Everybody is aware of the current situation. We all know that the world is going through an ongoing pandemic called COVID- 19. Due to this what is even worse is that various sectors are being subjected to many problems and Education Sector is no exception. Today these circumstances are causing a hurdle in the conventional methods of teaching. This ongoing pandemic has confined the multiple ways our Education System used to work. It has affected everything be it learning process, teaching process and conducting examinations for students.
Fortunately, we have solution to some of the problems. Remote learning is essential to maintain social distancing as we cannot go out. So online classroom software is one way through which the students can reconnect with their respective teachers and start again from where they had left. It is interesting to know that many schools, colleges and even universities are adapting this new method of teaching just to ensure the safety and uncompromised learning of the students.
Online classroom software has not always been a part of our teaching process. It is an unconventional approach for teaching yet the most effective and needed right now. So, it is quite obvious that not many teachers are aware of how to work efficiently in the virtual platform. But still teachers willing to perform their duties would find a solution to their problems. The biggest challenge for them is to ensure that the students are not losing their interest in such times. The question here is that how would they get to know about it? The answer lies in the word attendance. Yes, to deal with this major problem teachers should keep a regular check on student attendance.
Now to deal with this problem how does one have to work? As ensuring student attendance is again a key challenge faced by the teachers.
Following are some tips which will help the teachers to keep a check on student attendance regularly.
1) Manual or Classic method of Attendance –
Teachers can use this golden method even in the virtual world to make sure that the students are attending classes daily. They can maintain a register just like old times for the attendance. This old way of taking the attendance when all the students have come online will help the teachers to know whether the students are taking classes seriously or not. But the classic way comes with its own disadvantages. And one of them is uncertainty even after taking the attendance. Because students would give their attendance and might leave in the middle without the teacher even noticing it. The number of students may get comparatively high then one can manage so it might not even come to notice of the teachers that students have dropped out of the ongoing class.
2) Taking Quiz or Poll after the Class –
This is perhaps the easiest way through which a teacher can confirm student participation on regular basis. So, after taking a class teacher can prepare a short quiz or poll of the same topic that they have taught in their respective classes. Taking quizzes and polls would help the teachers to know who all were present throughout the class and who all attended only for attendance purpose. As those who had left early would not know what to answer in the quiz. This then would show the interest of students on studies during this time. This method is very effective and simple to use.
3) Giving Assignments/Projects to Students –
This is again a good way to engage students with studies and ensure their participation. Giving assignments and projects would leave no option for the students but attend classes so that they can complete their work. It would be great if the teachers give timed assignments and projects as it will put a responsibility in the shoulder of the students. Continuously reminding them that their negligence towards their work would affect their annual performance will also bind them to take their classes regularly. Vidyalaya online classroom software provides you with an Mobile Application for the easy transfer of assignments & submission as well.
4) Organizing Discussions During Or After The Class –
Discussions will help to ensure two thingsstudent performance and their participation or attendance. During online sessions it is very easy for the students to leave the session in the middle because of countless factors. And just like the way it becomes easy for the students in a similar way it becomes hard for teachers to maintain discipline. Because of no strict rules for attendance. So timely discussions will help the teachers to gain idea about student attendance thus ensuring the interest as well. Constant reminder to prepare for the discussions would also bound them to take their classes.
5) Asking Questions Randomly During Class –
This is again a very easy method to engage students in a class. Asking questions to the students would reveal the truth of the students and give teacher a good idea of their participation. But instead of asking questions in a particular order, a teacher should ask random students about the topic being taught in the class. This would help to know the attendance of the students also. It will also restrict the students to abandon their lecture in the middle because of the fear of being caught red handed.
6) Video Calls with The Students If Possible –
This method could be used but only if the internet bandwidth is very strong. After all the students have come online for the class, the teachers can ask the students to keep their cameras on so that the teachers can see the faces of students. Also, they can check their activities throughout the class. But as earlier mentioned this is next to impossible because of numerous reasons. The only possibility for this to happen is when there are no technical issues and the connectivity is strong. Also, it is important to mention that some of the students might not even have access to internet at all.
7) Keeping In Touch With The Parents Of Students –
My personal opinion is that this method should be the priority of the teachers. Generally, parents are interested to know the activities done in the schools and colleges. Academic work of their children. So, the teachers can use this as an advantage. Specially at this time they would be even more curious to know about the things being taught to their kids. So, informing them about the assignments, activities and projects that are being assigned to the students would help the teacher as parents unknowingly will share the load. Putting the classes and their timings will also prove to be very fruitful. As the parents would keep a regular check on their kids especially those who are living with their parents. The parents do not have to be totally involved as in they do not have to sit with their child when the class is going on but yes, they can make sure that their child is working and doing his work on time.
CONCLUSION :
Although there are various ways to engage students even through remote learning process but it is not fair and necessary to use them. As there are many schools and colleges who are introducing new criteria for marking and testing student performance. Because it is unfair that unfortunately there are many students who do not have internet accessibility at their homes. And there are many who cannot afford it. So, judging them on the basis of attendance when they cannot even take classes due to genuine reasons is wrong.
Briefly it is a temporary way and we need to find a permanent way so that all the students are being judged without any problems and totally on their performance basis. A solution where the right of education is reached to every student. Till then virtual learning process and some of the ways to track student attendance is the only way we have and can use.
Vidyalaya online classroom software helps Trustee & Principals to keep an eye on the virtual
classroom & easily track the student’s attendance through the software.
