This journal is a great read for me. Harris, K (2022) delves into how the shift to online learning during the pandemic has reshaped teaching and learning dynamics in order to explore the impact of online learning on introverted students.
The article discusses the focus on involvement in physical classrooms and how this could be detrimental, especially for introverted learners. In online environment, students’ visibility and participation undergo a transformation, posing challenges while also opening up possibilities for an inclusive educational approach that values moments of quiet contemplation and introspection.
Harris, K (2022) believes there has been a major in change in classroom Interactions. The move to online learning during the Covid-19 Pandemic has disrupted the previously established power structures and expectations around participation. This consequently prompted a re-evaluation of what it means to be engaged in an academic setting.
The article also recognises ‘lurking’ (observing without participation) as a practice in online communities, suggesting that silent engagement should not be stigmatised in educational contexts.
The belief that pressuring students to participate leads to better learning outcomes was criticised, arguing that it may impede engagement for those who require time for reflection.
The distinction between passive and active learning is being questioned, proposing that periods of silence and contemplation could signify heightened intellectual involvement.
The article also views the classroom, as a setting that has the potential to cultivate quietness, easing stress and enabling profound contemplation.
In teaching Film and television, silence can easily be termed as non participation which often make me uneasy as a techer. I now agree as suggested by Harris, K. (2022), that quietness can be a learning aid as embracing silence and promoting reflection can result in an inclusive and efficient learning atmosphere. It can ease the burden on reserved students fostering a climate of listening and comprehension.
Lessons learned from education could impact approaches in classrooms prompting teachers to appreciate silence and contemplation as essential components of the learning journey.
Going forward, my key focus is the necessity to rethink approaches based on online learning encounters, underscoring the significance of accommodating learning styles and recognizing the role of silence, in enhancing the educational experience.
REFERENCE
Harris, K. (2022) ‘Embracing the silence: introverted learning and the online classroom’, Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal [Preprint].