Technology has already disrupted the education sector. Online resources now give good competition to printed books. Gadgets bring convenience to learning that physical classrooms can rarely incorporate. It was only a matter of time for the digital trend to affect the practice of teaching as well and right now, online teaching seems to be the way forward in this sector. Digital classes were already happening in higher education. The COVID-19 crisis of 2020 trickled that practice down to all levels of schooling. As graduates of the top B. Ed colleges in Delhi, expect your hiring to be partly based on your online teaching proficiency along with other necessary skills.
Yet, online teaching is not easy even though it may appear convenient. You need training and practice to become an efficient online teacher. Keep in mind that educational institutions will spend little time to coach you in online teaching. It is up to you to learn the nuances, gain proficiency and sit at the interview with readymade skills. So, are you ready for the future? Here is your answer.
Technical expertise is a primary requirement
Almost all B. Ed courses are designed to make a teacher out of you in a physical classroom. It was widely accepted that school students cannot learn effectively online and institutions were reluctant to provide the infrastructure. However, the current rising demand for online teaching is forcing these institutions to make the required change.And most of these schools are asking their teachers, untrained with technology, to suddenly teach online. The fiasco is obvious. Be sure that the demand is not going to fade. To become an online teacher, you must first acquire technical skills that will help you to make the transition. This means learning the features of Google Meet, Zoom and more, becoming comfortable with emails, mastering Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel, and other such required platforms.
Some teaching experience is essential
Even if you are studying in one of the best B. Ed colleges in Delhi NCR, you cannot expect to become an expert online teacher just after acquiring your degree. You will still need some teaching exposure to master the trade and refine your skills. Here, internships are important. Either online or offline, you will want to learn teaching right in the field under the mentorship of an experienced supervisor. Being a part of an institution that starts you off with online teaching along with exposing you to Learning Management Systems will also help your cause. Proficiency can never be built in a day. To make the most of the current demand of online teachers, look to start small and be ready when a bigger opportunity comes knocking on your door.
Understand the digital side of child psychology
Connecting with your students digitally changes the teacher-student dynamics slightly. The physical distance matters. Engagement wavers owing to the absence of the classroom’s ambiance. Thus, mastery of the digital side of child psychology is important for online teachers. Before you step in, you must understand how students are likely to react in your physical absence. How are to create engagement in your lecture and how can you modify with the changing demands? Child psychology is an essential part of any B. Ed course for a reason. And now, the digital angle must be touched upon to minimise distractions, reach out to all students and not let the classroom’s absence affect education.
Communication can no longer be your weak point
Having a face-to-face conversion is easy. Being able to read the body language and reactions of the person on the opposite end makes communication effective. But with online teaching, most of your communication will be limited to an exchange of text messages. Be it sending a feedback report to your student or connecting with a parent, you must first form a clear email before expecting a video conference. Hence, if your written communication is not strong, you are still not ready to become an online teacher. The same applies to auditory and verbal skills as well. The top B. Ed colleges thus focus on communication skills first. Without this, no teacher can conduct any form of class.
The Lingaya’s Lalita Devi Institute for Management & Sciences, affiliated to IP university and based in South Delhi, had adapted early. It was already teaching the nuances of online teaching to its B. Ed students way before the COVID-19 made the trade a necessity. Current LLDIMS pass outsare being able to adapt easily while the aspiring graduates are getting ready to become online teachers in the best possible way. Your journey to becoming a successful teacher starts with the B. Ed college you choose. Be it online or offline, your coaching defines your proficiency.
