Many educators are challenged by a new reality of remote learning induced by the coronavirus lockdown, and to upskill them, teachers are being offered a chance to receive free training in teaching remotely with confidence.
The dramatic shift from classroom to online learning since the closure of schools has seen many pupils being disadvantaged considerably, not only because they do not have access to computers, but also because their teachers are ill-equipped for remote teaching.
Private higher education institution Mancosa’s School of Education will be offering a Remote Teaching Masterclass Series, an immersive online experience which will give educators the opportunity to learn from experts in their subjects.
Mancosa will join hands with leading online teaching experts to ensure that pupils are not left behind during this unprecedented lockdown.
Shamon Lortan, the Work Integrated Learning Manager at Mancosa’s School of Education, who co-ordinated the remote teaching masterclass, has over 15 years of teaching experience in multiple curriculums across the world and has a desire to consistently improve, challenge and advance teaching and learning for the next generation.
She said: “This current global crisis forces us to change teaching and learning interactions as the world switches to remote online teaching and learning.
“It is with this in mind that professionals from a variety of backgrounds, institutions and countries were brought together to equip and train our educators to serve our South African communities meaningfully during this time.
“The webinar series will sequentially lay out several e-platforms and e-skills to empower educators from those with none or limited tech-skills to those looking to refine their ability to teach remotely.”
Remote Teaching MasterClass Series
The Mancosa School of Education Remote Teaching MasterClass Series will have three phases, with each phase consisting of three to four webinars. There will be instruction on sourcing a variety of online resources to engage learners; looking at platforms to engage parents and students to deliver curriculum content; and also providing feedback or assessment.
International and local best practice on online teaching and learning will be related by specialists from South Africa and abroad. The following experts will provide instruction during the first phase:
Video and Audio Etiquette in Remote Teaching – Nicole Hinds is currently working in Dubai at New Generation School as a senior teacher. She has developed proficiency in many tech-skills to enhance teaching and learning both in the classroom and remotely.
Creating resources for effective remote teaching – Henrica Makulu who hails from Harare, Zimbabwe, works as a data analyst for a leading African tech company which uses digital solutions to drive socio-economic development. She has a passion for training both learners and educators in digital literacy.
Distributing content during remote teaching – Matthew Barnwell is a music teacher at Sweet Valley Primary School in Cape Town. He has developed a keen sense of understanding how to disseminate content and information both effectively and economically.
Hamid said the training in remote teaching will enable educators to better navigate their way through multiple challenging environments, and to better cope with stress and uncertainty during the current pandemic.
