EDUCATION & LEARNING :
HOW DO YOU TEACH THROUGH A PANDEMIC ?
The Dulwich Approach to Flexible Learning
By Dulwich College ( Singapore )
For a long time now , universities have been promoting hybrid or blended learning and we believe this should be our model for the future . A flexible learning programme rooted in the best educational research that places students at the centre can work equally well on campus or online . This approach can offer differentiated and personalised instruction that focuses on a competency-based model , rather than a time-based one . This is personalised learning in the 21st century : one size has never fitted all and our children deserve the best .
Early last year , when news of the pandemic reached us , we started planning right away and were fortunate to benefit from the experiences of our international network of schools who were ahead of the curve and had already switched to E-Learning . This gave us a significant headstart so when the Circuit Breaker kicked in two months later , we were well prepared .
There is a temptation with E-Learning to get caught up in the technology – and our IT department did an amazing job in making sure we had a robust platform for E-Learning in place – but the technology is just the vehicle : it ’ s the teachers that make the difference . The focus , whether it be face-to-face in the classroom or remotely through E-Learning , should always remain on what makes good teaching and learning . How do children learn best ? What inspires and interests them ? By focusing on this , then learning and a love of learning can take place anywhere and our children will be in safe hands .
Beyond the technology , our emphasis is on recreating the Dulwich experience at home ( when required ) by ensuring we retain a healthy mix of drama , music , art and sport as well as academic subjects . Teaching is at its best when it ’ s interactive and engaging , so when learning does occur at home , it is always punctuated with a variety of activities including live lessons with teachers via video , pre-set tasks and fun elements such as quizzes and competitions .
What we learnt from the whole E-Learning experience last year is that the digital world can not only assist students when they out of the classroom , but can also improve learning when they are in the classroom . We are now taking that learning and making it integral to everything we do so that we are well placed to provide holistic learning in any context , in partnership with parents and students . We call this the Dulwich Digital Difference : providing a flexible learning environment that ’ s both online , offline and everything in between .