Online Learning Two Weeks In…
In recent weeks, Covid-19 has created the challenge of moving our school to a 100% online learning environment. At the time of publication, our school is completing its second full week of online learning. Over the last two weeks, our school has pulled together to bring the Dulwich International High School curriculum into digital space, taking our Dulwich learning principles online, and striving to deliver the same compelling and valuable learning experiences we do every day in school.
Why do we refer to it as “Online Learning”, rather than “Online Teaching?” The answer to this is simple. Everything we do at Dulwich International High School Suzhou is based on putting students first and looking at the process of education through a student-centred perspective. Students attend school to learn, therefore what they experience online is “online learning”.
Our online learning environment offers our students rich and engaging learning opportunities. Our students engage in live video lessons with their teachers, collaborate with classmates in shared documents, and chat in real-time. Our teachers provide personalised support to each student and track their progress. We are committed to providing our students with an excellent education, and our online learning environment enables us to do just that. Online learning is also supported by an extensive online mentoring program, designed to help our students get the best possible online learning experience.
Additionally, our students have access to a wealth of online resources, including textbooks, articles, videos, and practice exam papers. Our students can also track their progress and performance in real-time. The Dulwich Online Library is in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing our students with free access to an incredible wealth of online resources. These include eBooks, Audiobooks, Digital Magazines and Academic Databases. There is always something for our students to read.
The Online Learning Mentoring Program in action!
Andrew Gibson
Mr. Gibson, our school photographer, writer, and assistant librarian, has been temporarily reassigned to a mentorship role during the current round of online learning. Every day he schedules meetings with students across all year groups and calls them via video to have an informal conversation to see how they are getting on with the experience of online learning. He offers help and support if they are having problems and provides strategies to improve their experience of online learning. This is what Mr. Gibson had to say about his experience of mentoring students so far.
"I’m just one member of a large team of staff working on the mentoring program. The important thing to acknowledge is that online learning is difficult for everyone and that it’s a challenge that we all must try to rise to. Of the students that I have spoken to so far, I’ve seen a real sense of stoicism when it comes to online learning. Most of our students would much rather be back at school, but they all understand the reason we are doing this and are trying to make the best of it. I’ve been very impressed with them so far. They are self-possessed young academics, with control over their own learning. My mentoring role is all about encouraging students to develop the motivation and grit to do their best and succeed in an online environment, helping them to master time management skills, and developing a healthy routine to ensure they wake up on time and engage with all lessons. "
More Student Experiences with Online Learning
Genevieve W (DHSZ-Y12)
Q Were you able to adapt quickly to online learning? Why do you think that was?
A Fortunately, I was able to adapt quickly to online learning thanks to the Microsoft Teams platform that we have been using. It’s also not the first time that we’ve been doing online learning, so the transition was really smooth and in order.
Q What have you found most useful so far with online learning?
A Online learning definitely gave me a more flexible timetable. Unlike in school, I can now manage my own time in a more efficient way. If I finish my studies early, I can find time for reading and other activities that I’m currently doing. Personally, I find being online helps with my self-motivation.
Q How have your teachers helped you?
A My teachers make sure that everyone in the meeting is actually engaged by setting tasks to complete. They also check their equipment to make sure the class can all hear them, and the screen is ok. All of them are very responsible, and they constantly ask us if we understand what they’re teaching right now.
Q What have you done to make your learning effective?
A I use online resources to help with my studies. Just by searching the internet, I can find millions of websites, articles and videos that answer my questions. Using electronic devices to take notes is also quite useful for online learning. I think the main point is to have the ability to stay focused and to study independently.
Felix T (DHSZ Y11)
Q Were you able to adapt quickly to online learning? Why do you think that was?
A I think the adaptation to online learning for me was quick, since last year we had similar situations, and most teachers and students are quite familiar with the challenges and difficulties with online learning.
Q What have you found most useful so far with online learning?
A Despite the challenges, there are still many positive aspects of online learning which are worth looking at. One of the positive aspects is that the schedule has more freedom for the students, for me, that means more self-study time, and without the strict schedule we have in the school, we can organize our learning time according to our own status and needs.
Q How have your teachers helped you?
A Many of the teachers are helpful for me and for the rest of the students to cope with the difficult time, whether it is sending out the PPT before class which makes it easier to take notes, or asking about our mental health status; also, some of the teachers lighten the class atmosphere by using funny filters on camera, and I think that is also helpful for me.
Q What have you done to make your learning effective?
A One of the challenges of online learning for me is that it is often really tiring, especially if you are switching “screen to screen” during break time, overly long screen time is both tiring for my eyes and my mental health. So, what I did was avoid using my phone during the break between classes, put on some of my favourite music and do some exercises such as push-ups, this method will refresh my mind and get me motivated again for the next class.
Anna M (DHSZ Y11)
Q Were you able to adapt quickly to online learning? Why do you think that was?
A I can adapt to online learning quickly, probably because I think it's not that different from offline learning.
Q What have you found most useful so far with online learning?
A Online learning allows us to enjoy learning in different geographical locations with a wide range of learning materials.
Q How have your teachers helped you?
A My teachers will sort out all the class materials and send them to us one day in advance so that we don't have to worry about finding course materials.
Q What have you done to make your learning effective?
A I use a form to record Homework, sometimes I will be confused because of too much homework, so I will complete the corresponding homework according to the course sequence.
Overall, while we are all looking forward to getting back to school when the pandemic conditions in Suzhou begin to ease, our students are coping well with online learning and are developing strategies to make the experience more effective and valuable. All our teachers are committed to continuing to provide the best education possible for our students and we are grateful for their dedication and hard work during these testing times.
