Ms. Clark's Bitmoji Classroom

 

This is the Bitmoji Classroom I created for my second-grade class. 

How to Build an Online Learning Community

    Asynchronous learning is a term used to describe an online class with no specific meeting time, meaning the students typically work at their own pace. Some students may find it challenging to communicate with peers and instructors in this format and not have the feeling of belonging. There are many ways to approach this by building an online community for students. 

    One method being pretty straightforward; Zoom office hours. Zoom, or anything similar, is typically thought of as a lecture being taught at a specific meeting time online. However, it doesn't have to be this way. Zoom can be a great tool for interacting and collaborating with peers and instructors. Essentially the instructor would have set times throughout the week/month and students can feel free to drop in whenever they please. Nothing is necessarily being taught during these times, and no one is required to go, but it would create a sense of community for students and give them the opportunity to see their peers.

    

    Another great option that I have seen used is a Bitmoji Classroom. My next blog post will show an example of this virtual classroom method. A few of my younger cousins were introduced to this method and seemed to really like it. Bitmoji classroom is a virtual classroom in which instructors can provide learning materials in a fun and unique way. It uses visuals and links to create a place for students to access what they need. I've seen all sorts of things used in Bitmoji Classrooms, including a virtual library, virtual field trip, and even a virtual escape room. It's very interactive and creative, which allows students to have fun learning and feel like part of a community. 

    

    A method used quite frequently in higher-level courses is an online discussion board. All of the students enrolled in the class can access and communicate with others' posts in the discussion board. It's a good way to communicate with your peers and can be used in several ways. Some discussion boards are more informational and direct, while others are less structured. Personally, I think the less structured discussion boards are extremely useful in getting to know one another by posting photos and sharing hobbies and activities. Being able to freely discuss with classmates and understand who they are creates a feeling of community and makes it a bit easier to get through an online learning environment.

    

    I personally like the idea of a Bitmoji classroom the best. I'm a very visual person, and I like the idea of creating a virtual 'safe place' for students using different stickers and links. Even incorporating the two other methods I mentioned previously into a Bitmoji Classroom would be a great way to build an online learning community, as it gives multiple options in which students can interact with each other and have a sense of belonging. I think the key to asynchronous learning is having the option to work at your own pace, but not feeling 'alone' in the process. 

Online Learning Theories

     Welcome to my first blog post! Today I will be discussing three of the main learning theories and how they apply to online learning. Online learning is becoming more prevalent and it's important to know how to apply these theories in an online setting. 

    First, I want to talk about Behaviorism. Behaviorism is the theory that learning is a response to a stimulus. This is not based on independent learning, the student does not work at their own pace and it does not focus on internal or mental processes. Rather, the focus is on outward behaviors and how the student responds to certain factors created by the instructor. Behaviorism in an online environment would be quite difficult to apply, but it can be done by individually assessing the student to see if they have acquired new knowledge. The problem with this theory, however, is it does not take into account different learning needs that students may have. In a traditional classroom, these needs would be made obvious by observation, but in an online setting, it would be much more difficult to see who is struggling and why. 

    Next, I would like to discuss Constructivism. Constructivism is primarily based on prior knowledge, and students are expected to construct their own knowledge from experiences they have had. The educator, in this instance, is more on the sidelines, watching over students and giving them the space to create and discuss their own ideas. Whereas typically, the instructor or educator would be more actively involved in the process, with stricter guidelines. This theory revolves around reflection and emphasizes collaboration among peers. This approach would work fairly well in an online environment, as it doesn't require much from the instructor and allows the students to have more control over their learning.  

    The last learning theory I will discuss is Connectivism. This is a fairly new approach to learning, and it has a focus on making connections. These connections can be many things such as people, hobbies, or goals that students use to influence their learning. This theory is useful for students to be able to enjoy the learning process, as they can use connections to things/people that excite them to promote knowledge and learning. Connectivism would work extremely well in an online learning environment because it accepts and promotes that being connected gives us endless opportunities. The internet is a great way to create and maintain connections to all sorts of people or topics and this approach allows students to do so freely. 

    Synchronous and asynchronous learning are both terms that can be applied to an online learning environment. Synchronous learning refers to students and teachers meeting in "real-time" whether that's through a website like Zoom or in person in a classroom. This allows free interaction with peers and instructors where everyone is in the same place at the same time, again, whether that's online or in person. Asynchronous learning refers to accessing learning materials at the student's own pace and collaborating with peers and instructors over the internet, whether that is an email or discussion board situation. This is a fairly self-paced learning style, and it is used frequently in online classes.

    Online learning does however have its pros and cons, much like everything does. The self-paced approach that online learning offers can be extremely helpful to some, but less helpful to others. If a student struggles with motivation and the ability to focus, this can be a huge setback in an online environment, as no one is there pushing them to complete the work. Some students, however, work better at their own pace and find it helpful to push themselves to complete tasks, rather than have someone do it for them. A notable setback in online learning would be the internet in general. Some families do not have the access to computers and internet that other families have, which can make going online for school very complicated. Something most people can benefit from though would be the idea that you have the option to complete the work on your own time, while still being able to maintain a job or do the things you enjoy doing.

    Works cited:

Cook, Andrea. “5 Recommendations for Remote Learning from Parents.” Leanlab Education, Leanlab Education, 12 Dec. 2022, https://www.leanlabeducation.org/blog/5-recommendations-to-improve-remote-learning?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2-2eBhClARIsAGLQ2Rn5D9Ko3X3EEXhNVclodwmIQ3mkiveat_PU1z-C6Rxh8_V9jMOcD2YaAmqgEALw_wcB.

“What Is Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning?” IT Teaching Resources, 9 Feb. 2021, https://teachingresources.stanford.edu/resources/what-is-synchronous-and-asynchronous-learning/#:~:text=Synchronous%20learning%20refers%20to%20instructors,each%20other%20over%20longer%20periods.

Western Governors University. “Connectivism Learning Theory.” Western Governors University, Western Governors University, 27 May 2021, https://www.wgu.edu/blog/connectivism-learning-theory2105.html.

Western Governors University. “Five Educational Learning Theories.” Western Governors University, Western Governors University, 11 Aug. 2021, https://www.wgu.edu/blog/five-educational-learning-theories2005.html.

      

    

Welcome to my Blog

    Hi! My name is Leah, and I am currently in my second year at CSCC. I'm studying Early Childhood Education with a focus on Special Education. I work full-time as a server, so the majority of my time is spent either at work or doing school work. When I do have free time, I typically use it to see my friends and family. 

    As an educator, I would like to create a fun learning environment for my students and promote a healthy relationship with school and learning. This is important to me, as in the past I have not had the healthiest relationship with school myself, and I think it's incredibly helpful to enjoy what you're doing. Using school to create knowledge rather than thinking of it as a chore is something I wish I would've learned much earlier on, and I plan to teach my students this!