This week we discussed Modality in Education. We talked about the different modalities and how the term “online learning” isn’t easy to define anymore. It’s no longer just in-person or online because virtual learning now takes many forms and trying to find a balance of modality so that each learner is supported poses a challenge. Examples of modalities are:

  • Face to Face (F2F, in person)
  • Synchronous online (ie. Zoom)
  • Blended/hybrid synchronous (mixes F2F with synchronous online)
  • Asynchronous online (I think another term for this is “homework”)
  • There are also modalities that allow F2F in a virtual form (ie. those cute robots with wheels and a screen for a face)

Finding the perfect modality for each student can be tricky. As an introvert, I thought I would love synchronous online learning. I thought of it as being able to hide behind my Zoom profile photo with my camera off. But it is rare to have the comfort level of anonymity in Zoom classes. I think being anonymous is actually easier in a classroom environment because you can choose where you’re going to sit, and if/when you will participate. In Zoom, some professors require cameras to be on (against university policy) and others throw you into break-out room conversations once or twice (or more!) a class, which feels like a face to face modality, and so I turn my camera on for that. I think my age/maturity and the fact that my cohort are all absolutely lovely people has allowed for this modality to be unexpectedly beneficial. The break-outs rooms have taken the place of those water-cooler type conversation that you don’t realize are necessary for an introvert’s mental health; the kind of conversations you don’t seek, but you’re happy when they’ve happened.

In a F2F classroom modality, I would have gotten to know a handful of my cohort by now, and maybe made a few good friends. With synchronous online learning, I know my entire cohort. The professors were obviously coached to get us into break-out rooms often, and so the anxiety of forced group chats with strangers quickly eased into friendly nice-to-see-you chats. Throughout my two degrees I haven’t had to discuss my own learning with others so often, and at such a personal level. To be honest, I haven’t had to TALK this much in my learning. It is an interesting skill set that I likely wouldn’t have learned outside of the synchronous online modality, but I think it’s good, especially for a teacher candidate. The nerves of heading into practicum and TOC work may not be as high because of it.

We discussed in class that online learning tends to be associated with words like unmotivating, boring, lonely. And conversely, F2F learning is associated with friendships and drive. This has not been my experience at all at the university level, but apparently this is a common thought for high school students. There is an obvious link to pedagogy here. We discussed how technology is inclusive, but that’s from a more asynchronous aspect that allows those with anxiety to be able to express themselves in their own time and on their own terms. Experimenting with blended modalities is key for schools to offer student choice, although it will be very challenging to know ahead of time what is best since the preconceived notions of what each modality represents may differ from the actual experience based on student personalities and intentions for learning.

Photo by Thomas Park on Unsplash