These two weeks have been very special to me, as I have been able to take the controls of the ship. That’s what I really enjoy, my confort zone as a teacher as I am. Also as it requires more compromise, I really feel linked to the course for the first time during these months.
Furthermore, the topic isn’t new for me, and I believe it is not for much of us. It is the (promt) decision we were forced to take almost two years ago when COVID-19 hit us harder. But it is a problem that arose before in my case, as I have been working in e-learning since 2010. How to keep students enganged? How to track and support them?
Who are the students?
Then, one of my ONL PLB01 group proposed this astoundingly simple and direct question. WHO ARE THE STUDENTS? Is that simple and that complex at a time. Obviously, it is not the same to work with full-time students that doing it with people that works and studies at the same time.
Most of the Authors agree in providing a flexible environment that includes a variety of learning modes, and to let learners have control over the content, learning sequence, pace, time, and media.
On the other hand, one of the challenges of this course for my was the planning. In an asyncrhonous environment, it is easier to plan yourself, but also easier to get disenganged. Anyway, it’d be difficult to provide a breakeven, as every student have different number of hours available. Here’s where the need of a good guidance and support team arise.
Resources, resources, resources
Again, Authors agree in facilitating interaction during the course, with other students and the instructor, to provide a better learning process. Face-to-face interaction with the instructor and peers can assuage the potential sense of isolation.
Sadly, last year will be remembered here in my centre not only for the pandemic, but also for the increase on the number of students enrolled in each course per teacher: it increased from 60 to 70. With those numbers, it is virtually impossible to plan a good interaction with students, as teachers employ their time mostly evaluating tasks and answering e-mails.
We need to review our e-learning plan. Unfortunately, we can neither have less students nor more teachers, which would surely help. We need more resources!!!
Would a more collaborative environment be the answer? 
References
Boelens, R., De Wever, B., & Voet, M. (2017). Four key challenges to the design of blended learning: A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 22, 1-18.
