Bitesize Research: Best Practice for Remote Learning

The second week in T3, I wanted to share with you the work of the Education Endowment Fund on Remote Learning. 

Objectives: In the first lockdown, the EEF aimed to synthesise existing studies that were relevant to remote learning to give advice on what best practices might support learning online. Whilst the findings are helpful, the EEF are keen to stress that the studies examined were not done within the same context as the COVID-19 pandemic, which means that use of professional judgement with remote learning still remains highly important.

Summary:  They found the following key tenets were common threads in the studies examined on remote learning:

1. Teacher quality is more important than how lessons are delivered

• Ensuring normal elements of teacher effectiveness e.g. clear explanations, scaffolding and feedback is essential

• There was no difference between teaching in real time, or teaching ‘asynchronously’ - what mattered most was how explanations built on previous learning and how pupil understanding was assessed thereafter

2. Peer interactions can provide motivation and improve learning

• Things such as peer marking and feedback, sharing and collaboration on model answers were found to be helpful across a number of studies.

3. Supporting students to be able to work independently was helpful

• Providing strategies that linked to metacognition was helpful across a number of studies

4. Different approaches to remote learning suit different content and tasks

• For example, games for learning were helpful in MFL, but much less helpful in other subjects.

• Similarly using technology to support retrieval practice and self-quizzing can help, but this is not a replacement for other forms of assessment

How does this impact me and my practice?: Some reflection questions arising from this that might be helpful to consider are: 

 

• How can I impactfully sequence learning to ensure that online lessons build on each other successfully?

• How can I ensure that I can facilitate peer interactions in WA Online?

• What practices can be put into place to support students with metacognitions and independent learning processes?

• What different tasks are best suited to my subject, the content I am teaching, and the skills I want the students to develop?

If anyone would like to discuss this further with Jaya - please comment below! I’d be delighted to open up these discussions and conversations.