How colleges to new ways
SOUTHPORT College and King George V Sixth Form College are using technology to keep their students engaged and learning during the Covid-19 crisis.
The colleges made the decision to switch to home learning due to the growing number of students and staff who were unable to attend because of the pandemic.
So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Classes are still structured in the same way, as much as they can be, with students logging in to see their tutor at 10am.
Head of marketing, Ruth Start, said: “Although exams have been cancelled, there is no reason for learning to stop. Usually if students are at college they have chosen a subject to study because they’re passionate about it, so we want to keep that going.
“Students have responded really well and are still engaged and asking plenty of questions. Tutors know their students well so they have used that to really adapt their lessons. The technology used is amazing and Microsoft Teams have been really helpful.”
The students are still enjoying many innovative activities across a wide range of subjects. KGV’s A Level Spanish teacher, Fernando Alvarez-Gozalez, has kept his lessons at the usual times and days. Students log on through the ‘Meetings’ feature on Microsoft Teams and classes have been well attended so far.
Emma Crosbie, who teaches A Level English Literature, has been delivering video lessons to her classes combined with live chat so that students can ask questions and discuss the issues raised. She supplements this with powerpoint slides she shares via screen share on Teams. Her first video lesson was discussing Emily Bronte’s use of Romanticism in Wuthering Heights. Emma is also running regular live quizzes with her students about all their various set texts.
A Level Chemistry students have been enjoying video lessons that their tutor Rachel Rowbottom records for them. They then send her questions following the video and meet up online later to discuss the answers live.
The Photography Department at Southport College have set their students a COVID19 shooting task, asking them to use their photography skills to document their own take on life in “lock-down” with the department sharing the best three of each day via their Instagram channel.
The Art Department at Southport College has also been hosting Album Listening/Netflix Watching Parties to keep everyone working together. An album or documentary is picked and everyone listens or watches whilst working on sketchbooks and their latest project. Students then comment on the Instagram group chat on their thoughts and how it makes them feel, to give an inclusive feel to the process.
The lessons play a massive part in giving the students a sense of normality and making sure they don’t feel alone during isolation.
Ruth said: “Students know that their tutors are available to contact online all day. We also encourage them to keep in touch with each other through the Instagram group and to share how they’re feeling and their experiences.
“It’s very easy for teenagers and young people to get bored in isolation so we want them to still feel part of our community and connected with each other.”
To find out more information about how KGV is adapting, please visit the Facebook page for updates @KGVCollege.