And we're back....

These days, when globalization reigns and boundaries between countries are dissipating, a virus is calling us to do our best and share what we can. In our case, we feel that going back to social networks is fundamental to be with others and add our little grain of sand.

In these circumstances, we are encouraged to contribute our experience and share what it was like to move into the virtual world on a previous opportunity ( influenza A (H1N1) in a K-12 school in Buenos Aires (June 2009).

Once again this has become a necessity in order to shorten distances and continue with our work. With this in mind, we want to share what we learned and "harvested" from the mistakes and successes during that time. It is not our intention to "determine" how or what to do but, to open an invitation to think together what it means to teach in times of physical isolation. 

We will try to present some ideas, even the most obvious ones; sharing our doubts, mistakes, concerns, and successes. 

- Is a virtual class the same as a face-to-face class? 

Obviously, virtuality does not replace a face-to-face class. Even an online, synchronous class does not happen in the same way. It is important to recognize that there are a number of elements that are absent and outside the register of the teacher (distractions, noises). In the same way, elements that do not generally appear in a traditional class may be present (e.g., access to specific literature, animations, augmented reality). 

Today, one of the apps that allows synchronous classes is Zoom. Also well known: Google Hangouts or Skype It is fundamental to pre-plan the event, students need to be aware of the agenda in advance in order to take advantage of the meeting, they should know the topic they’ll be dealing with, understand if they are going to clear doubts, share conclusions, etc.

- "What if I send them a PowerPoint?"

To consider that sending students a digital presentation on any topic, can replace a class is to ignore the teacher's role. A PP presentation sent without any other kind of instruction or guideline could be similar to a lecture where the teacher speaks and the students listen, quietly without the possibility of intervening (or even worse!). Is this what we are looking for? We could upload a presentation to an app like Hypersay where students can answer questions in real-time while the teacher presents slides, opening the possibility of interacting with the content. Or Flipgrid, a social learning platform that allows teachers and students to hold video discussions on a proposed topic.

- "I send the tasks they should complete each day."

It is essential to keep in mind that on the other side of the screen there are NO teachers. By sending a list of activities to be done, we are delegating on parents or students the responsibility of creating the conditions necessary to facilitate learning. The reality is that it is difficult to answer doubts or questions that arise at the time of performing the tasks (both from students and parents), this can lead to frustration and abandoning the work completely. The long lists of tasks to be completed can create additional pressure on families; especially those who are struggling to keep up with their assignments. On times such as these, this aspect is most important and should be taken into consideration.

What did we learn from the H1N1 experience?

- Closed schools' time showed us that, revisiting prior knowledge and reinforcing learning, is a lot more useful and effective than trying to impart new knowledge. There are topics in every subject we always wish we had the time to revise, go over and help students master. It is also a perfect time to devote attention to developing key strategies for their future such as preparing a presentation in Glogster or Canva or a timeline in Timelinr

- Our students are expert users of technology; moreover when these applications involve videos, music, and games. To be able to work on a word processor or produce a slideshow will come up as a totally different story. We may come across the fact that many students have no or very little experience in working in these environments. No need to despair, or use hours of virtual meetings to convert them into experts! Nowadays there are plenty of videos online (Youtube), uploaded by teachers who will explain the process with the same smile and as many times as necessary. In this case, parents who do work with these tools can be very useful and provide a huge help. If this is not the case you can consult Word Course Power Point Course.

- It is also a good time to encourage more autonomous work and study habits. The collaboration of parents is essential in this aspect, providing space and time for work. We need to give students clear and concise instructions for routines, deadlines, and synchronous meetings. Sharing this with parents will also help families organize their day.

- Virtual platforms were particularly useful. They allowed us to organize work, post material, tasks, set deadlines, and arrange meetings. They are easy to set up and nowadays have become increasingly "friendly". The most popular are Edmodo and Google Classroom. A fundamental ingredient: explain everything in great detail, even the obvious. When sharing material for individual work, it is essential to explain each step and task to be carried out. Students need to have a clear idea of what we expect them to do with the material we assign and how we want them to work with it. It is crucial to include visual material that accompanies each entry; this helps understanding and favours attention.        

- Special attention is given to feedback provided by the teacher; checking, asking if they have understood the instructions; it is suggested we can generate a pleasant dialogue where we really "meet" our students. We cannot leave aside the relationship we have developed with our students. We have the opportunity to relate to our students in a different way. We can share experiences, stand by them, listen a little more carefully. Synchronous meetings can be a good opportunity to show ourselves a little less in the role of the teacher. 

- It is important to look for ways in which we can sustain communication over time. In the beginning, it is fundamental to establish the frequency in which we will establish contact. Provide information about how we’ll be working, when will we have synchronous meetings, when will we send homework, if we will open a special space for questions and doubts. It is important to maintain our "presence" in different ways throughout time. It does not necessarily have to involve a videoconference, nor should every contact be limited to work. In that opportunity, we opened specific spaces (called sandboxes) with links to games and songs adapted to their ages and even "planned" time for them to enjoy along the day. This was particularly useful for the younger ones since parents were hesitant about suitable material for their children.

- When we recognize a face to face class and a virtual one are different, it becomes necessary to adjust expectations and reset evaluation. Without entering into a great debate on the subject, there are multiple applications for quick evaluations, for example, traditional questions and answers. Kahoot! or Quizlet are free platforms that allow the creation of questionnaires. Answers can also be collected on Twitter (individual short answers) or Padlet (for multimedia presentations).

- Open-ended tasks with a variety of formats offered excellent opportunities for students to express themselves with more autonomy and creativity. It is also necessary to consider the possibility that not all students have a computer for themselves. There are also multiple applications that enable work or responses through mobile phones or tablets. 

So far the first ideas recovered from our memory. That opportunity was a hard test; in 2009 most of the tools and applications we recommend here did not exist or have been updated by better ones. The number of computers and homes connected to the Internet was considerably lower at that time. Conditions for taking our classrooms into the virtual world are tangibly simpler today. 

Perhaps the trait we remember most clearly is the generosity of colleagues all over the world, contributing, helping, and accompanying our process at that time.

A trace we carry with us wherever we go.

We will stay close, reading each other.