As virtual learning becomes the new normal, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) is still appealing for assistance to bring more teachers and aides up to speed on creating and maintaining online learning environment.
President of the JTA Jasford Gabriel speaking on CVM LIVE recently explains the necessity for the training.
” Retooling the teachers that are coming out of the colleges, because obviously the online modality is here to stay…Even when we go to some face to face and blended, it still implies that we will have to be doing online and so it is very very critica,” Gabriel said.
Concerns were also raised about the challenges in teachers transitioning to online platforms and already overwhelmed with other tasks. Head of the Joint Board of Teacher Education, Joan Ernandez says the information technology departments is the key instrument in assisting teachers to assimilate to virtual learning.
” So we’ve had to convert our courses too, all of our courses pretty much were face to face…we’ve had to change that presentation because roughly about 70 to 80 per cent of our courses will be on the home platform,” she says.
The JTA President also highlighted the issue of lack of teachers and what is being done to ensure that current teachers are fully equipped and remain efficient.
Javine Mclean reports:
