Our first blog instalment, ‘Things I wish I’d known before learning and teaching online’ offered a roundup of some quick and easy resources to access, with a hint of theory.
Thanks to learning offered by the Open University, and supported by Scottish Union Learning, here we offer tried and tested resources around the theory and practice of delivering learning online.
Some easily accessible resources to support your building of online activities:
Unsplash - for free use images.
Creative Commons image search - for free use images.
Making your PowerPoint presentations accessible - is a very practical guide provided on the Microsoft website. It is worth taking some time to look around this site for more practical hints and tips on using Microsoft packages.
Digital Learning Solutions – UNESCO offers a comprehensive list of platforms and resources to support all your online planning and delivery.
Inventory of ICT tools and open educational resources – provided by the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe.
Some ways to ensure an inclusive approach to online learning and teaching:
Designing for Web Accessibility - the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), provide standards, guides and resources to ensure accessibility of web resources.
Imagining Equity Literacy - is one of many articles available on the Teaching Tolerance website, which also offers frameworks and activity guides for developing and delivering learning for diverse groups.
Accessibility Toolkit – 2nd Edition - the goal is to provide resources to create learning that is accessible for everyone. This is a collaboration between BCcampus, Camosun College, and CAPER-BC.
Accessible Technology - Disabilities, Opportunities, Interworking, and Technology (DO-IT) offer a range of articles and resources around accessibility.
Some theory to frame your practice:
The Universal Design for Learning framework and accompanying guidelines are provided by CAST, and aim to optimise teaching and learning based on what we know about how we learn.
Teaching Tips for Positive Online Learning Experiences – from the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo.
Teaching at a Distance: Methods that Work – the Open University has produced a series of help sheets on different approaches to delivering learning at a distance.
Where to get support:
There’s so much going on right now around online learning, learning at a distance, and blended learning approaches. A great way to pick up tools and tips is to communicate with others undertaking this work. And a quick way is through social media. Google offers an up to date round up of Education Chats.
Please Note: Members should always refer to the EIS Guidance on blended and digital learning, as well as local agreements and requirements relating to specific practices, platforms and software, when engaging with any of the content on this page. Further EIS guidance on COVID-secure pedagogy and teaching during the pandemic is also available, including specialist resources for Primary, Secondary, Early Years and Special Education.