My son in grade 11 is working on Math 10 by correspondence. He writes quizzes online when he completes a unit. Jared doesn’t always have the highest level of motivation, so it’s a bit of a struggle to get him to complete his work or his quizzes to the best of his ability. Because he doesn’t live with me, I can’t sit with him and ‘motivate’ him to keep going and to try his best.
I’ve tried Skype before and found it useful for some things, but didn’t consider it for this application. My younger son let me know that we could share the computer screen on SKYPE – that became a game changer.
I can now monitor what Jared is doing while working on his math online. I can see what he’s doing and give him a virtual kick in the seat of the pants when I see he isn’t putting effort into his work. The great part is, he loves being connected and online, and even though it’s math, he’s not balking at the opportunity.
Using technology properly isn’t just about engagement, or improving instruction. It’s about helping the learning to happen and connecting with the student. For some children, technology is the way, for others it’s music, for some it’s just spending time with them and the opportunities to connect go on and on.
Let’s find what works for each student and make it work.