E learning for kids can be a great alternative for learning. Although most of them have to attend the traditional classroom, that does not mean they cannot take some online lessons every now and then. Offering students variety when it comes to learning is a great way to keep boredom from setting in. Since we are now in the digital age, elearning may be what these students need to help them be more responsible online.
Of course, getting them to learn something serious online will not be met with the same enthusiasm as playing online games or browsing through their social media accounts. This is why you probably need to exert a bit more effort when it comes to encouraging participation in e learning for kids. Fortunately, there are several ways that you can get the students to actively participate in their online lessons.
- Make sure they know that participation is graded. There is nothing like good grades to encourage students to engage in the online lessons. If they know that they will be graded on it, they will be more attentive and will be forced to participate in the online discussions and activities.
- Educate them about how to use the tools online. Sometimes, students fail to participate because they have no idea how to do it. Make sure they know how to use the different tools online so technicalities will not get in the way of their learning.
- Be present online. This is the only way that you can observe the students and make sure they are participating. If some of them are falling behind, you can send them a private message or an email to remind them to participate.
- Encourage knowledge sharing. There is nothing like sharing that builds a positive attitude in learning. Let the students know that e learning for kids is not just about what they can learn from the instructor. It is also about what they can discover for themselves and each other.
- Ask questions. To be more specifics, you need to ask them a controversial question that will force them to choose sides and defend it. This is a great way to stimulate their critical thinking skills and increase engagement.
- Get them to elaborate on a thought. Do not be content with a short and simple answer. E learning for kids should make them feel comfortable about expressing their thoughts and feelings online. Encourage them to elaborate on their answers through follow-up questions.
- Compare answers with each other and get them to discuss similarities and differences. This will not only get the students to participate, they will also be more observant of the online lessons.
- Keep posting new content. This can be a short video, an image or even a short article – as long as it is relevant to the lesson. Then you can get them to comment or send their feedback about what you posted.
- Invite someone new to participate. There is nothing like someone new to get the kids more interested in the lesson. A new perspective or a new idea would be refreshing for the students.
- Set up a notification system. This is a great way to ensure that the students are aware of changes or new posts or discussions in the online course. That way, the students will know they have something new to comment on.
It is not hard to encourage full participation in e learning for kids. However, it is also important to control how involved you will be because you also want to encourage the students to learn on their own. Try not to spoonfeed them. Instead, guide them so they can learn the lesson on their own. As students increase their engagement in the lesson, they will learn to appreciate the lesson even more. This is a great way to instill the love of learning in the students.
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