There are plenty of teachers who primarily teach online, but many teachers are only used to being in the classroom with their students. These days, teachers find themselves faced with the delivery of the curriculum without the benefit of teaching their students face-to-face. As usual, teachers adapt and learn new ways to deliver content. However, not all teachers want to teach a lesson while on a video for students.
Is it possible to teach online without video? Yes, there are several options for teachers to deliver a lesson that does not involve being on video. Many of the options include having the screen recorded or a voice-over, but a video is avoidable.
Options include:
- Google classroom
- Learning Management Systems
- Peer-to-peer software platforms
- PowerPoint
- Screencast-O-Matic
The world wide web creates tons of opportunities for teachers with different media types. After all, teaching is all about communication, and the internet fosters excellent communication. Read on to learn about different options for teaching outside of recording a lesson that helps build collaboration and conferencing to enforce learning for students.
Google Classroom
Many schools already use Google Classroom to help teachers organize assessments and to create more opportunities for student and teacher collaboration. When many teachers switched to online-only delivery of curriculum, students and teachers already knew how to access their content.
Students can log in from any computer or device and access all their materials. One fantastic benefit of this type of system is the ability for a teacher to give student feedback. Teachers know that the best teaching happens with actionable feedback given to a student in one-to-one conferences. With programs such as Google Classroom, teachers can give students real-time feedback and direct students to what they need to fine-tune the process of learning.
This feedback is documented for the teacher to look back and see where a student started compared to where they ended. This process is validating for the student, as well. They see their progress, and the redirection of learning in real-time is meaningful.
Google Classroom has many competitors, and it is relatively easy to find an available platform within systems school districts already use. For instance, OneNote Class Notebook from Microsoft is tailorable to suit a classroom and to help teachers and students stay organized and connected without the use of video.
Learning Management Systems
A learning management system allows schools to track online learning activities and give access to the curriculum for online learners. However, they do much more than deliver content.
For example, Its Learning is a learning management system, and this service is often integrated into school districts. The platform allows teachers and teams to streamline curriculum and content. The service also analyzes student data and performance, which is necessary for teachers to target their lessons. Teachers can personalize instructions by adjusting permissions for specific students so they can meet the student at their current level and fill in gaps in understanding.
Services such as Its Learning integrate with other content providers, too. For instance, a grade given in Its Learning can transfer automatically to a district grading system. This saves a teacher lots of time.
Furthermore, learning management systems allow for direct feedback to students. This feedback can be a verbal recording or typed comments. Lastly, while a teacher can deliver content without being on video, there is the ability to include rich content such as sound, video, and images into a student’s lessons.
Peer-to-Peer Software Platforms
With social distancing in effect, teachers learned very quickly how to use peer-to-peer platforms such as Skype and Zoom to communicate with their students. However, not everyone enjoys being on video. Luckily, peer-to-peer software platforms are very versatile – there is no need for a teacher to be on live video to deliver their lesson.
Many teachers opt to have a photo in place of their video. Also, teachers can share their computer screens with their students. Instead of a talking head on the camera delivering curriculum, a teacher can share their screen and talk through what they are teaching. This ability is suitable for students, too. Some students are visual learners, and others learn by what they hear.
When a teacher shows their screen and discusses the lesson, they meet the needs of more students. This direct teaching is like teaching in a classroom while projecting lessons on a whiteboard. A student can have a digital or printed copy of the course material in front of them and take notes if they wish.
PowerPoint
The use of PowerPoint is a rather common sight in a classroom for both students and teachers, as well as administration. PowerPoint sometimes has a reputation for being boring because some people tend to create a PowerPoint and simply read from the slides. Therefore, without a layout and content that interests its audience, it can lack the type of engagement necessary for students in the classroom.
However, it does not need to be that way. Teachers may add powerful yet relevant visuals into PowerPoints, and they can also include video. Not the kind of video featuring the teacher, though. Relevant videos that support the teaching topic are easy to insert into PowerPoints. YouTube videos are commonly inserted into Powerpoints to make them more useful.
Teachers also can time their lessons with quick formative assessments. Instead of asking if the students have questions, some web-based apps or websites allow teachers to assess student understanding. One such website is Poll Everywhere. This service gives teachers and students feedback instantly. It raises student engagement and lets the teacher know areas of refinement and where to adjust instruction right away.
Teachers can also narrate in PowerPoint. This is essential for the world on online teaching.
Screencast-O-Matic
The ability to record your computer screen and voice at the same time is a fantastic option for delivering a lesson without being on camera. It works like peer-to-peer screen sharing works. The teacher shows the students what is on their computer screen, and the students can both see and hear the lesson. Screencast-O-Matic can be used by teachers and students to share ideas and work through projects.
In-person, a teacher can conference with a student and review current work. During this conference, a teacher can spot what a student is doing right and validate that for a student. It also gives the teacher time to find areas for the student to improve upon. When teaching online, the scope of how to create authentic two-way connections changes. When students and teachers utilize services such as Screencast-O-Matic, your lectures can be captured for review, and teachers can meet student needs more accurately.
Screencast-O-Matic offers a free basic version. It is easy to use, and the video is saved directly to your computer or can be uploaded to YouTube. To learn how to use this service with a visual of the result, watch Screencast-O-Matic’s video for beginners.
Conclusion
Not everyone wants to be on a video delivering a lesson. Additionally, just having a teacher give a lesson via video does not meet the needs of all the students in the class. Teachers know that they need to deliver instruction in various ways because students learn differently.
By utilizing a variety of technology, teachers can deliver content and feedback to their students without having to use video. Between collaborative online classrooms, learning management systems, and a variety of other platforms, teachers can easily teach outside of the classroom. One thing is for sure – teachers will find a way to teach their students.
