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So what is Miro? Basically, it is a collaborative digital whiteboard. I think most of us probably can relate to this. When COVID pandemic happened, universities and schools shut down, face-to-face classes were changed to online classes. So I started facing difficulties when I transitioned to the online mode of teaching for the online classrooms, because I couldn’t tell whether students were progressing at the expected speed for the task that I set up for them, for my online activities. I couldn’t tell the areas that they were getting stuck at, any difficulties that they were experiencing. Many a time, it would be like a one person conversation where I would ask questions and maybe just one or two students would respond to me. And because of COVID, I also kind of sensed isolation that was there among students, because unlike face-to-face classes where students get to meet up with their classmates, interact with them, and form that strong bonds with their classmates, they didn’t have that opportunity in an online environment.
So what I did was I did a bit of research and I discovered Miro. It has been an incredibly useful tool for me ever since I started using Miro in my classrooms. What I’ve noticed is I am able to actually see in real time how my students are progressing with their classroom activities. I can see where they’re getting stuck and I can quickly jump in to help them, and guide them, solve any problems that they might be having. I also have actually been receiving a lot of feedback from students telling me that they feel that they’re in a learning community by collaborating on the digital whiteboard. And interestingly, I also am noticing a lot of introverted students opening up more. They feel a lot more braver to actually share their thoughts and feelings on the digital whiteboard as opposed to time when I didn’t use it, and they were very scared to talk in class using the chatbox. So overall, I would say that using Miro has been an incredible tool in enhancing learning for my students in their online classroom.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and universities worldwide were forced to close their physical facilities to prevent the spread of the virus. Virtual learning became the primary mode of teaching as schools and universities resorted to online classrooms to ensure continuity of education. Several schools and universities invested in new technology and software to facilitate remote learning which led to a surge in demand for online learning platforms and tools. One of the tools that gained traction was Miro, a real-time collaborative digital whiteboard. As an active online learning platform, it has proved to be beneficial to both educators and students.
Prior to implementing Miro in my online classrooms, I encountered difficulties with student engagement in relation to online education. One of these challenges was the lack of insight into how students progressed through the online classroom activities. I was unable to determine whether they were progressing at the expected speed, getting stuck, or having difficulty with specific sections. With Miro, I can track their progress in real-time and gain a bird’s eye view of the class as they interact on the whiteboard. I have found this to be invaluable in identifying areas where students require more support and in providing assistance.
Another challenge was the sense of isolation some students experienced due to insufficient communication with peers in an online classroom. Miro, on the other hand, provides a collaborative platform through which students can collaborate and feel part of a learning community even if they have not met their classmates in person. According to Carlen and Jobring (2005), a learning community is defined as “a learning atmosphere that provides a supportive system for sustainable learning processes gained through a dialogue and collaborative construction of knowledge by acquiring, generating, analyzing, and structuring information” (p.273).
By using Miro, students can consolidate their discussion points, gain new perspectives from their peers, and make meaningful reflections. Even introverted students who may be reluctant to speak in a traditional classroom setting feel more comfortable communicating on the platform. Overall, Miro has been an excellent tool for enhancing collaboration and active learning in my online classrooms.
References:
Carlen, U., & Jobring, O. (2005). The rationale of online learning communities. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 1(3), 272-295.
Discussions
Have you faced challenges pertaining to student isolation and monitoring their progress while teaching online courses? If yes, do they still impact your courses?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.