Online Instruction during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Creating a 21^st Century Community of Learners through Social Constructivism

Abstract

The transition to online instruction due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought about many changes in the methods of teaching of the physical classroom. This sudden shift required teachers to plan and implement their teaching and assessment online, using videoconferencing software and online learning platforms. Switching to online instruction posed challenges to teachers, yet it was a learning experience that equipped them with strategies and skills that will be useful for the upcoming years. This paper will present efficient practices of synchronous and asynchronous online teaching implemented by a university instructor in the age of Covid-19. Despite the online nature of instruction, applying the principles of social constructivism, sharpening 21^st century skills, and creating a community of learners contributed to a successful teaching and learning experience.

Keywords:

• Online instruction
• social constructivism
• community of learners
• 21^st century skills

The Covid-19 pandemic brought about major changes in the lives of people. Shops and restaurants had to close, curfews were applied, and face masks became mandatory to halt the spread of the virus. Among these changes was the shift from face-to-face classroom instruction to synchronous and asynchronous online instruction. Synchronous online instruction refers to teachers and students being online at the same time and engaging in real-time communication, whereas asynchronous online instruction refers to students logging in to an e-learning environment at different times and engaging with the materials provided by the teacher at their own pace (Hrastinski 2008). The change to online instruction happened so quickly that teachers did not have enough time to prepare themselves for it. In a matter of a few days, they had to adapt to delivering their lessons in an online format. Schools, universities, and other educational institutions presented workshops on how to efficiently use online learning platforms and videoconferencing software.

Review of literature

The transition to online instruction brought about challenges for teachers and students. The change was abrupt; hence, many teachers assumed the challenge of instantly setting up online learning systems and preparing online learning materials (Hermanto and Srimulyani 2021). Another challenge was developing new interactive learning strategies suitable for online instruction (Yusuf and Jihan 2020). Lack of teacher experience in conducting lessons using technology was yet another challenge (Zhang et al. 2020). In the online classroom format, face-to-face interaction was lost, and students faced the challenge of making an extra effort to maintain their attention, participation, and intention to learn (Pandit and Agrawal 2021). Another issue was the inability of some families to afford sufficient internet quota and to provide electronic devices for each child in the household (Simamora 2020). Unstable internet connection, power outages, and noisy households were yet other challenges that prevented the students from having an optimal online learning experience (Lapitan et al. 2021). Such challenges called for the implementation of new and relevant strategies that would facilitate the adaptation to online instruction and make it a beneficial learning experience. As a university faculty member, I had to deal with the experience of abrupt transitioning from the physical classroom to synchronous and asynchronous online teaching. Throughout this experience, I applied the learning theories that I had based my teaching on in an online setting.

Constructivism is a learning theory that views the students as playing an active role in acquiring knowledge (Bada and Olusegun 2015). Piaget’s theory of cognitive development describes students as active and motivated learners and hence calls for the use of student-centered strategies (Nurrenbern 2001). Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory highlights the important role of social interactions in cognitive development, thus promoting the implementation of collaborative learning approaches and group interaction models in the classroom (Ormrod, Anderman, and Anderman 2016). The term “21^st century skills” refers to skills such as problem solving, collaboration, and teamwork that help people thrive in education, work, and life (Geisinger 2016). In the fast advancing 21^st century, the need for possessing such relevant, universally applicable, and higher order thinking skills has increased. Therefore, educational institutions should not only teach students academic content but also incorporate the fostering of 21^st century skills in their curricula (Saavedra and Opfer 2012).

Being a proponent of the constructivist theory of learning, I have always relied on Vygotsky’s principles of social constructivism during my years of face-to-face teaching. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the university where I teach decided to make the transition from face-to-face instruction to synchronous and asynchronous online instruction. When this happened, my initial assumption was that it would not be possible to apply the strategies of the constructivist learning theory in an online setting. However, this experience made me realize that it is up to the instructor to create a learning environment that facilitates the incorporation of the principles of constructivism, thus making online instruction as educational and beneficial as face-to-face instruction.

Efficient practices for online instruction

Due to the pandemic, the university where I teach provided its faculty with professional accounts for Zoom videoconferencing software to give their courses throughout the two semesters of the academic year 2020-2021. During that year, I was teaching two psychology courses in each semester. According to Sun and Chen (2016), one essential aspect of online education is student-centered learning; therefore, teachers should create an environment that facilitates student collaboration and helps them learn from one another. While teaching via Zoom, my main attempt was to continue applying the social constructivist approach and to create a community of learners. Several practices helped me reach my goal and make the best out of synchronous and asynchronous online instruction.

Promoting the social construction of knowledge

In the constructivist classroom, the teacher is not a transmitter of knowledge but a facilitator and a guide whose role is to create an environment that helps students assume ownership of their own learning. Constructivism promotes social and communication skills as students exchange ideas and collaborate in learning activities (Bada and Olusegun 2015). Despite the instruction being online, I created an environment that encouraged the social construction of knowledge through using group interaction models in my instruction. One method I used in all my courses was the jigsaw method, a group method in which students are divided into groups, and each member of the group is responsible to prepare one part of the topic being discussed. Upon studying and becoming experts in their part, they meet in expert groups with their counterparts from the other groups and discuss their designated part. At the end, students return to their original groups and share the topic they became experts on (Looi, Lin, and Liu 2008). I implemented the jigsaw method on Zoom by dividing my students into breakout rooms. The expert groups in each room were given an amount of time to prepare their designated portion of the topic. Afterwards, I created new breakout rooms that included one expert from each expert group. Then, students shared knowledge by explaining their parts to their peers. To promote the social construction of knowledge even asynchronously, I gave my students throughout the week assignments that required them not only to write their own answers but also to comment on each other’s input. These activities enabled my students to experience the principles of social constructivism despite the online nature of the courses.

Creating an online community of learners

During my years of face-to-face teaching, I used to apply instructional strategies and learning activities that would contribute to the creation of learning communities. In a community of learners, both students and teachers collaborate in sharing knowledge about a topic. The responsibility of teaching does not rely solely on the teacher. Students use different resources to learn about a topic, and teachers provide the environment for students to share what they have learned with each other (Ormrod, Anderman, and Anderman 2016). The pandemic called for devising strategies that would create an online community of learners. In online learning communities, students share information and construct knowledge through technology (Yuan and Kim 2014). For the 2020-2021 courses that I taught, I created online mechanisms through which my students could convey knowledge to one another. During our Zoom sessions, every student was required to make a presentation about a topic related to the course. The students had to do research about the topic and create slides to present the information to their classmates. While preparing their presentations, students became knowledgeable about their topics. After each presentation, I gave the rest of the students some time to ask questions or to write them in the chat so that the presenter could answer them. To reinforce the idea of student autonomy, I would not interfere while the presenter was answering the questions. This way, each and every student served as a knowledge resource for others in our online community of learners.

Sharpening 21^st century skills

The 21^st century skills encompass cognitive skills such as problem solving and critical thinking; intrapersonal skills such as time management, self-development, and adaptability; interpersonal skills such as communication, collaboration, and teamwork; and technical skills such as research and information fluency (Geisinger 2016). Such skills have been termed 21^st century skills because of their increased importance in the 21^st century world (21^st century skills, 2016). While teaching via Zoom, my goal was to enhance the 21^st century skills of researching, synthesizing, and evaluating information from a wide variety of sources. I accomplished this by creating assignments that incorporated alternative forms of assessment. One assignment that I included in all my courses was presenting a current research study. My students were required to conduct research and find a current study relevant to the course themes, and they had to present the main aspects of the study to their classmates via Zoom. Another assignment that I administered in two of my courses was asking students to prepare interactive activities related to one of the course topics. They had to conduct the activity via Zoom, where the rest of their classmates were participants. One main requirement of the activity was to include a practical application of the course topics. To promote the skills of communication and collaboration, I required students to prepare this activity in groups. This gave my students the experience of practicing teamwork in an online setting.

Including asynchronous assignments

Due to the pandemic, many international students had to travel back to their home countries. Thus, some students were completely unable to attend the Zoom sessions as they were in different time zones. Also, unlike face-to-face instruction, there was a higher probability for students to skip classes in the online mode due to instructors having less control over attendance (Bao 2020). Therefore, integrating asynchronous homework assignments was crucial. In all the courses that I was teaching, I incorporated asynchronous activities to complement my Zoom lessons. After completing a lecture and discussion on a course theme, I would upload a research article or a video related to the theme on the course website. My students were required to read and watch the uploaded materials, answer the given questions, and post their answers on the online discussion forums. The questions I included required my students to analyze and evaluate knowledge, provide personal examples, and create practical applications of topics. To apply the principles of social constructivism even in asynchronous learning, I asked my students to read their classmates’ answers on the online discussion forums and comment on them. This practice contributed to my students providing constructive feedback to one another and building on each other’s knowledge.

Conclusion

The experience of the sudden shift from the physical classroom to synchronous and asynchronous online instruction due to the Covid-19 pandemic, along with the challenges that accompanied it, raised awareness about reforms that can be implemented in initial teacher preparation. Teacher education curricula should encompass technology knowledge, which incorporates knowledge about various technologies such as computers, the Internet, digital video, and software applications (Mishra & Koehler, 2008, as cited in Öz 2015). According to Abucayon, Tangkion, and Gapol (2016), teachers need to obtain the knowledge and skills that help them integrate technology into their curricula. The transition to online teaching due to the pandemic highlighted the need for prospective teachers to be trained on using various technological tools during their years of study in order to design and implement lessons through technology, such as videoconferencing software and online learning platforms.

Moreover, the 21^st century skills of adaptability, communication, collaboration, and creativity need to be incorporated into teacher education curricula. In the academic year 2020-2021, the skill of adaptability helped teachers get out of their comfort zone of face-to-face teaching and dive into the world of online education. The skill of communication enhanced teacher-student interactions despite their being on different continents. The skill of collaboration facilitated the creation of an online community of learners. The skill of creativity contributed to teachers creating alternative methods of lecturing, classroom activities, and assessment to meet the requirements of online teaching.

Finally, the shift to online instruction taught teachers important lessons that will stay with them in coming years. Even when the pandemic is over, the practices and the skills acquired through the experience of online teaching will help teachers improve their overall instruction.