A Reflection on designing an asynchronous Online class and a hybrid class for young learners and their parents/ families
As an assignment for a course I am taking at Michigan State University that focuses on teaching online, I designed two online classes. For me, these class designs had to also work with a population of young learners from urban communities. The designs necessarily include teaching and learning tools that are easily accessible.
In essence, the skills and learning are the same for both versions. They both follow a set-up similar to a traditional self-contained kindergarten class. It is the roles, rules, time, task, turns, steps, and language (henceforth known as RRTTTSL) that differs. The first version is an Asynchronous Online Kindergarten Class. The second version is a Hybrid (online/ in-personal) Kindergarten Class.
Version 1 – Asynchronous Online Kindergarten Classes
I chose to create this online learning experience in Google Classroom because the features in the app are easy to use for both the students and teachers. It allows me as a teacher to include as much or as little information as I need. As I began my creation, I realized that my role would shift as a teacher. I experienced a need to provide information access. This information needed to not only be pertinent to the skill but also available to anyone who might be assisting the young learner (i.e. parents, siblings, grandparent, babysitters, etc.). I had to make sure that everything the skill required for learning was readily available. There couldn’t be any need for the person leading the lesson to diverge from the plan that I organized. I also needed to be sure that the way a skill was being taught followed standards. This was to ensure that the scope of learning would be able to expand the student’s knowledge-base as skills became more progressive. Time on task was another item I had not realized was critical with this type of planning. That is not to say I am not aware of the importance of time and tasks. I simply thought that since it was asynchronous, that meant there was no need to add time constraints. The more in-depth I progressed with the construction of the online experience, the more I found this to be false. What was similarly surprising to me was the freedom of direction and the ability to dismantle the idea of linear progression if it suits the learner. That is to say, I was able to design the type of learning that allows kindergarteners to explore topics at their own pace. This encourages self-directed learning and fosters curiosity to promote deeper understanding. As a traditional educator in lower elementary settings, I embrace engagement with this content. I also noticed how much the language of teaching and learning differs from traditional in-person kindergarten classroom experiences. There is a feeling of global connectedness and familiarity within digital discussion. For example, in-person classrooms find it necessary for the development of social training segments throughout the progression of a kindergarten classroom. There is a need for a language base that encourages social development as well as academic skill mastery. During the course of a week, many hours are dedicated to providing guidance and assistance with social emotional development of the young learner. While I am not opposed to this, I do feel that it is a skill better taught by those who are equipped to handle the mental health/ needs of young learners. This would be preferable due to the greater degree of understanding they could provide, juxtaposed to professional academic educators. I also feel that there is a need for the learning and usage of a language that supports the current educational landscape. This would include the language of equity in education, critical thinking for young learners, UDL framework, and the new digital divide. There is an entire conversation going on that centers around adults who are often considered digital immigrants vis-a-vis younger individuals who are digital natives. There is a major flaw in a classroom setting that does not illuminate the importance of infusing technology throughout the process of teaching and learning. That flaw is represented in the diminishing knowledge that there is a digital divide. And that the language of the digital divide is scarcely (if at all) discussed.
Version 2 – Hybrid Online and Traditional Kindergarten Classroom
I created this learning experience as a variation, or better yet, a stepping stone toward a fully online, asynchronous educational environment for the young learner. It is in the form of a spreadsheet. There are tabs at the bottom that identify the content on each page. It is meant to be more of a reference for the learner and an organizer for the teacher. My motivation comes from watching young students spend countless hours playing video games. I am a supporter of technology and video games are great teachers if we (as educators) take the helm to incorporate inclusion of academia as a piece of the puzzle. While creating this learning experience, I felt that my role (as an educator) experienced a switchback. The goal did not change and the direction remained steady. However, as I navigated the teaching materials between an online environment and in-person classroom, there was a need to move sharply from one direction to another. The rules also changed dramatically. For example, knowing and understanding that the majority of time the learner spent with me in-person was far less than they would spend online. This meant that I needed to deliver assignments that could be completed as asynchronous lessons would. I also need to switch back and forth between my role as the leader and advisor (to the learner and their family). Time on task was in need of flexibility. I found that having everything “virtually” available gave me a greater amount of direction when it came to leading the learner toward the completion of a skill. Organizing this learning experience was like organizing two different classes that were to be taught congruently.