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Table of Contents
Below you can find some scenarios that bring forward examples of challenges that a trainer/educator may encounter when carrying out learning activities online. We hope that you will get some inspiration and find some interesting solutions when going through the scenarios. However, bear in mind that:
1) the issues described below can be addressed in many different ways and
2) the context may add more complexity into a documented challenge. Resolution of challenges is not always feasible but recognizing the needs and identifying mechanisms for resolutions set a basis whereupon problematic issues can be tackled.
|
Who |
Lena (non- formal educator) |
|
Challenge |
Connectivity problems |
|
Students |
20 students / 18-22 years old |
|
The tools |
Zoom |
Context/ problematic area
Lena is an educator in a non-profit educational organization. She works with groups of adult learners of refugee and migrant background who are trying to learn Greek as a second/foreign language. Due to the pandemic, she was forced to shift her classes online and the Ngo provided a Zoom account for that purpose. Lena informs her students via WhatsApp that classes are going to continue via Zoom and is prepared for her first lesson. Students complain about the fact that they cannot follow the lesson plan that Lena has created because their mobile phones are not compatible with many apps and they cannot work on several pages at the same time. Moreover, they mention that their screen is too small and cannot easily read what Lena writes on the Whiteboard. Finally, Lena realizes that many students are absent. When the lesson is over Lena realizes that absent students did not have mobile data to connect.
Actions / key considerations/ solutions
Lena addresses the Ngo and asks for a fund to provide students with mobile cards in order to have enough data to access lessons. Moreover, she uses an asynchronous learning platform- such as Google Classroom (https://edu.google.com/workspace-for-education/classroom/)- to create educational material for students to reach at their own time. Moreover, she decides that she will design lessons without the use of difficult to use applications and she will rely on an interactive Whiteboard- such as Miro -(https://miro.com/) - to share during the lesson. Finally, she has to consider that she has to use a big size font to facilitate her students. Lena decides to apply these remedial actions to solve the problems mentioned above and ease students’ engagement in the learning process, being aware of the fact that new challenges may emerge that require prompt actions from her side.
|
Who |
Zori (non-formal educator) |
|
Challenge |
Time difference / technical problems |
|
Students |
6 youth with mental disabilities / 16-18 years old |
|
The tools |
Zoom |
Context/Problematic area
An EU facilitator of a cultural workshop is organizing a meeting between a cultural group from Ethiopia and a group of young people with mental disabilities from Bulgaria. There is a one-hour difference between the two physical locations, however the workshop leader from Ethiopia has omitted this fact and the meeting/online activity starts without any participation from Ethiopia. It is a fact that people with mental disabilities need stability, a detailed plan and routine. Postponing the activity is not an option, so the EU facilitator quickly organizes another team member to get in contact with the Ethiopian team and encourage them to join as soon as possible. In the meantime, the EU facilitator accesses the database with presentations and videos with stories from the Ethiopian group, in order to start presenting the group. With a 40-minute delay, the Ethiopian facilitator and team join. This is actually a good turnout, because the members from the Bulgarian group have gained some information and can ask questions. The EU facilitator has taken the role of group presenter. When the Ethiopian group members arrive, they learn about the BG group and answer questions.
Actions / key considerations/ solutions
How to prevent something like this happening? Set a reminder for the day before a meeting to check time zones once again and contact the partner group in order to remind them of any time differences they need to take into consideration. In any case, each facilitator needs to be prepared with materials on the partner group, so that they can start and run an online activity when they have participants with mental disabilities. Even if the time has been negotiated, anything might happen to anyone and a certain member might not be able to participate in a prefixed meeting.
The same scenario is valid in the case of technical problems. Including the electricity interruptions.
Where participants do not face mental challenges, the possible issues, which may cause inconveniences and disrupt or prevent a meeting, should be communicated to all members, so that there is always the possibility of rescheduling.
|
Who |
Zori (non-formal educator) |
|
Challenge |
Linguistic problems |
|
Students |
20 children / 11-13 years old |
|
The tools |
Zoom |
Context/Problematic area
During a workshop between a group from an African country and a group of students from Bulgaria, it becomes apparent to the facilitators from the two countries that the young people from Bulgaria do not understand their peers from SA well enough. A lot is omitted. The facilitators step in with encouragement to the young people to interrupt and ask for clarifications when they are finding something hard to catch. The facilitators enter the role of interpreters. The meeting is prolonged in order to provide enough time for the planned activities and exchanges to take place.
Actions / key considerations/ solutions
How to prevent this? Provide the Bulgarian group with videos created by the African group in advance, in order to allow them to get accustomed to the accent. If the Bulgarian students still find it hard to understand, plan a longer period for the meeting in advance, divide the interpretation work within the team and make everyone aware of why this is necessary. Do this carefully in order not to offend anyone. Explain the need for translation with the lack of practice and at the same time the need for crystal clear understanding within the international group.
|
Who |
Zori (non-formal educator) |
|
Challenge |
Meeting order problems |
|
Students |
20 children / 11-13 years old |
|
The tools |
Zoom |
Context/Problematic area
The cultural differences are so intriguing that during a workshop between a Tanzanian and a Bulgarian group, members from each side take over the discussion and flood the meeting with questions, which are not relevant to the particular topic of the meeting. Time is spent on talks, which may not be relevant to this serious topic that the facilitators, who know each other, have negotiated and prepared for.
Actions / key considerations/ solutions
In order to prevent this, either plan a session entirely dedicated to getting to know each other (this is usually a good idea) or quickly step in and put a stop to such a discussion by fixing a get to know each other better meeting on a soon to come date, which the young people can look forward to.
|
Who |
Anna (dance teacher) |
|
Challenge |
Transferring a physical activity online |
|
Students |
12 students / 16-18 years old |
|
The tools |
Zoom, Youtube , Video-capturing tools |
Context/ problematic area
Anna teaches dance to an intercultural group of students (16-18 years old). Dance is a “vehicle” to bring the students closer to one another while at the same time they express themselves creatively. Covid-19 challenges forced Anna to go online. The shift was not an easy process and Anna aims at finding a meaningful way to engage the students in dance lessons online. It is critical also to infuse some interactivity among the participants
Actions / key considerations/ solutions
Anna decided to launch a new project where participants in pairs will share a video of a dance of their preference with others providing some key information. The video could be something already available on Youtube or created by scratch by the participants. Anna invited the students to submit their work 1 week before their presentation so that she would have time to prepare the session accordingly. In the session she invites students in online discussions and takes a discrete role in keeping the discussion alive through prompt questions. When all the presentations are over, Anna challenges the students to video-record themselves performing the dance that attracted their interest the most or expressing their feelings and thoughts evoked by specific/selected presentations of dances”.