: A powerful, single-user computer. A workstation is like a personal computer, but it has a more powerful microprocessor and a higher-quality monitor.. Minicomputer: A multi-user computer capable of supporting from 10 to hundreds of users simultaneously. Mainframe :  A powerful multi-user computer capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously. Supercomputer : An extremely fast computer that can perform hundreds of millions of instructions per second. Laptop and Smartphone Computers LAPTOP: A laptop is a battery or AC-powered personal computer that can be easily carried and used in a variety of locations. Many laptops are designed to have all of the functionality of a desktop computer, whichmeans they can generally run the same software and open the same types of files. However, some laptops, such as netbooks, sacrifice some functionality in order to be even more portable. Netbook: A netbook is a type of laptop that is designed to be even more portable. Netbooks are often cheaper than laptops or desktops. They are generally less powerful than other types of computers, but they provide enough power for email and internet access, which is where the name "netbook" comes from. Mobile Device: A mobile device is basically any handheld computer. It is designed to be extremely portable, often fitting in the palm of your hand or in your pocket. Some mobile devices are more powerful, and they allow you to do many of the same things you can do with a desktop or laptop computer. These include tablet computers, e-readers, and smart phones. Tablet Computers: Like laptops, tablet computers are designed to be portable. However, they provide a very different computing experience. The most obvious difference is that tablet computers don't have keyboards or touchpads. Instead, the entire screen is touch- sensitive, allowing you to type on a virtual keyboard and use your finger as a mouse pointer. Tablet computers are mostly designed for consuming media, and they are optimized for tasks like web browsing, watching videos, reading e- books, and playing games. For many people, a "regular" computer like a desktop or laptop is still needed in order to use some programs. However, the convenience of a tablet computer means that it may be ideal as a second computer. Smartphones: A smartphone is a powerful mobile phone that is designed to run a variety of applications in addition to phone service. They are basically small tablet computers, and they can be used for web browsing, watching videos, reading e- books, playing games and more. https://www.just.edu.jo/~mqais/CIS99/PDF/Ch.01_Introduction_%20to_compu ters.pdf Synonyms for Computer: Computer`s components Computer : Computer itself is a combination of different type of separate electronic device. i.e. Computer only will be computer if it has INPUT DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, and OUTPUT DEVICE. Central Processing Unit (CPU) : It is heart and mind of the computer without this unit computer unable to process. Keyboard : This is an input device which is used to input the data into the computer. Mouse : This is also an input device which is used to input the data into the computer. Monitor : This is an output device which is used to show the result of the instructions. There are variety of monitor available in the market such as, CRT Monitor, LCD Monitor, Touch Screen Monitor, TFT Monitor etc. Switched Mode Power Supply (SMPS) : This is and electronic device which is used to manage the power supply of computer. Hard Disk (HDD) : This is used to store the data in massive amount. There are so many type of HDD available in the market, i.e. SATA, PATA, External HDD, Internal HDD. Printer : This is an out put device which is used to show the result on the paper. There are plenty of printer available in the market like inkjet, Laser printer, dot matrix printer etc. Universal Serial Bus (USB) : This is used to connect the external device to the computer. Ethernet Cable : This is used to connect computer with other computer. CD/DVD ROM : This is used to store the data. Speaker : This is an output device which is used to listen voice, songs, etc. Mike : This is an Input device which is used to record the sound.  Laptop : This is complete computer which can be carried anywhere any time. Netbook : This is called mini laptop which is generally lighter and smaller than laptop. Random Access Memory (RAM) : This is called primary memory. This is also called main memory of the computer. Whatever data is written in this memory, is lost after switching off the system. Read Only Memory (ROM) : This is called primary memory. Data is written in this memory by the vendor of the computer permanently. Pen Drive : This is very popular device now a days for carrying data on move. Blue Ray Disk : This is same as CD/DVD but only different is it can store multi time of data from CD/DVD and faster than CD/DVD. Scanner : This is an input device which is used to scan the document for the soft copy. LCD : It is known as Liqued Crystal Display. It is an output device as monitor. Motherboard : It is a combination of electronic circuits. Sound Card : This is also a combination of electronic circuits which helps to give out put in the form of sound. Graphics Card : This is also a combination of electronic circuits which helps to give output the data into the monitor. Computer Software: Software is a logical programme to handle/solve the complex problem. System Software : This is special type of software which is responsible for handle the whole computer system. Application Software : This is special type of software which is used to solve a particular problem. Embeded Software : This type of software embeded with hardware to do a specific type of job. Proprietary Software : In general, this type of software require to purchase to use that particular software for the some time or single user as per conditioned by the vendor of that particular software.  Open Source Software : This type of software may be freely available and can not be use in commercially. We can modify, and use it under the same license. https://www.advance-africa.com/characteristic-of-a-computer.html CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPUTERS: The characteristics of computers that have made them so powerful and universally useful are speed, accuracy, diligence, versatility and storage capacity. Let us discuss them briefly. 1. Speed Computers work at an incredible speed In general, no human being can compete to solving the complex computation, faster than computer.. A powerful computer is capable of performing about 3-4 million simple instructions per second. 2. Accuracy In addition to being fast, computers are also accurate. Errors that may occur can almost always be attributed to human error (inaccurate data, poorly designed system or faulty instructions/programs written by the programmer).Since Computer is programmed, so whatever input we give it gives result with accurately. 3. Diligence Unlike human beings, computers are highly consistent. Computers can work for hours without any break and creating error.They do not suffer from human traits of boredom and tiredness resulting in lack of concentration. Computers, therefore, are better than human beings in performing voluminous and repetitive jobs. 4. Versatility. Computers are versatile machines and are capable of performing any task as long as it can be broken down into a series of logical steps. The presence of computers can be seen in almost every sphere – Railway/Air reservation, Banks, Hotels, Weather forecasting and many more. We can use computer to perform completely different type of work at the same time. 5. Storage Capacity Today’s computers can store large volumes of data with appropriate format. A piece of information once recorded (or stored) in the computer, can never be forgotten and can be retrieved almost instantaneously. 6- Power of Remembering : It can remember data for us. 7- No iQ : Computer does not work without instruction. 8- No Feelings : Computer does not have emotions, knowledge, experience, feeling https://www.advance-africa.com/characteristic-of-a-computer.html 1. The Need to Use Computers in Education: There are many reasons that led to the need to use computers in education as follows: 1. The explosion of knowledge and the flow of information is a necessity where this era is called the era of information revolution. 2. The need for speed in the information age, making the human need to deal with this vast amount of information. 3. Finding solutions to the problems of learning difficulties facing learners has become an urgent need. 4. Improving future job opportunities by preparing students for a world of advanced technology. For more information about computer components and characteristics click on the following links: https://youtu.be/zKuQfvbuqUg https://youtu.be/ExxFxD4OSZ0 https://youtu.be/qfUZBKDh9BY https://youtu.be/FUJ-nvjSP20 https://youtu.be/P88gULw8xzE https://youtu.be/zh10mJEOjJ4 https://youtu.be/FDEqw3w7DFY https://youtu.be/3_wpruVaxcs Based on what you have learned in this chapter do the following then post your worksheets on the Face book group page : Summarize the chapter in only two pages. Draw a mind map for the main points studied with key words and hints for the important sub ideas. Phrase 10 questions with the key answer then discuss the questions within your group and write a group test of 20 questions. Note: write your full name and number to document your work. Online learning causes a pedagogical shift in how we teach and learn. There is a shift away from top-down lecturing and passive students to a more interactive, collaborative approach in which students and instructor co-create the learning process. The Instructor’s role is changing from the “sage on the stage” to “the guide on the side.” Constructivism maintains that people actively construct new knowledge as they interact with their environment. This is a student-centered approach in which students “co-create” their learning experience. This approach empowers students as active learners instead of just passive recipients absorbing information and reproducing it for standardized tests. Derived from the work of Swiss philosopher, Jean Piaget, constructivism emphasizes: The learner as a unique individual. The relevence of the learner’s background and culture. Increased responsibility for learning belongs to the student. Motivation for learning comes from successful completion of challenging tasks. Instructors as facilitators helping learners develop their own understanding of content. Learning is an active, social process. The dynamic interaction between task, instructor and learner. Constructionism Constructionism asserts that learning is particularly effective when constructing something for others to experience. This can be anything from a spoken sentence or an internet posting, to more complex things like a painting or a presentation. For example, you might read this page several times and still forget it by tomorrow - but if you were asked to explain these ideas to someone else in your own words, or produce a slideshow that explained these concepts, you would gain a deeper understanding that is more integrated into your own ideas. Collaboration As an instructor, you focus on the experiences that would best generate learning from the learner's point of view, rather than just publishing and assessing the information you think they need to know. Each participant in a course can and should be a teacher as well as a learner. Your job changes from being the sole source of knowledge, to being a guide and role model. You connect with students in ways that address their own learning needs by moderating discussions and activities in a way that collectively leads students towards the larger learning goals of the class. https://www.wlac.edu/online/documents/otl.pdf Online Teaching Meaning : Online teaching is the process of educating others on virtual platforms via the internet. This type of teaching involves many methods like live classes, video conferencing, webinars, and other online tools. How Online Teaching Works: To teach online, you need to be reasonably comfortable with computers and the internet.This is because interactions with students will take place through messaging platforms, email, and video calls. Also, many online teachers need to create digital resources to share with their students, such as PowerPoint presentations, videos, audio lectures, and pdf guides. Advantages of Teaching Online: Teaching online courses can: 1. Offer the opportunity to think about teaching in new ways: Online teaching can allow teachers to experiment with techniques only available in online environments, such as threaded discussions and webliographies. 2. Provide ideas and techniques to implement in traditional courses: Online email discussions, a frequently-used practice in online learning, can be incorporated into traditional courses to facilitate group work. Other techniques, such as web-based course calendars and sample papers posted on the Internet (with student permission) can easily be incorporated into a traditional course. 3. Expand the reach of the curriculum: Online teaching can expand existing curriculum to students on a regional, national, and international level. Professional satisfaction: Teachers often cite the diversity of students in online courses as one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching online. 4. Instructor convenience: Teaching online can offer teachers conveniences not available in traditional classroom settings; for example, at-home office hours and flexible work schedules. 5. Providing a lot of freedom for teachers to arrange their schedule to suit their needs: Teachers don’t have to wake up early every day and you can take time off to look after your children. 6. There’s no dress code : There are no rules against shorts and flip-flops! But sure, teachers need to look presentable if they are on camera. 7. Providing an opportunity for teachers to improve their technology skills: Learning online platforms gives teachers the confidence to explore other tools and software that could be useful for their sessions. Challenges of Teaching Online : Some of the challenges for instructors of teaching online include: 1. Familiarity with the online environment. 2. Capacity to use the medium to its advantage. 3. Being available to students on an extended basis electronically. 4. Providing quick responses and feedback to students. Qualities of successful online teachers: 1. They provide a safe climate for their students by providing reassurance and support to new online learners. 2. They invite student input regarding the goals and agenda for the course. 3. They give frequent individualized feedback, using a variety of communication tools. 4. They help students connect with one another. What is Online Learning? The term online learning (or, as it is sometimes called, distance learning) includes a number of computer-assisted instruction methods. Online teaching and learning is faculty-delivered instruction via the Internet.Online instruction includes real- time (synchronous) and anytime, anywhere(asynchronous) interactions. Approaches to Online Learning Two approaches to online learning have emerged: synchronous and asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning is instruction and collaboration in “real time” via the Internet. It typically involves tools, such as:live chat ,audio and video conferencing ,data and application sharing ,shared whiteboard, virtual "hand raising ,joint viewing of multimedia presentations and online slide shows. Asynchronous learning methods use the time-delayed capabilities of the Internet.It typically involves tools, such as:e-mail, threaded discussion ,newsgroups and bulletin board sand file attachments. Advantages of Online Learning: Online learning offers a variety of educational opportunities: 1. Student-centered learning : The variety of online tools draws on individual learning styles and helps students become more versatile learners. 2. Collaborative learning :  Online group work allows students to become more active participants in the learning process. Contributing input requires that students comprehend what is being discussed, organize their thinking coherently, and express that thinking with carefully. 3. Easy access to global resources : Students can easily access online databases and subject experts in the online classroom. 4. Experiential learning through multimedia presentations: New technologies can be used to engage and motivate students. Technology can also be used to support students in their learning activities. 5. Accessible for non-traditional students: Online delivery of programs and courses makes participation possible for students who experience geographic and time barriers in gaining access to higher education. 6. Draws on student interest in online learning: Many students are interested in online learning. Important Questions for New Online Instructors to Consider: How can you accommodate different learning styles online? How might you convert the learning activities you use in the traditional classroom to the online environment? Is it possible to use your materials “as is” or will you need to rethink how your material is presented? Lecturing is the most common method of presenting content in college classrooms. Why is lecturing a less productive method of teaching in the online environment?  In the virtual classroom, lectures are short and few. With this being the case, where are the students going to get the information they need to obtain the learning objectives? Are video, audio, and real-time activities a benefit in a text-based asynchronous online course? Why or why not? How will you inform your students of online expectations and realities and help ensure their success? What problems can you anticipate that students might have when beginning your course? How might you smooth the way for your students? Online teaching is demanding. EFL teachers might feel uncomfortable teaching online courses due to the multiple roles and responsibilities of teaching online. Online teaching skills and competencies have to be determined in order to help design professional development programs for online instructors. These skills and competencies are classified into six categories: 1. pedagogical skills, 2. content skills, 3. design skills, 4. technological skills, 5. management and institutional skills, and 6. social and communication skills. Online EFL teachers can use these sets of skills to self evaluate their abilities to teach online and identify their training needs. Pedagogical Skills: Effective online instructors should understand the fundamentals of online teaching and pedagogy. They must demonstrate this understanding through applying a large number of principles and strategies. These principles and strategies include: Learning theories, such as learning styles, the learner-centered approach, and collaborative learning; Designing and implementing appropriate instructional strategies, as well as classroom assessment and student engagement techniques; Organizing and facilitating students’ participation and providing guidance and support as needed; Using criterion-based assessment to evaluate individual and group performance;  Motivating students and showing enthusiasm and interest; Encouraging knowledge construction based upon learners’ prior knowledge and life experience. Fostering learners’ self-assessment and reflection; and Promoting group interaction, collaboration, and teamwork. Content Skills: Online instructors must be able to do the following: Expressing and mastering extensive knowledge of the content; Stating learning goals and objectives that coincide with learners’ levels and characteristics; Drafting and developing learning and assessment activities that align with learning goals and objectives; Developing a course outline that includes all course components and elements; Designing a teaching proposal at the general level and identify each of its phases or elements; Developing and selecting appropriate and varied learning resources that accommodate different learning. styles and preferences; Linking the subject and content with scientific, social, cultural, and any other relevant phenomena; and Developing an inventory of existing content and resources and any additional content and resources that will be needed. Design Skills: Designing and developing online courses is a demanding task. It requires having a design and production team, which consists of an instructional designer, instructional technologist, graphic and media designers and production team, and librarians (Abdous, 2011). These individuals work collaboratively to produce high- quality online courses (Haughton, Sandt, & Slantcheva-Durst, 2014). However, online instructors must be able to do the following: Understanding and applying instructional design principles, models, and theories. Organizing and presenting the learning materials in different formats; Cooperating with the production team to design learning activities and select appropriate tools and techniques to present these activities; and Using students’ previous feedback to develop and design new courses and assess the course design quality by using quality assurance tools and instruments. Technological Skills: Although online learning relies heavily on technology, there is no imperative need for online instructors to be technologically advanced. Online instructors have to possess adequate technological literacy skills to be able to do the following: Accessing various technological resources and tools, such as email, Internet browsers, LMSs, text and video chat applications, and productivity software and applications; Understanding the learning and teaching capabilities and limitations of these tools Being aware of the technical potential of, and procedures used to create, e- content, such as e- books and instructional videos; and Being alert to the latest updates and renovations of educational technology and software. Management and Institutional Skills: As classroom management is an important aspect of face-to-face education, managing courses and learning is essential in online learning environments. An awareness of institutional policies and norms is also an important aspect of being a successful online instructor. Skills and tasks related to these two aspects include the following:  Being able to clarify the roles and expectations of the instructor and the learners; Managing the course time and applying time-saving techniques; Demonstrating leadership, management, mentoring, and coaching skills, as well as knowledge of administrative qualities and procedures; Tracking course and students’ progress on a regular basis; Establishing and declaring rules and regulations for participation, submission of assignments, timeliness, Sending and seeking feedback, and communication protocols; Conducting research on classroom teaching then interpreting and integrating research findings and results; Understanding and demonstrating commitment to institutional policies; Maintaining contact and networking with online teaching and administrative teams; and Complying with legal, ethical, and copyright issues and standards. Social and Communication Skills: Active communication and social presence are vital to engaging online learners. Using different communication tools (e.g., email, video chat, text messages, etc.), online instructors have to efficiently communicate and promote interactivity among the learners. Some activities to achieve this include the following: Facilitating and maintaining interactive discussion and information exchange; Using sufficient and commonly understandable language; Respecting and considering cultural differences; Clearly requesting information and asking questions; Clarifying the purpose and meaning of messages and feedback; Emphasizing the important points using font colors and effects; Ensuring the quality and accuracy of written messages and feedback and detecting typographical andgrammatical errors;  Personalizing messages and feedback and making them more lively by adding the appropriate sense of humor when possible; Using different communication methods to ensure accessibility among the instructor and learners, and thelearners with their peers; Maintaining a warm, friendly, and inviting collegial atmosphere; Creating and developing respectful relationships and a sense of community among the learners; Showing sensitivity and empathy when communicating online; Resolving conflicts and misunderstandings amicably; and Offering advice and suggestions and clarifying doubts and suspicions. Facilitating an engaging online course requires educators to develop strategies that enhance student participation and build a sense of community. This leads to collaborative learning and developing relationships and fosters educator feedback while facilitating independent networking and self directed proactive learning. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1223934.pdf The 3 Keys to Teaching Online Classes Effectively 1. Clear communication with your students’ families. Clear, respectful communication is the key to building relationships and classroom community. Families want to hear from the teacher often and regularly. It can be easy for students and parents to start to feel disconnected. So, the teacher should reassure them that “virtual door” is always open, and share his/her email and phone number early and often in multiple places. 1 2. Vary your types of lessons. Teacher`s teaching should be a blend of both synchronous (happening in real-time) and asynchronous (unscheduled and self-paced). Synchronous teaching through phone calls, video lessons, or live chats allows students to ask questions and build relationships with the teacher and each other. Asynchronous activities, like discussion boards or recorded lectures, allow your students to complete assignments at their own time and pace. Both styles have their benefits and are necessary in their own ways. 3. Select the right tools for your class. Your school’s Learning Management System or LMS will most likely be the primary tool you use for your direct communication and posting assignments. Familiarize yourself with it early, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your more tech- savvy coworkers with questions. You’ll also need a separate tool like Google Voice or Zoom or phone calls, live lessons, and video chatting. Beyond these basics, there are a huge variety of educational technology tools to transform your teaching and engage your students. Most Common Strategies of Distance Education: Encouraging student engagement while ensuring they master their course content can be challenging in any setting. The Albert Team( 2022) presented five most common strategies in online teaching that help teachers on how to make lessons more interactive and foster active learning as it follows: 1. Adapt your lessons to work online. Revamp your in-person lessons to the online environment with engaging discussions, screen recordings, and interactive tech tools. 2. Set clear expectations with students and families. Share your expectations and due dates early and often to prepare students and families for a successful year. 3. Build a strong online classroom community. Classroom community is just as essential in the virtual environment and can be fostered with video chats, purposeful free time, and class message boards. 2 4. Connect with parents and keep them involved. Keep parents involved consistently with frequent and engaging communications like weekly newsletters and personal phone calls throughout the school year. 5. Find and utilize the right EdTech for your needs. Collaborate with fellow educators and identify specific needs to find and implement the best tools for your classroom. How to Adapt Your Lesson Plans to Different Types of Learners There are a bunch of different online learning strategies to adapt your in-person lesson plans to fit the virtual environment. It just takes a little creativity and the right tools. 1. Add discussions to increase engagement and comprehension. An unbeatable tool for asynchronous discussions is Flipgrid. Instead of typing, students record themselves answering your posted questions. They can view and respond to each other’s videos, as well. This is a great option for reluctant writers, a strong way to boost engagement, and promote active learning. For written discussions, Google Classroom is a great tool. You simply post the assignment instructions, let students post their answer, and then they can read and respond to others. Check out How to Teach From Home with Google Classroom and Albert for more tips.For synchronous discussions, chat rooms like YO Teach allow students to message back and forth in real-time. Fair warning- these chatrooms require active monitoring from the teacher side. 2. Utilize screen recordings to pre-record yourself and your lessons. For the Powerpoints you’ve already created, screen recording software like Loom or Screencastify allows you to record your presentation on-screen as you speak and click through your slides. It even has the option to include a little window with your face on the screen, so your students can still see you. These 3 videos can be downloaded or shared via web link. Beyond just lessons, you can also record yourself explaining assignment directions, for those students who do better when verbally told what to do. 3. Make your lessons interactive and engaging. Nearpod is one way to make online classes more interactive. It’s a dynamic tool that allows students to follow along and participate in your lessons on their own devices. First, you import your pre-existing lessons pdfs or Powerpoints. You then can add in places for student interaction: written responses, drawings, quizzes, polls, collaborate boards, and more. You can differentiate the type and difficulty of assignments for different student needs. Strategies for Teaching Online: How to Set Clear Expectations with Students Strong classroom management is as essential in the online environment as it is in the traditional one. Even though you won’t be physically seeing your students every day, read on for 5 effective online teaching strategies to hold them accountable. 1. Post behavior expectations in every live discussion. Make your rules/expectations crystal clear from the outset, especially in live discussions. You’ll probably find even the quieter students feel more bold typing in the chat- which is great when it’s positive conversations, but not-so-great when it gets off-topic or inappropriate. In your first synchronous lesson, spend time discussing with your students what you as a class want your “Online Classroom Norms” to be. Create a list of around 8-10 norms, including specific rules like “stay on topic,” “always be kind and respectful,” “raise your hand and wait to be called on before turning on your microphone.” After you create the norms, review and share the document before every live lesson. 2. Set and enforce consequences in live discussions. The same in any classroom, it’s just as important to enforce your expectations as it is to create and share them. If a student is negatively participating, you can easily mute or remove him or her from the lesson. Then, follow up afterward with a phone call home to discuss the situation. 4 3. Find your positive reinforcement. My students used to love cleaning the whiteboard, or getting small pieces of candy. But online, these rewards don’t translate. However, it’s still just as important to reward students to reinforce their positive behavior. Some ideas include: Public shoutouts: Recognize star students in your emails to the class, during synchronous lessons, or post them on a public board. A board like padlet can even let students post shoutouts recognizing each other. Private shoutouts: Send students and their families individual messages when they’ve done a great job. Student choice: Allowing students to make even seemingly small choices can be motivating. Let a student choose which song to play before the lesson starts or choose a fun image for your virtual Zoom background. 4. Set clear due dates. Many students struggle with time management. Without a rigid school day schedule, it’s easy for students to lose track of time and fall behind on their work. Set due dates for everything, and send frequent reminders. By the way, check out our free teaching strategy discovery tool. Where possible, chunk large assignments into smaller ones to help students keep on pace. For example, if assigning an essay, set a due date for the outline, the rough draft, and the final essay. This helps force the “wait till the last minute” folks to move forward at a steady pace. 5. Use acknowledgement forms. In this online environment, you’ll find yourself inevitably wondering, “Does anyone even read my emails?” To guarantee your students read and understand any especially important communications, add a link to a quick Google Form where a student and/or parent will type their name to acknowledge they read and understood it. Strategies for Teaching Online: How to Build Rapport and Community with Students 5 Without the natural opportunities to make connections in a traditional classroom, it’s important to create these spaces in the online setting. We share easy best practices in online teaching to build your classroom community: 1. Use interactive Flipgrid discussions. With Flipgrid, you and your students can respond to topics you’ve posted with a selfie video. Students can view everyone’s responses and then post a video reply. Though these aren’t synchronous discussions, seeing and hearing you and their classmates helps to form a community bond. 2. Incorporate purposeful free time. Allowing 10 minutes before a live lesson for students to enter early to chat with you and each other, is a great way to foster important, informal connections. If possible, host a half hour recess once a week, where students can log into a live meeting room just to hang out. If conversation lags or needs direction, you can facilitate topics with fun icebreakers and “would you rather” questions. 3. Have a regular show and tell. The virtual classroom makes show and tell easier than ever! You set the topic (their pet, their favorite outfit, something from a fun vacation), and students can turn on their video cameras and microphones to share in a lesson. Alternatively, you can include your show and tell in the bottom of a weekly email update. Students can share videos or just pictures and a caption- whatever works best for you. 4. Utilize a class message board. Padlet is a great tool for creating a collaborative class message board. Students can wish each other happy birthdays, share exciting events in their lives, or post 6 shoutouts and encouragements to each other. You can adjust Padlet’s settings so that all messages have to be approved by you before posting. 5. Remember the value of a personal phone call. Just reaching out and speaking with your student one-on-one builds an essential bond. It can be overwhelming if you have a large class, so set a goal to speak with a certain number of students each week to ensure you’re reaching everyone. If you don’t have a work phone, create a free Google Voice account so families don’t have access to your personal number. Strategies for Teaching Online: How to Find the Right EdTech Tools and Curricula Supports With so many different tools out there, it can be overwhelming to find the one that’s best for you and your students. Our distance learning hub is a great place to start. You can also use these simple strategies to make your selection process easy and effective. 1. Utilize these 100+ Distance Learning Tools. We provide a comprehensive guide of 100+ distance learning tools and strategies for effective student engagement. If you’re unsure where to begin, or just want to explore new technology, start with this list. It’s organized by both instructional need and content area. 2. Collaborate with colleagues. Even though you’re not seeing your coworkers in the hallway every day, they’re still one of the most valuable resources you can find. It can be easy to feel isolated working home alone, but remember to reach out and ask what your fellow teachers are doing in their virtual classrooms. They’re all researching and testing out new strategies and tools just like you are, and sharing your mutual findings benefits everyone. 3. Supplement your Curricula Needs. 7 When you need to supplement your curriculum with ready-made online activities, Albert has engaging, standards-aligned resources across grade levels and subjects. While many resources are free, educators are encouraged to try Albert for free. Tips for teaching English online using Albert include varying our leveled readings in STEM and across topics to generate interest among different students. 4. Ed Tech Digital Promise Framework. This process helps educational leaders select and run successful educational technology pilots in their schools. The steps include how to identify a need, discover and select a product, train staff, and much more. 5. Always do a test run before using a new tool in class. After you’ve selected the new tool to try, create a mock class to assign work to. Log in and test out your activity as a student, so you can truly see if this will work for your class. Also, you’ll be able to help troubleshoot common problems that you might not have noticed from just your teacher log-in. Common Mistakes Teachers Make When First Teaching Online There’s a few common mistakes even the best veteran teachers make when first switching to the online environment. Keep in mind these strategies for teaching online when you get started: 1. Not setting boundaries with students and parents. Working from home, it can be tough to disconnect from your work. It’s even tougher when you have students and families reaching out to you at all hours of the evening. It can be tempting to answer the phone or send a quick reply, but resist. Share the hours you’re available with your families, and stick to them. Mimic your normal school day, like 7:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday. It’s important you give yourself the time to disconnect, and anything your student needs can wait until the next morning. Teacher burnout is real. 2. Not testing new tools a few times before rolling them out to your students. We all know- technology is great… when it works. Inevitably, something won’t always go as planned. But, that’s okay! Just like in the traditional classroom, 8 teachers adapt and move on if something goes wrong. It can be intimidating to try out a new tool for the first time, so we suggest setting up a mock class and using some willing colleagues or family members as your guinea pigs before rolling it out with students. 3. Rolling out too much too soon. Be wary of assigning complex tasks and assignments without training your students on how to use the technology first. Families and students will be capable of handling this complexity at some point, if you build them up to it. You don’t want your student spending more time trying to decipher the instructions than learning the actual content. When assigning a learning task using a new tech tool, consider that it may take your families an extra 30min to one hour to get the hang of using it. Provide clear instructions with common troubleshooting tips. Better yet, assign a “mock assignment” of something simple, before actually assigning a lesson. For example, if it’s a discussion board, have students’ first posts be about their family pet or what they did for fun that weekend. Wrapping Things Up: Things to Remember When Teaching Online We’ve covered a lot of online teaching ideas and strategies. To wrap things up, here are 3 key takeaways to carry into your virtual classroom: 1. Stay communicative: Share your expectations for behavior early and often. Keep lines of communication open, using different tools like emails, Remind 101, phone calls, and class message boards. Weekly newsletters are a great way to build community with families. 2. Continuously adapt your classroom: Use the lessons you’ve already created, and adapt them to the online environment with different ed tech tools. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel- take advantage 9 of the great resources already out there. Albert has a huge library of standards aligned lessons and activities for all ages and subjects. 3. Keep activities interesting with students: Use a variety of asynchronous and synchronous activities to keep your students engaged, and meet different learner needs. Build in purposeful community- building activities like Show and Tell and time for free chat to foster strong student relationships. We hope you found this Ultimate Guide for Educators helpful. Remember, one of the strong resources educators have is each other! What are you doing in your online classroom? Share your favorite tips for teaching and online learning strategies for students in the comments below. 10 The technological advancements in the past few years have revolutionized how methods of teaching are conducted around the world. Even in traditional classrooms, technology has played a more prominent role in new methods of teaching and online learning. There are many teaching methods, and they can all be applied equally effectively to online teaching. However, the teaching method varies depending on your teaching philosophy, your objectives, your subject area, and the demographics of your classroom. The pandemic has forced all educational institutions worldwide to adopt online educational methods to catch up with lost time and complete the academic requirements of students. Although it may have come as a boon, it has its own set of problems. The result of this sudden and extreme disciplinary change, it requires ad hoc planning and execution of changes at all levels, starting from the very first day. It takes a fresh start at every stage, from teaching methods to implementing technology and other elements that contribute to the success of virtual classroom sessions. Although certain methods and rules might work well for the majority of students and teachers, it isn’t a hard and fast rule that whatever works for one must work for another. It all depends on the subject you are teaching and of course on your students. Processes and methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. https://blog.edneed.com/list-of-methods-for-effective-online-teaching/ When everything is going online and teachers too have adopted online platforms to teach students, then they should know effective online teaching methods and pedagogy to facilitate communication and understanding. Online Teaching Methods and Pedagogy Following are the most effective pedagogical strategies: Presentations Presenting the content for study is used both in classroom teaching and in types of online education. Proper presentation affects students in a great way whether they 11  are learning offline or online. Teachers just need to present information of the related subject and book in a form of presentation. this technique is particularly beneficial for visual learners who will be far more influenced by the presentation than if the instructor simply relays information from a textbook. In making a good presentation, teachers can incorporate visuals such as images, GIFs, videos, etc. to make it watchable and this way is comparatively easy to pass on information to students. Students will be able to use the presentation for later purposes like studying and revising syllabus. There are a few presentation tools available to make presentation: Google Slides Microsoft PowerPoint Prezi SlideShare. Online Whiteboard: Teachers can use online whiteboards for best practices in teaching online. In virtual classroom setup, an online whiteboard helps them to convey information and make a better connection between teachers and students. Online whiteboard is a canvas on which teachers can make diagrams, share pre-made templates and charts, make sketches, write, etc. It works just like the classroom blackboard but it can digitize what teachers teach. It allows them to re-share the content too. Teachers and students can connect on the same canvas too in real-time and use it for different purposes as it follows: 1. Mind mapping, 2. Doing interactive exercises, 3. Carrying out assignments, 4. Reviewing homework, 5. Brainstorming around lessons, 6. Giving feedback etc. Live Online Classes With Online classes, teachers need not to collect students in the classroom to teach them. Instead they can deliver lectures in real time through live online classes. Live 12  online classes allow teachers and students to interact face-to-face and give the same classroom-like environment for learning. Teachers can use video conferencing apps and tools which are available online and create a connection with students for running regular classes. Live online classes break the barriers of reach and teachers can even connect to students who are staying abroad. Online whiteboard in live online classes works more engaging. Teachers will need to use different methods of teaching to engage students throughout the live online class and for that, they should be prepared with what they are going to teach. To not let students feel passive during the class, teachers should ask questions during and after the class and allow students to answer. They should arrange a discussion group for allowing them to take an active part. To make it more engaging and interesting, teachers should use posters, videos, visuals, graphic organizers, images, etc. Educators should make sure to not deliver the entire topic in one go. Instead, break down the topic into smaller chunks to make it digestible. Pre-Recorded Video Lectures In the concept of Pre-Recorded Video Lectures which is one of the suitable online teaching methods and pedagogy, the lectures are already recorded and shared by the students instead of taking live lectures. Some students find this online teaching methods and pedagogy better than live online classes as it gives them flexibility to attend the lecture at their time. Teachers should be little aware of following points while recording lectures: Be prepared with your script. In case you are not confident to record, rehearse it once. Videos should be recorded for a short period. Lengthy videos take time to upload and also makes it boring. Students often skip them. While recording, sit in a comfortable space and avoid distraction. Flipped Classroom Flipped Classroom has gained popularity during the past few years. It has emerged as one of the best practices in teaching. Flipped Classroom concept is totally opposite to the traditional classroom concept. In this concept, students need to read and review the study material before their 13  teacher teaches them. It is actually a reserving concept of actual in-class where teachers teach and students study later. Following are the effective techniques for the flipped classroom concept: Online quizzes Polls Infographics Mind maps or word clouds Game-Based Teaching Students love games and they do not feel bored while playing games. Game-based teaching helps to engage students to teach them using games. The concept does not stress students, instead increase their involvement in learning. Students who are not quite good at studying can find this way of teaching helpful to learn and memorize. To launch game-based teaching, teachers should ensure that students have access to the same type of data. With video conferencing tools, teachers start teaching including gaming sessions. Also, the chat option should be opened where students can ask questions. Class Blog Class blog is an innovative concept to let students explore self-learning by creating a blog individually or in a group about what they have learnt. This blog can be shared with other students for sharing the knowledge. On the other hand, teachers can also share their learning material on blogs. Conclusion Due to the effect of pandemic all around the globe, online education has become a necessity for students to learn and teachers to teach. Online teaching methods and pedagogy are a saviour for the education field. Teachers need to adopt different teaching methods when they are teaching online to make students take active participation in studies and do not feel passive. 14 grammatical rules and standards. This tests knowledge acquisition. https://webcourseworks.com/types-of-elearning-assessments/ Definition: e- assessment refers to assessment methods and practices that emphasize the role of information technology relative to measuring students’ learning. The use of computer technology in educational assessment has a decades-long history. Computers were initially adopted for assessment in the 1970s in order to reduce human raters’ scoring workload. Since then, assessment has progressed in conjunction with technological advancements. Computer-based assessment has become widespread in large-scale assessments, such as language testing and college entrance examinations, due to its convenience and accuracy. The terms “computer-adaptive testing” and “web-based assessment” are used interchangeably with “computer-based assessment”, but they are in fact two special cases of computer-based assessment. That is, computer-adaptive testing has a stronger emphasis on nonlinear item selection by rapidly estimating the examinee’s ability based on his/her previous responses. Web based assessment refers to computer- based assessment that is typically delivered via online learning management systems. https://myweb.fsu.edu/vshute/pdf/eassessment.pdf Principles to achieve quality in teaching practices: Similar to in-person, face-to-face education practices, students’ differences, the content, and learning outcomes/ objectives are still the core elements that should be considered in the first place while designing and conducting online teaching- learning practices. The instructors’ capabilities and competencies can also be added among these items. These elements would guide the planning of the teaching process according to the current conditions. Moreover, in-person and online learning-teaching practices are also similar regarding the principles that should be followed to increase the quality of teaching and the assessment procedures. To improve the quality of teaching practices, we can discuss some core principles as: Presenting learning outcomes explicitly, 7  creating the content in a way that can attract students ‘attention, relating the content with real-life, respecting individual differences and considering these differences while planning the learning-teaching process, using appropriate assessment tools, providing timely feedback, ensuring students’ active participation in learning and assessment processes, learning from students (using students’ feedback to enhance and or plan the teaching practices), communicating with students effectively and productively, improving collaboration between students. The principles to improve learning-teaching processes shows the importance of selecting appropriate assessment tools, providing feedback, including students to the assessment processes, and evaluating teaching practices by students’ feedback. While face-to-face teaching practices bring the instructor to the forefront in planning and managing the learning-teaching process, online teaching practices bring technologic infrastructure, teaching management system software, and instructor’s competences on technology usage to the forefront as well as the instructors (Dogan.2020). To contribute students’ learning via assessment procedures, creating a useful feedback mechanism is essential. According to Nicol and Macfarlane-Dick (2006), effective feedback should: be given on time (as close as possible), enhance learning, self-assessment, motivation, and self-confidence, improve communication both between students and between students and instructor, provide quality and clear information to students about their performances and learning, provide an opportunity for students to bridge the gap between current and expected performances, provide the required information for instructors to enhance teaching practices. 8 In online assessment, assessment environments can be divided into four categories. The first category is the evaluation products category, which includes essays, research reports, review articles, project reports, audio or visual media records, presentations, etc. The second one contains tools that can be scored automated like multiple-choice, short answer tests, matching, gap-filling, right-wrong, drag-and- drop items, simulation questions, etc. The third one is online discussion tasks like discussion groups, role-play activities, case studies, etc. The last one is the web publishing category, which includes web pages, blogs, wikis, shared documents, e- portfolios, etc. (Benson & Brack, 2010). Qualitative eLearning Assessment Methods to Track Online Learners Progress There are a variety of types and methods of e-learning assessments that you can use to evaluate your learners. The assessments that you choose will depend on a variety of factors, including the learning objectives of your course and the assessment functionality of your LMS. Because your objectives will vary both across and within courses, you’ll want to have a variety of assessment types in your toolkit to use. The following are 10 assessment options that you can incorporate into your next course. Multiple-Choice and Multiple Response: Multiple-choice assessments are those that pose a question with three to five accompanying responses. Learners are asked to choose the one correct answer that aligns with the question asked.In a similar vein, multiple-response assessments pose a question and a multitude of accompanying responses. In this scenario, however, multiple of the response options can be correct— so, learners are tasked with identifying all of the correct options.These types of assessments are best for testing the basic memorization of facts. Of the two, multiple-response is slightly more challenging, especially if the number of correct answers isn’t specified in the prompt itself. Sequencing Sequencing assessments challenge learners to place elements in a specific order. For example, you could ask learners to: 9 1. Create a timeline. For example, imagine you’re creating a course in which learners need to understand the history of developing a process they’re expected to use. You can present the key points in the history of developing the process out of order, and ask the learner to sequence them in the correct order. 2. Detail a process. Now, let’s say you’re teaching learners to complete a specific task that requires following a number of steps in order. You can present these steps out of order and ask learners to sequence them in the correct fashion to test their memorization of the process. Any information that involves ordering can be tested using a sequencing assessment. You could even ask learners to listen to characters speak within a course and have them rank the responses based on correctness to determine which characters handled a specific situation the most effective.Similar to the multiple- choice assessments, sequencing tests the basic memorization of a set of facts. So, if you’re looking to measure a learners’ deeper understanding of a topic, sequencing may not be the ideal assessment type. Scenarios Scenario-based assessments immerse learners in a situation and ask them to make decisions within the situation to bring it to a successful end. There are a variety of scenario types, including: Skills-based scenarios: In this scenario type, the learner is placed in a scenario and asked to apply the skills and knowledge that they’ve acquired to it. Problem-based scenarios: Learners are immersed in a situation that has gone awry and asked to apply their skills to identify and solve the problem at hand. Speculative scenarios: Learners encounter a situation and are asked to predict the conclusion of the scenario using deductive reasoning. Gaming scenarios: This scenario involves testing a learner’s skills using a gamified, perhaps less realistic application of the knowledge. Because scenarios are immersive, learners can practice the application of skills in a no-consequence environment. For example, medical professionals completing CME credits via a CME LMS benefit greatly from this assessment type, as it 10  allows them to practice medical skills in a risk-free environment before interacting with patients. Group Collaboration with Feedback A collaborative assessment involves learners completing a task alongside their peers and receiving feedback on their personal efforts within the group. If you think back to your time in school, you’ve probably experienced this type of assessment in the form of a group project that ended with a peer evaluation in which you rated each of your classmate’s contributions to the group. In the continuing education context, a great example would be online discussion boards. Your association posts a prompt, asking learners to answer a question using their knowledge of the subject at hand. Then, other learners are able to comment on one another’s posts and provide feedback to their peers. They can then use that feedback to continue expanding their knowledge. Of the various assessment methods in this list, group collaboration with feedback is easily the least quantitative method. While it will give you a general understanding of which topics are most interesting for your members and perhaps those that they could use a refresher course on, you’re not going to get numerical information corresponding to their understanding. Open-Ended Questions Open-ended assessments are designed to have a learner share everything that they know about a specific topic. These are often formatted with the question followed by an answer box in which learners type in a response that displays their understanding of the topic. These assessments are graded on whether the learner has included key elements in their answer, whether vocabulary terms, descriptions of processes, or other measures of understanding. The key with this type of assessment is to provide feedback if the learner missed a few elements in their answer, as this will empower them to learn from that mistake. Case Studies Case study-based assessments challenge the learner to draw conclusions from a set of facts. These assessments follow a formula: -The case study fact set is presented, often based on real-life scenarios. 11 -A set of questions about that fact set is asked, most often in multiple-choice format. Alternatively, this could be an open-ended assessment in which the learner is asked to write about their conclusions. This type of assessment tests a learner’s ability to apply their understanding of a topic to a case study and draw logical conclusions from the combination of the two. These are often timed, in that learners are given a set amount of time to analyze the set of facts before providing their answers. Fill in the Blank Fill in the blank assessments ask learners to provide one or two words to complete a sentence or statement. Similar to multiple-choice and multiple-response assessments, fill-in-the-blank assessments test basic memorization of facts. Because of this, it’s not the most effective assessment for testing true understanding of a topic. This type of assessment is most useful when it is used throughout the course as a quick knowledge check. Within modules, you may ask learners fill-in-the-blank questions to ensure they’ve been paying attention to the course material covered. Because these questions are so quick to answer, it doesn’t lead to a large disruption in instruction when they’re included within modules. And, if a learner gets one of these questions wrong, it signals to them that it’s time to go back a few pages and review the past material before moving forward. Matching, Labeling, and Sorting This is another quick assessment type that works well when embedded within modules. Matching, labeling, and sorting exercises involve organizing elements on a page, similar to sequencing assessments. For example, you could use a: Labeling assessment to test a learner’s ability to fill out a complicated form that’s integral to their role. Sorting assessment to have learners bucket items into groups, whether it’s separating “True” facts from “False” statements or sorting tools by type. Matching assessments to have a learner match terms with definitions or tools with processes. 12 Gamification Gamification or learning games is an engaging way to test your learners’ understanding without them actually feeling like they’re being tested. Gamification can be incorporated into assessments in a variety of ways, such as by awarding points for the number of questions answered correctly or providing badges to the highest scorers. This assessment type also draws on the healthy competition of your members, who may be motivated to achieve a higher score than their peers. One of the greatest benefits of gamified assessments is that you can build in multiple levels that increase in difficulty as the learner progresses through the test, giving you a deeper insight into their understanding of the topic. Proctored Exams Oftentimes, proctored exams are required for courses that end in the awarding of licensing or accreditation. Proctored exams are those that are overseen by an assessment professional, with the goal of providing the same amount of time and assessment experience to each learner completing the test. These assessments are more traditional, less interactive, and held to strict standards. Online Interviews Face-to-face interviews aren't possible in eLearning environments. However, you can still conduct interviews with the help of Video Conferencing tools. This is usually more feasible for smaller groups or one-on-one mentoring. Prepare a list of questions and schedule an online interview for each online learner. Offer online learners the opportunity to address their concerns and provide eLearning feedback. For example, encourage them to identify their strengths and weaknesses, then recommend supplemental eLearning resources. You can host live webinars where online learners can interact with their peers and discuss the topic. You can even ask questions directly to see who knows their stuff and who needs to refresh their knowledge. 13 E. Learning Blogs Encourage your online learners to set up an eLearning blog and post on a daily or weekly basis. Develop a posting schedule that includes prompts or questions, minimum word count, and upload deadlines. Review the blogs periodically to assess online learner progress and identify areas for improvement. There are a variety of free blogging platforms to choose from. Thus, you should to set some ground rules and provide a list of suitable tools. 14