On Wednesday 28th October 2020, I organised and ran my first Online Student Conference/Course for GCSE Maths targeting topics students generally struggle with when trying to get a Grade 5. The topics I went for were:
Forming and solving equations
Percentages
Angles (in Polygons)
Shape problem solving
Ratio and Proportion
General Exam tips
Personally, I had a lot of fun planning and delivering it but it did feel very weird not seeing students' faces and having little interaction. I have delivered revision sessions before, but only in a classroom/lecture setting, so I am able to receive immediate feedback from students' facial expressions and questions they ask. Even if I have never met the students before, by the end, we form very positive relationships, which happened to a lesser extent online. Utilising the emojis on Zoom did make the overall experience much better though.
Following the course, I received some amazing feedback, both positive and things to avoid/improve next time. Positive feedback mainly centred around how well the course was delivered, the clear explanations, usefulness of the content in relation to topics they usually find difficult and the quality of the revision resources provided. A couple of things to change for next time are to limit the use of the visualiser, as depending on their device, not all could see all parts clearly, and also to record the session so it is available to view later, both suggestions will definitely be considered for next time.
Following the conference, some students sat GCSE Resit Maths exams and I was delighted to hear that all of them achieved a Grade 4 or better and those sitting internal mock exams set by the school also got Grade 4+. If makes is so much more worth it when not only are students getting the grades, but increased confidence and an enjoyment in learning maths.
Overall, I was very pleased with my first experience of an online conference and something which I will definitely be looking to do more of in the future. My long term plan was to deliver in-person student conferences/crash courses but given the changing landscape of the world and the move to more remote learning, perhaps the online route will be the way to go long-term...who knows?