Distance Learning Strategies Guide
Learning Management Systems (LMS) & iCEV
Many of the tools you will need to implement a distance learning model are available through Learning Management Systems (LMS). In addition to functioning as its own LMS, iCEV integrates with multiple LMS tools, including Canvas and Schoology. Learn how to incorporate iCEV with your preferred LMS using these guides.
iCEV & Google Classroom Integration: www.icevonline.com/iCEV-Google
iCEV & Canvas Integration: www.icevonline.com/iCEV-Canvas
iCEV & Schoology Integration: www.icevonline.com/iCEV-Schoology
If your district does not have a preferred LMS, the tools included in this guide can help you transition your class to a distance learning model.
LTI integrations are not available for iCEV pilot users at this time.
Defining Expectations
The most important thing during distance learning is to communicate with your students about your expectations during your school’s closure. We recommend creating a document which provides the following information:
-
When you’ll be available and how to contact you
-
How and when students will need to report to class
-
Where class assignments will be posted
-
How to submit work
-
List of accounts students will need to sign-up for and how to provide you with their account information (ensure you are following your institution’s student privacy guidelines)
iCEV Connection
As you’re developing lessons, make sure to communicate lesson objectives and goals found in each iCEV lesson plan.
Assigning Coursework
Create schedules for each course to share with students and parents. These schedules can include when your students need to log in to the iCEV platform to view lessons or complete coursework and assessments. While iCEV allows you to set due dates for coursework, you can also use these resources for reminders and check-points.
Google Calendar
Use Google Calendar to create and share schedules. You can make both a private personal schedule, as well as schedules for each course to share with students and parents.
Click here to view an example iCEV course laid out in Google calendar.
Checkli
Create a checklist for students to complete. Checkli allows you to customize a checklist for the day, week or unit. Students will have a visual of everything that must be completed to meet the objectives. Additionally, a checklist will tell students the order in which to work through the lesson.
iCEV Connection
iCEV lesson plans include suggested instructions for each class period, including the segments students should review and what coursework should be completed. Use these resources as a road map to create your distance learning strategy.
Checking Comprehension
All iCEV courses include checks for understanding and assessments that can be used to assess student comprehension. When utilizing student licenses, all interactive coursework is automatically graded. Other comprehension methods, such as exit tickets, can be submitted using the following tools:
One way to record student responses is via email. However, during distance learning, you will likely be receiving massive amounts of email, so collecting daily student exit tickets via email could become overwhelming. If you choose to use email, use a nested folder system to sort emails. This option is best if you want to provide direct feedback to each student in a private and individual manner.
Google Forms
Google Forms allows you to create a survey-type document to send to students. In your Google Drive, you’ll be able to see and sort student responses. This method is ideal for situations where students may feel more comfortable with private answers, and you do not necessarily want to provide direct feedback to their responses.
The Beginner’s Guide to Google Forms
Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a free resource for teachers and students. Teachers create discussion boards with questions, and students answer by posting recorded videos to the board. Using videos can help engage students, foster creativity and maintain a sense of community. Additionally, students can be assigned to review and respond to their peers’ videos.
Remote Learning with Flipgrid | The Educator’s Guide to Flipgrid
Remind
Remind utilizes a computer-generated “phone number,” allowing participants to send and receive text messages. There is even an app for smartphones, so parents don’t have to worry about text message fees. You can also schedule texts ahead of time, which is incredibly helpful if you have a unit organized in advance.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has two subscriptions, one designed for educational settings and one for businesses. While both products can be used for educational purposes, the Teams for education includes features for teachers to post assignments, grades, files and feedback as well as offers a class notebook for students to use. By utilizing these features, Teams can easily serve as a learning management system (LMS). Additionally, students and teachers can access Microsoft Teams for free with a valid school email address.
iCEV Connection
iCEV offers text entry and file upload question types. For text entry questions, students can submit short or long answer responses. Teachers can grade the responses within the iCEV platform, and the grade is automatically added to the iCEV gradebook. File upload questions allow students to submit up to 12 files with a file of 10MB each. Just like text entry questions, grades can be assigned within the iCEV platform and automatically added to the student’s gradebook.
To learn more about these new grading features, review this tutorial.
Facilitating Class Discussions
In addition to Flipgrid, the following resources ensure you continue to facilitate dialogue between teacher and students. Ideas include scheduling group discussions after students have viewed an assigned iCEV lesson or communicating guidelines for an upcoming assignment:
Zoom
Zoom allows you to host live webinars where students can provide feedback and ask questions in real-time. All participants can view the discussion section and respond accordingly. You can also host a meeting where multiple people are video conferencing at the same time.
Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts is a messaging platform with the ability to handle large groups at one time. You can have a full discussion, upload documents and share links with all the participants. Though this resource does not allow you to see each other face-to-face, you can communicate immediately or respond in your own time.
Padlet
Padlet is an online discussion site in which you can post a question and students can answer in paragraph form. Padlet discussions can be created ahead of time and include page-specific links to send to your students. Students can answer in their own time and comment on each other’s posts. Additionally, students may post questions for you or their peers to answer.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams can be used by both students and teachers to facilitate discussions. Students can collaborate with each other and ask their peers questions. Teachers can host discussions and set up channels to focus on specific topics and students needs. The teacher can be a member of each channel to monitor the Teams channel and help students. Additional channels can be made for student modifications, accommodations or extensions.
iCEV Connection
iCEV videos can be used to initiate discussion topics. Video lessons are detailed and segmented, allowing time for group discussion.
View Example Padlet Activity Discussion from iCEV’s Law Enforcement I Course
Providing Direct Instruction
While it can be difficult to provide direct instruction through online mediums, students still need and value real-time interaction with their teachers. Screen sharing and video conferencing allow for direct instruction via online platforms. Some options include:
Zoom
With Zoom, teachers can conduct a live video conference where students can ask questions or add comments using the live chat option. If students have the available technology, they can connect their video feeds to the live stream or utilize screen-sharing options. Finally, Zoom offers settings for pre-recorded videos, which is a great option if teachers have the same course for multiple preps.
Skype
Skype can provide video conferencing for up to 50 people at a time. Skype also has a screen share feature and offers opportunities for text chat amongst the participants.
Screencastify
Screencastify is a Chrome browser extension that allows teachers to record a tab of the browser, the entire screen or even the web cam with audio. Recording options are even possible when the device is offline. Screencastify also has tools for highlighting sections of the page.
Additionally, the tool allows you to edit recordings, which is not an option with live meeting recording tools. This resource is free for educators with helpful resources for teachers and students.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams can also be used to facilitate class instruction. For each course, create a separate team and schedule a time to meet. All students in the group will receive a calendar invite and will be notified when the meeting begins. During the virtual meeting, teachers can control who has the ability to speak, present and chat during the lecture. Additionally, any participant can share their screen with the class to present materials.
Conducting Group Projects
If students are not able to meet in-person, group projects can still be completed using online tools, such as:
Google Slides or Docs
Google Slides is an online presentation tool, while Google Docs is an online word processing tool. Both tools allow students to work on the same project without being in the same room. Students can review previously completed work, implement changes and provide feedback all in a file that is automatically saved on Google Drive.
Draftin
Draftin is a website where students can peer edit any essay-type assignments. Draftin can be used for projects or activities requiring peer review or written reports. With Draftin, each student writes their essay or response, and a peer can make suggestions for editing or comment on the content.
Online Meeting Tools
Students can also utilize online meeting tools, like Zoom, Teams or Skype, to collaborate on group projects.
iCEV Connection
All iCEV lesson plans include detailed instruction for individual or group projects and activities. However, some of the outlines for projects and activities may need to be revised to be compatible for distance learning.
Submitting Assignments
Once students have completed their projects or activities, they will need a way to submit their coursework. While having students email completed assignments is an option, the amount of email correspondence could become overwhelming. Instead, consider using online file storage options such as:
bulb
bulb is an online portfolio platform where teachers and students can feature their work and is a great option for turning in individual assignments or group work during distance learning. The bulb platform includes several elements, including integration with LMS and student feedback features. Visit bit.ly/bulbiCEV to create your free account.
bulb/iCEV Teacher Quickstart Guide
View Sample Student Typography Logos Project Submission
Google Drive
In Google Drive you or your students can upload documents, including Microsoft Office files. All files created in Google Drive are automatically saved, and other users with access to the file can see changes immediately.
Dropbox
Dropbox is a great option for uploading and organizing submitted content. One way to use Dropbox is to create specific class folders, including folders for units and assignments within the main course folder.
You can also create file request links for each assignment you would like the students to submit, making it easy for students to upload documents to a folder that you have designated.
iCEV Connection
Using iCEV’s grading features, you never have to leave the iCEV platform to review student work. Students can submit up to 12 files with a file of 10MB each, per question. After reviewing the submitted work, teachers can assign a grade within iCEV, which will automatically be posted to the gradebook.
To learn more about iCEV’s grading features, review this tutorial.
Presenting Student Work
Distance learning does pose some limitations for presenting student work. Using programs such as Zoom, Skype or Screencastify, students can record their presentations and upload recording to file management systems where the whole class can view the content.
bulb
Along with submitting assignments, bulb can also be used for student presentations. With bulb, students can upload video or audio recordings to their portfolio account. After viewing the presentation, the teacher or other students can provide feedback to the presentation. Visit bit.ly/bulbiCEV to create your free account.
bulb/iCEV Teacher Quickstart Guide
iCEV Connection
Have students record themselves giving a speech or presenting an iCEV project and upload the video to their page. Students can share the page to a group for teacher/peer review.
View Sample Student Speech Presentation Submission
Google Meet
Google Meet is similar to other presentation platforms with recording capabilities and conference call options. All Google Meet files are automatically saved in a Google Drive folder, so students can easily share their presentations with their teacher or fellow classmates.
Providing Feedback
Distance learning does not have to result in a lack of valuable feedback from instructors. Options for providing feedback include:
Comments
Whether assignments were submitted via Google Drive, Dropbox or submission platforms, adding comments to the files allow students to see exactly where improvements can be made to their assignments.
Voice Notes
To provide feedback verbally, you can create voice memos. If you do not have a phone with the capability to record notes, you can use your computer microphone instead. Online Voice Recorder is just one of many options available for free.
Video Feedback
Another option to provide feedback is by doing a live or recorded video using options like Zoom, Skype or Screencastify. Using these tools, you can either record a video of you reviewing the assignment or share a screen with the student as you review their submission.
Requesting Support
Our goal at iCEV is to provide you with comprehensive educational resources that allow you and your students to succeed, as well as exceptional customer support when you need it most. If you need assistance, please contact our customer support team using one of the methods below.