Successful education of students, particularly those out of school,
requires communication, co-operation and engagement of all stakeholders:
the student; the parents/guardians; the teachers and, very often, the
students' peers. Delivering a full curriculum to students out of school
and maintaining communication with the school community is challenging.
With the spread of internet connectivity in and out of school, these
challenges can be cost effectively addressed with an online
collaborative learning platform; providing the same educational environment whether in school, at home or in hospital.
For students, a collaborative learning platform, such as FirstClass ED,
can provide anytime, anywhere access to:
• curriculum resources
• online learning activities and projects
• peer to peer support
• teaching and pastoral support
In addition to the above, teachers, support staff and parents /
guardians
can also benefit from anytime, anywhere access to:
• secure, student-centered discussion areas
• assessment, tracking and evidence of student's learning
• sharing of Individual Educational Plans
• planning and management tools (shared calendars; shared contacts)
• audit / historical records of conversations and documentation
Successful implementations of learning platforms occur most often when
the stakeholders have ownership of the online environment. Two examples are
where teachers can easily share curriculum resources without having to
go through some 'web master' and where students have their own areas for
email, portfolio work and material they can share with peers. Ownership
ensures engagement with the learning platform and facilitates the sense
of community which is often lost when students are out of school.