Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1278320
Build community A common concern is feeling disconnected in online learn- ing. We don't want learners to feel like they are engaging with a computer. They are engaging with each other. With you. With content. Use empathy in design to choose tools that build connec- tion and integrate seamlessly into your LMS. For example, Edpuzzle, Pear Deck and Seesaw allow you to link to or embed your voice and interactive content into your LMS. Flipgrid lets learners reflect together and hear each other's voices asynchro- nously. Use discussion boards to field questions, allow peer review, and convert class discussion strategies to an asynchro- nous platform to deepen reflection. Create an easy entry point in your online course that shows your personality and organizes resources for learners. This might include a Bitmoji classroom, clickable PDF, or interac- tive week-at-a-glance, all of which help direct learners to what is important. If your district or school offers a template for your land- ing page, use it and personalize it for you and your learners. Add in regular communication about how to be successful and celebrate student wins here. And most important, be empathetic — understand that this is new for most, and f lexibility is needed. Practice good design Keeping your home base simple decreases cognitive load and increases working memory. Design your online classroom to provide a single place for daily or weekly updates, learning materials, assignments, activities, meeting links, grades, feed- back, and everything else they need. Organize everything in clean, simple chunks with limited clicks so that ever yone can quickly and easily see what's expected. Apply these design best practices to avoid barriers to learning: • Use bullets and lists; avoid paragraphs. • Pay attention to font legibility; avoid fun or fancy fonts that aren't readable. • Limit the number of fonts; avoid using more than one font for headings and one for paragraphs. • Use color for emphasis, but avoid having more than two text colors. • Use contrasting colors; avoid light on light or dark on dark text. • Use clean, simple page layouts; avoid mixing up your structure day to day. • Use images that reinforce key concepts; avoid images that aren't meaning ful. • Use icons to reinforce key tasks; avoid clip art, patterns or backgrounds that distract. • Limit navigation to a couple of clicks; avoid folders inside folders. Commit to consistency If your school offers templates for your LMS, embrace them. Talk with colleagues to build consistency across your team, building or district. Fewer questions and better demonstrations of learning will be the result, improving everyone's experience. Some guidelines for consistency: Repeat icons for learners to quickly see what they should do, create naming conventions for online folders (e.g., topic and date), and employ a small set of effective digital tools that are familiar to everyone. Support learners A well-designed home base can encourage students' confi- dence and autonomy. If everything they need is in one place, they will be able to find the help and support they need. is will also improve effort and help them stick with and complete tasks in the online and blended environment. Consider providing students with more support by doing the following: • Include school and district resources for families and stu- dents. • Include supports benefiting all students, especially learners on IEPs and English learners. • Prominently display goals and objectives. • Provide alternatives to support individual differences. Prioritizing student-centered design and leveraging your LMS as a home base are simple first steps to making sure that all learners can be successful, and that learning and commu- nity are front and center in our classrooms, no matter the learning environment. This story originally appeared on Edutopia.com. A virtual bitmoji classroom by Kait C. at WeAreTeachers.com. 31 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0