How to use eLearning in classroom teaching?

 

Beyond the Screen: Weaving eLearning Seamlessly Into Your Classroom Practice

Let’s be honest. The term "eLearning" can sometimes feel like just another piece of educational jargon, conjuring images of students silently plugged into laptops, isolated by headphones. For many teachers, the pressing question isn't if they should use technology, but how to use it in a way that feels meaningful, manageable, and, most importantly, effective for learning.

The secret isn't to replace your teaching with technology, but to enrich it. eLearning, at its best, isn't a destination; it's a powerful set of tools for the journey. It’s about blending the irreplaceable magic of a classroom community with the incredible capabilities of the digital world.

So, how do we move beyond just having computers in the room to truly integrating eLearning into our daily teaching? Let’s break it down.

Start With Your Goal, Not the Gadget

This is the golden rule. Never begin by asking, "What cool app can I use today?" Instead, start with your fundamental teaching objective.

• Goal: I want to quickly gauge student understanding of today's lesson on fractions.

• Traditional Method: Thumbs up/thumbs down or exit tickets on scrap paper.

• eLearning Enhancement: Use a platform like Kahoot! or Quizizz for a fast, fun, and formative quiz. The instant, aggregated results show you—and the class—exactly which concepts need revisiting, turning assessment into a game.

• Goal: I want my students to collaborate on a research project and practice their presentation skills.

• Traditional Method: Poster boards and index cards.

• eLearning Enhancement: Use Google Slides or Microsoft Sway. Students can work on the same presentation simultaneously from different devices, embed videos and images directly, and then present their work seamlessly to the class. This teaches digital collaboration, a vital real-world skill.

By anchoring your choices in pedagogy first, the technology becomes a natural and purposeful extension of your teaching, not an add-on.

The Power of the Blend: Flipping for More Time

One of the most powerful models for integrating eLearning is the Flipped Classroom. Don't let the name intimidate you; the concept is beautifully simple.

What it is: You use eLearning to deliver direct instruction outside of class (e.g., through a short video lecture), freeing up precious class time for active, collaborative, and hands-on work.

How it works in practice:

1. At Home: For homework, students watch a 5-minute video you've created (or curated from a source like Khan Academy) explaining the key concepts of the water cycle.

2. In Class: Now, instead of you lecturing at the front, class time is used for a lab where they build terrariums, analyze the condensation and evaporation in their own models, and work in groups to solve a problem about drought. You, the teacher, are free to circulate, ask probing questions, and provide one-on-one support.

A 2019 study by the Flipped Learning Network found that 71% of teachers who flipped their classrooms saw improved grades, and 80% reported better student attitudes. The reason is simple: it transforms class time from passive reception to active application, which is where deeper learning truly happens.

Differentiation at Your Fingertips

Every teacher faces the challenge of a classroom with a wide spectrum of abilities. eLearning can be your greatest ally in meeting each student where they are.

Adaptive Learning Platforms: Tools like DreamBox (for math) or Lexia (for literacy) use sophisticated algorithms to automatically adjust the difficulty and type of questions based on a student's performance in real-time. A student struggling with phonics gets more foundational practice, while an advanced reader is pushed with more complex texts and comprehension questions—all within the same program. This provides a truly personalized path without the teacher having to create 25 different lesson plans.

Creating Choice Boards: Use a simple Google Doc or a tool like Padlet to create a "choice board" for a unit. List a variety of activities—watch this video, read this article, create a podcast, write a blog post, design an infographic—all aligned to the same learning standard. Students choose the path that best suits their learning style. This empowers them and fosters ownership of their learning.

Fostering Collaboration and Conversation

Far from isolating students, eLearning can create vibrant, collaborative communities.

Virtual Walls with Padlet: Imagine a digital bulletin board where every student can instantly post a sticky note. At the start of a unit on a novel, you could ask, "What are your predictions?" and see every student's thought pop up in real-time. It’s a fantastic way to ensure 100% participation, not just from the few students who always raise their hands.

Backchannel Chats with TodaysMeet (or similar): During a video or a guest speaker, run a "backchannel" chat room. Students can post questions and comments live without interrupting the flow. This keeps them engaged, allows you to address confusion instantly, and often gives a voice to quieter students who are hesitant to speak up in a whole-class setting.

The Human Touch in a Digital Age

Of course, challenges exist. Screen time, digital equity, and the potential for distraction are real concerns. The key is balance and intentionality.

• Be the Facilitator: Your role evolves from "sage on the stage" to "guide on the side." Circulate, probe, and connect. The technology handles the drill and data; you handle the inspiration, the nuance, and the mentorship.

• Don't Be Afraid to Go Analog: Some lessons are best taught with clay, paint, or a spirited Socratic seminar. Use eLearning where it adds clear value, and put it away when it doesn't.

• Teach Digital Citizenship: We can’t assume students know how to use these tools responsibly. Weave in lessons about online etiquette, discerning credible sources, and managing digital footprints.

Conclusion: The Seamless Blend

Integrating eLearning successfully isn't about a radical overhaul. It's about starting small. Pick one lesson, one unit, one strategy, and experiment. See how a quick poll with Mentimeter can spark discussion, or how a collaborative Google Doc can transform group work.

The goal is a classroom where the technology is so seamlessly woven into the fabric of learning that students don't think, "Now we're doing eLearning." They just think, "Now we're learning." It’s a classroom that harnesses the power of tools to foster curiosity, enable personalization, and ultimately, frees up the teacher to do what no algorithm ever can: connect, inspire, and ignite a love for learning.