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tives, learners´ profiles and learning contexts. The platform provides space for a multi-
tude of educational materials such as videos, jobrelated materials and interactive ex-
ercises that can be used flexibly based on the "learning-on-demand" principle. It is
possible to establish dialogue rooms spaces with virtual facilities in which learners can
communicate individually and in groups with the teacher etc. In addition, the platform
contains extensive storage functions where learners have access to digital libraries,
learning materials, manuals, instructions, exercises etc, provided for both visual, audi-
ovisual and other learning styles.
However, pure zoom teaching requires a lot of structure in that all materials must be
ready in pdf before the teaching. In addition, not all learners have access to a comput-
er, which they may share with the rest of the family.
WHATSAPP AS – THE DIGITAL CHANNEL FOR MANY ADULT LEARNERS
Some experts have particularly highlighted the use of WhatsApp for teaching adult
learners. They complement zoom-based teaching facilities with WhatsApp on the spe-
cific grounds that many of their learners have roots in Middle Eastern countries, where
WhatsApp is a preferred medium. In this way, many of the adult, often less educated
learners are already familiar with the media that they are presented with in the digital
teaching and learning environment.
WhatsApp allows you to record audio and insert images instead of typing:
“WhatsApp is free, playful and interactive. Learners can go out into their
surroundings and find examples of what we are talking about, for exam-
ple compound nouns. This creates a direct link between school and their
lives. It is fun for vulnerable learners to find grammar at home in the living
room. In this way, the learners are involved in the learning process based
on their own life world. It is highly motivating to be a co-producer…”
The expert teachers point to the fact that WhatsApp is structured as a conversation
thread. Everything is to be found in a long thread, in which you can scroll down to
what was said last week. Learners who were absent can find corresponding recordings
on zoom.
This functionality can be challenging for teachers who would prefer to have all materi-
als in one folder with subfolders. However, the experience is that many adult learners
don't like the folder structure. It can be difficult for them to understand and use the
teachers' folder structure.
"In WhatsApp, it is a more direct and immediate communication. If there
is one learner who has understood what we are talking about - then the
other learners say: is this how you do it? Whoever does the right thing, we
shower with heart smileys . You can be more effusive with emojis than you
would be able to verbally in the physical classroom".