How to engage pupils via remote-learning

Learner engagement is tested more in the online classroom – something which has become vastly more common with the global pandemic – than in the traditional classroom. With the latter, students can feel their enthusiasm for learning building by using ‘hands-on’ manipulatives as part of the learning process. With the former, however, the ‘hands-on’ manipulatives need to be replaced with equally engaging virtual learning tools. So what EdTech can we use to engage students through online learning in the COVID era?

Thankfully, the rise of meeting platforms like Zoom, Google Meets, Google Classroom and MS Teams now means that there are easy and ready-to-use methods to help teachers become more creative with this new virtual environment, not to mention innovative ways to organize these new virtual classrooms. 

With these tools, teachers can set up virtual breakout rooms to encourage students to discuss amongst themselves ideas for presentations or topics in class, make announcements about classroom activities, or create assignments for students to complete and easily hand in. The annotation features within these applications allows for teachers to use a ‘virtual white board’ that they can also encourage students to write on in sharing answers to questions. The use of gradebooks, meanwhile, give an opportunity for students to ask for real-time help from their teachers if they are not satisfied with their grades, instead of waiting until certain times throughout the year to discuss. 

Teachers and students alike will find the use of the EdTech resources listed below as an exciting opportunity to demonstrate knowledge in a whole new way: 

Popular tools like Kahoot!, Quizzizz, and Quizlet help teachers to boost student engagement in any subject by having either the teacher or students create quizzes as a way to test knowledge – while hopefully building the confidence and enthusiasm needed as part of the learning or teaching process.

Popular tools like Google Slides, PowerPoint, KeyNote, OneNote and Prezi are opportunities for students and teachers to present material in the online classroom, as well as a way for teachers to assess student learning rather than through traditional tests. 

Pixton is an online cartoon-building tool that allows teachers and students a creative outlet for showing what they know, all while adding a touch of ingenuity to any subject through comedy!

For Science, a wonderful tool for experimentation is PhET Simulations. This application tool covers all the major areas of Science including physics, chemistry, earth science, and biology, with interactive 3D models to make teaching and learning science easier for everyone. 

For all the Maths, meanwhile, an exciting interactive tool is Geogebra, which allows teachers and students to work easily with geometric planes, trigonometry, and its equations! 

With COVID stopping most outdoor activities for a lot of schools around the globe, virtual field trips can be an exciting opportunity for students to explore different parts of the world from the comfort of their own home. Freedom Homeschooling is a resource that provides links to websites that allow for teachers and students to connect to popular tourist sites, and a chance to take a tour at any time! Visit the White House, Buckingham Palace, or the Palace of Versailles to get a sense of royal life!

Looking for Remote Connectivity and Management tools for your school? Check out our full list of the best Remote Connectivity and Management tools on EdTech Impact.

Danya Khelfa
My name is Danya Khelfa, I am the CEO & Founder EduKitchen – Recipes for Learning; an online educational services company that specializes in providing innovative ways for learning Maths and English, as well as providing ways for students and teachers to interact in the online classroom. Our website is https://edukitchen.net/.
@DanyaEdukitchen