Concept of Learning Management in COVID-19 Era

Assoc. Prof. Nontalee Prontadavit, PhD
Faculty of Technical Education, RMUTT

                    The instantaneous changes in learning management today have been occurring significantly, while most of the teachers are not yet available. The teaching system has to change from face-to-face to distance teaching cause the teachers have to use technology inevitably. Therefore, it is a challenge for both teachers and learners of the learning paradigm in the Covid-19 era. Therefore, teachers and students must adapt. The current situation, distance education system, is one of the methods that teachers can use in which students and teachers are far away.

                    Generally, in the past, distance education was used for people who were unable to attend school. Because of COVID-19, the use of technology is unavoidable. Teachers could be able to use technology to assist in teaching and learning for responding to new behaviour. Nevertheless, they still have to rely on the learner, and teachers should design learning management under the concept of “far as near”. The teachers and students should adjust their roles as:
Teacher
          1. Learning management planning is an important issue that teachers must prepare in advance, rather than preparing learning activities in regular classrooms because the teacher cannot face to learner directly. Therefore, the learning activities will be limited under the technology which the teacher chooses to use, including
– Creating an online classroom. Various applications support to create an online classroom that interacts between teachers and learners, such as Zoom, Microsoft Team, Google Classroom, Facebook, Line, Schoology, Edmodo, Loom, Nearpod and Mentimeter. Which the teacher could choose to apply as appropriate and convenient for the learners and teachers.
– Test Creation. There are exciting applications to apply in the test, including Kahoot, Plicker, Socrative, Quizizz and Quizzoodle.
2. Active Learning could be designed. The teacher role transforms into a class manager, facilitating, directing, helping, supervising and encouraging learners to do various activities. The teacher should prepare the environments for the learners to create knowledge by themselves. I suggest active learning online as a High Functioning Classroom, as a classroom that is highly effective in the process and results. Therefore, it is not easy to design, and the teacher must understand the learner’s nature by using various techniques, which include the opportunity for students to share their own stories, and apply learning to extend in real life. The teacher traces the progress of the students by video call to discuss the issues and what will they need to do in the next steps, which will be an important force to drive the online classroom into Active Learning.
3. Learning to use new technology to facilitate learners. Currently, there are many applications that teachers can choose to use, which is something that teachers cannot deny at all in learning management. Using new applications technology to integrate teaching in the online classroom is helpful. Besides, these applications are also designed to facilitate the teachers to evaluate the learning of the students. However, teachers should consider the readiness of the learners in accessing technology.

Student
I describe the role of learners in the management of Active Learning:
1. Responsibility. The students should prepare themselves in advance. Student’s readiness to learn is a vital issue to accommodate because the teacher is unable to reach the learner at all times.
2. Having interaction with the teacher, cooperating in activities, and learning enthusiastically.
3. Gaining skills in using technology, enhance a good attitude towards new learning styles.

                  Learning management in the COVID-19 era is a process that challenges to teachers, learners, and all relevant parties to help each other obtain a suitable way. The result is not different from teaching in a regular classroom. However, what teachers should be aware that nearly half of Thai children do not have computers, internet access, and place to study online. Relying only on educational technology cannot solve then continuity problems.

It is time for “us” to work hard together to solve the country’s educational problems.

Credit Photo by :
https://www.thairath.co.th/news/society/1819136
https://www.bbc.com/thai/thailand-51975231