Distance Learning: 30-Minute Online Lesson
Blended Synchronous Learning uses online technology to enable remote students to jointly participate in the same live class.
Use Mangahigh for a short, 30-minute live session to:
- create space to be social, increasing collaboration and communication
- increase teacher-student interaction, as Mangahigh provides a common focus
- provide teachers with visible and instant progress monitoring
- bring in multiple nodes of expression! Even considering how to express oneself invites metacognitive awareness, a key component to successful distance learning
Before start of class (5 minutes)
- Ensure all students have their Mangahigh Student Access
- Assign two Mangahigh Prodigi challenges as Knowledge Building, set the due date as the scheduled class date (this will give students the remainder of the day after the live class to complete the activities). If class scheduling changes, you can change the due date of the activities before the due dates.
- You can add a notification when assigning activities, to help direct your students.
- 5 minutes before class time, login to your Mangahigh Teacher Account
- Click on CLASS ASSIGNMENTS and turn on Classroom Mode for the class (so they can’t play other activities during class). Suggest the students explore the game when class is over OR their learning objective is achieved!
During Lesson (30 minutes)
- Introduce the lesson concept, either through lecture or by making a 3-5 minute video in advance
- Direct students to their Mangahigh Student Page. Reminding them Classroom Mode is on which limits their view to only assigned activities
- Allow students to progress through the Mangahigh challenge concurrently (10-12 minutes)
- Students play at least 3 times to earn the highest medal possible
- suggest a few strategies relating to the concept covered
- encourage discussion, focusing on the problem-solving process
- remind students to view skipped or incorrect questions, and celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn
- use Growth Mindset language to encourage productive struggle
- During the 10-12 minutes, review performance data
- message students or discuss common problems
- assign further activities based on understanding
- Fluency Practice: Play a Game! Select a Game, and play it together (15 minutes)
- Students play until they earn the highest medal possible, for at least 15 minutes
Use the game as a unifying activity; talk through it, and allow it to create a ‘shared space.’
- Students play until they earn the highest medal possible, for at least 15 minutes
EXIT (5 minutes)
- Turn off classroom mode
- Direct students to choose 1-3 Recommended challenges before next session, OR
- Reflection: seize the moment! Have students respond through creative reflection. Research shows that learners who experience material in more than one way (videos, podcasts, screencasts, video conferencing, visual, written, etc.) understand and retain material better, and for longer periods of time.
This is a great time to invite students to leverage online tools to create diagrams, audio responses, podcasts, and put together videos with their families; they can also write plays and conduct interviews. Adobe Spark is a free platform for creating student work. Finally, consider out-of-the-box concepts that combine goals: ask students to familiarize themselves with their tools by interviewing a family member or friend. This will not only build confidence, but create social connection.
“Here’s a chance to imagine and try some new ways—because no matter what, we have to do things differently.”
We’d love to hear about the ways that distance learning and Mangahigh can serve you and your students. Please drop us a line and share your stories with us!
