Virtual Teaching: How to Share Resources with Your Students

Most likely, every teacher and tutor had this question: how to transfer files and documents to pupils, students, or listeners without unnecessary problems with flash drives. It does not matter where you work: in a university or in the field of secondary vocational training, at school or in private, the problem with the transfer of material as you try to share resources is always relevant.

Before you start to share resources

Is this your first time trying online teaching? Then start by checking your workplace: you need a stable Internet connection; it is essential to have a clear sound. Therefore, be sure to check how the microphone and sound work on the computer. It’s good when there is an additional headset. Check the presence and serviceability of the camera; to conduct classes, you need a platform through which you will communicate with the student. The most famous video and audio communication service is Skype. However, let’s see what the alternatives are.

File transfer and storage methods

Look at ways to transfer documents, graphics, and other files between participants in the educational process. They differ in transmission channels. They can be divided into 4 groups:

• Messengers
• Secure file sharing
• Cloud storage
• Dedicated platforms for educators

It is difficult to compare all these methods according to the same criteria since somewhere, the function of transferring and storing files is basic, and somewhere it is secondary. We will try and highlight the following universal criteria:

• Convenience for teacher and student
• File size, storage, and retrieval
• Time spent
• Privacy
• Additional functions

Dedicated platforms for educators

Today, there are many unique opportunities for teachers. Popular platforms such as Google Classroom, where one of the critical functions is file sharing and storage, have a number of advantages over traditional file sharing.

On such platforms, you can very quickly transfer a file to all pupils or students at once. Simply drop the file into a class or course, and all participants can download it. You do not need to transfer any links- everything is ordered in one place.

File size, storage, and retrieval

The storage size depends on the tariff. Google Classroom uses Google Drive storage with the same rates. You can use other platform’s capabilities for free, but you need to pay for the expansion of the functionality. There are no rates for teachers and students for some platforms, but there are rates for educational institutions, and the price is discussed with each client. Based on the information we found, school prices start at $ 2,500. No time wasted transferring files, and documents are only available to class or course students.

Additional functions

There are many other functions for the educational process, for which, in general, these platforms were created. Each service has its own, but there are some general trends:

• Testing with automatic verification
• Communication in the context of assignments
• Notification feed
• Schedule organization

There are also specialized platforms for training, such as Microsoft Teams, iSpring, Moodle, and others that we have not mentioned. Many of them are difficult to learn and maintain, such as Moodle. Others, like Microsoft Teams, iSpring, are expensive for regular user educators. Such solutions are more suitable for large educational institutions.

Which file transfer option should you choose?

Students should use common sense when choosing how to transfer files and documents. Do you want to save time? Do you have large files, or do you want to work in common documents with students? First, identify your needs.

There are some general guidelines. If you work as a tutor, teach full-time, and have one or two students, there may be no point in using any platforms or services. It is enough to drop the required file to the student in the messenger.

Suppose you need to organize the learning process for a group of students. In that case, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with specialized platforms for teachers. They will help you not to waste time on routine activities, including downloading and transferring files. This will give you more time for students, for creativity.

Virtual teaching is the only way out in such unforeseen situations as long-term quarantine in educational institutions. In addition, being ready for online teaching is beneficial for tutors, as the demand for distance learning is constantly growing. Thankfully, online tutors have more opportunities and tools when they want to share resources today.