What is Virtual Learning?

In 2020, educators and students were forced to confront a new reality and quickly adapt to online teaching and virtual learning environments. Read below to gain a better understanding of remote learning and discover how Symbaloo can assist with online instruction and in 1:1 classrooms.

Virtual learning has been referred to by many names: eLearning, remote learning, distance learning, and many more. In essence, this refers to a type of instruction that is supported by a computer (or another Internet-enabled device) and delivered in an online environment. Education technology (“EdTech”) tools, like Symbaloo, are created to make online learning and 1:1 classroom environments as easy and effective as possible.

Advantages of Virtual Learning

The proliferation of online learning offers many new advantages to educators, such as:

1. Easily sharing lesson plans with other educators
2. Students are able to learn at their own pace
3. Built-in grading and analytics can help track student progress
4. A scalable model that allows for efficient instruction of more students
5. Learners may access tools and learning platforms at any time
6. Flexible in terms of time, location and space

Disadvantages of Virtual Learning

While virtual learning offers many advantages it may also have some drawbacks, as well. Hopefully, educators who are wary of these disadvantages may also work to alleviate some of them before they occur:

1. Students may have trouble managing their own time
2. 1-on-1 instruction can be more difficult to coordinate
3. Younger students may need parental assistance to access technology
4. Integrating too many different Edtech tools could cause confusion
5. Prolonged screen time can often cause fatigue or loss of focus

Symbaloo for Remote Learning and 1:1 Classrooms

Symbaloo offers an easy-to-use platform for educators to save and share their favorite online resources; making it helpful in both remote learning environments and 1:1 classrooms! By creating a free webspace, educators can secure their own Symbaloo URL where they can easily publish the most valuable links for students, colleagues, or parents to access at any time. By default, visitors can access this URL without an account, which ensures that no personally identifiable information is stored for students.

With Symbaloo, a teacher can curate the perfect collection of websites, tools, and resources for their respective audience. Use tiles to create one-click access to zoom links, math games, online quizzes, or any other online resource with a web link!

To help showcase the power of Symbaloo, see the 40+ top virtual learning tools, shown together in a Symbaloo webmix.

Use Symbaloo to create the perfect online dashboard or homepage for your 1:1 classroom! Read more about 1:1 Classrooms in these articles:

➡️ What is a 1:1 Classroom, and why do I need it?
➡️ 5 Steps for Implementing a One-to-One Classroom Successfully
➡️ 40+ Best One-to-One (1:1) Classroom Learning Tools

Virtual Learning after COVID?

As we all face the challenges of the COVID epidemic, we have become keenly aware of how unpredictable the future can be. Schools around the world have been forced to accelerate remote learning integrations at a much faster pace than anticipated. And while this period was surely accompanied with frustration and growing pains for many educators, having these virtual learning options in place may offer more flexibility and efficiency for teachers in the future.

During this time, individual students and teachers may have learned that they strongly prefer one type of environment over the other, whether it be in-person instruction or online learning. However, it is likely that the future of education will involve a healthy balance between the two; weighing the need and desire for personal contact and the increased efficiency and convenience of remote learning.

As more time passes, teachers and administrators will continue to make decisions about the optimal ways to educate their students and a better future will come into focus. The success of remote learning initiatives will depend on how well educators can integrate new edtech into a system that effectively reaches each pupil.

Going into 2021 and beyond, we hope that educators around the world are feeling more comfortable with their virtual learning options and are gaining a better understanding of how to integrate them. To give Symbaloo a try, visit us at www.symbaloo.com and create your free account today!