- Victor Ochieng’ argues that online lessons keep learners engaged and focused when preparing for exams during school breaks.
- Digital learning builds discipline: Learners develop time management, confidence, and study skills while making productive use of holidays.
- Collaborative learning opportunities: Online platforms connect students and teachers across counties, fostering peer interaction and support in core subjects.
When COVID-19 hit this wide old world hard in March 2020, it paralysed learning at all levels. Somewhat, learners had to ride on the tiger. But being that there is always a silver lining on every cloud, people thought of creative ways of engaging learners while holed up at home. Therefore, as part of homeschooling, online learning became the Hobson’s choice. This became more possible because learners in this era are technologically savvy. We are living in an age with digital advantage. Therefore, with good guidance and advice, students can join and learn on online spaces such as the Zoom platform.
In retrospect, at God’s Pen Consultancy, we had to break the mould. So, we thought about how to assist students. So, we came up with the Penman Online Programme. We had to bell the cat by setting up premium Zoom accounts. In the process, we managed to assist several students to remain focused like laser beams during the COVID-19 crisis. We have kept on engaging students every holiday. In 2024, when the April holiday spilt into May due to national flash floods and teachers’ strike, we also took the plunge by setting up online lessons to assist several students to make wise use of the prolonged holiday.
Meaning, learning online calls for relying on digital devices such as smartphones, tablets or computers. There should be a stable internet connection. Learners join to learn online by using the provided link or learning platform. This must be done in a peaceful place, free from distractions. Withal, they should prepare learning materials such as notebooks, textbooks and pens. Then, while in class, it is important to be active and productive by asking and answering questions, as well as doing assignments.
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Benefits of Attending Online Lessons
Advisedly, when learners attend online lessons during the holiday, they access bountiful benefits. For example, they keep learning; therefore, they remember content taught or read in school. They polish performance through regular practice, revision and repetition. They prepare for upcoming assessments such as opener exams, KCSE and KCBE. They develop diligence, self-discipline and focus. They develop useful study skills such as positive mental attitude (PMA), time management, attention and concentration, well-written notes, reading avidly and widely, et cetera. They receive good guidance and advice from teachers. They make productive use of the holiday. They build confidence by staying engaged in academic work. They improve digital and online learning skills. They stay connected with classmates, peers, contemporaries and teachers.
Therefore, every student who yearns to evince excellence must make wise use of every holiday. How? By basically balancing three things: Attending to home chores, having free time for leisure, and more importantly, creating personal study time.
This is in line with proper stewardship of time, with a special bent on Expansion of Learning Time. In fact, as a peripatetic speaker in several schools, any time I am chanced to talk to students about how they can be steadfast stewards of time, there is a concept I do bring to their cordial consideration and concentration: I call it Expansion of Learning Time. What is it? While at school, because time elapses as if late for a flight, Expansion of Learning Time entails shortening breaks and lunches. It is maximising prep time and weekends. It is sleeping late and waking up early. Then, when schools are closed for holiday, it is making wise use of every bit of it.
Largely, during the holiday, learners must rest. For when they rest, they do not rust. During the holiday, they should press pause buttons and reflect deeply to gather winsome wisdom. When reflecting, they can mend mistakes made while at school. During school hiatus, they can re-create themselves.
Ideally, while students are holed up at home, it is sometimes challenging to spare some time for personal study. It is even harder for students who lack self-drive and personal initiative. Remember, in school, it is easier for students to remain focused like laser beams because schools are anchored on a raft of rules, regulations, programmes, practices and quotidian routine. The ringing of bells in schools assists students to stick like a tick to a certain way of doing things.
Conversely, at home, rules are relaxed. During the holiday, when there is a chance to join and learn on online platforms, it can be a form of personal study time. For instance, at Penman Online Programme, we have two lessons for Forms 2-4 and Grade 10 learners daily. The first lesson runs from 8:00 to 9:30 am. After a brief break of 30 minutes, there is the second lesson, which runs from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Therefore, any diligent student who chooses to be part of our online school will have quality study time daily.
Collaborative Learning and Academic Support
Additionally, at the tail-end of every week, we focus on Learner-Support Programmes (LSPs), where we stage Life Skills Education, career and academic talks. Being that we visit schools in over 40 counties across the country, our online lessons are akin to vast nets catching fish in a large lake like Victoria – the mother of all rivers. We bring together learners from different schools, giving them oodles of opportunities to meet and interact online. With this, they manage to embrace collaborative learning recognised in august education practices.
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Moreover, when learners meet, they can compare notes on best practices, programmes and approaches put in place in their schools. Likewise, we achieve this good goal when we engage teachers from different schools to teach Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, English and Kiswahili. We focus more on these subjects because they are the core-career subjects needed for cluster combination for courses. Then, some of these subjects are challenging to some students, hence calling for affirmative action.
Furthermore, in best academic practices, serious schools complete the Form 3 syllabus in Form 3. There are no spillovers to Form 4. And if possible, they begin the Form 4 syllabus in Form 3. It is not easy to meet such demanding objectives and targets when students focus on the bare minimum. So, they must stretch, pay the price and sacrifice. No wonder some schools identify simple topics Forms 2 and 3 can do on their own during the holiday.
Finally, most secondary schools complete the Form 4 syllabus in Term 2. Thereafter, they launch a comprehensive revision programme to help Form 4 candidates to polish pale parts. Or to dot the i’s and to cross the t’s. Meaning, when learners get coveted chances to join and learn in online lessons, they can accrue some bountiful benefits. For instance, in our Penman Online Programme, we teach both forward and backwards. Forward means: We can teach students topics they will learn later in school. Backward means: We assist Form 4 candidates by re-visiting topics they learnt earlier. It is revision or re-visiting. During the holiday, some learners were given shedloads of reading and assignments to attempt. Sometimes, students find some assignments to be quite challenging. While learning online, it is easier to consult the teacher at the tail-end of lessons to seek some assistance and robust support.
By Victor Ochieng’
We have online lessons on Zoom during the holiday as part of the Penman Online Programme. To join and learn with us online, call or WhatsApp: 0704420232
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