Formerly a software developer, Holly taught computer science in secondary schools for ten years, and was one of the first cohort of CAS master teachers.

She left classroom teaching two years ago to set up TeachAllAboutIt , offering online tutoring and support to students and teachers, working in KS3 to KS5, in a range of settings.

She published her first book, Java for GCSE  in 2012, has worked  with the BBC writing for the Bitesize Computer Science Section.
“My job changed enormously in the last two years. I went from teaching 27 to 30 pupils in a GCSE classroom to working on my own with a web cam. It was a steep learning curve,” she said.

It’s a transition which thousands of teachers have now experienced, when schools closed to the majority of pupils, and Holly is well-placed to offer tips and advice.

“I’ve learnt so much,” she said. “For instance, I’m now very used to seeing myself on camera. But I know that’s something that many people struggle with initially.”

How to deal with overly interested parents and when to use your video camera are just some of the aspects of online teaching that Holly has useful words of advice on.

“If you’ve got more than three or four students in a class, make sure they all turn off their cameras, and mute microphones,” she said.
“And if you feel uncomfortable in front of the camera, then the answer is simple, just don’t use the camera.

“Not all students will want to have the camera on – and of course webcams are at a premium just now.”

Video can also be distraction for the learning process but also can pick up the unexpected.

“I’ve had parent’s wearing dressing gowns walking in the background and private conversations picked up on the mic,” said Holly.
“Parents are involving themselves now, or are also often in the same room, completing their own work,” said Holly.
Keep it simple.

Now is not the time to use complex software, says Holly. Don’t be shy of using tried-and-trusted basics. Using Powerpoint, for instance, on the screen share option, works well.”

“And similarly, don’t feel that you need top of the range kit!”

At GCSE and A level particularly, keep lessons short and straight-forward.

“It takes time to get used to this way of working, so don’t start off trying to deliver complicated lessons or platforms, it’s too stressful. Students are not expecting beautiful, polished online lessons.”

She also suggested using Youtube Live for lessons, which can work well and cautions teachers to be mindful that “Zoom fatigue” is also affecting students, and smaller chunks of learning work better.

“Two 30-minute sessions are more effective than an hour-long lesson, or even two 30-minute recorded lessons, which can be much easier to access for students. Remember not all students will have access to their own laptop ,  some will only have a phone, others may be sharing with siblings or parents” she said.

“There can be less active learning when you’re online teaching a large group, it’s really more like a university lecture, which can be good for teaching GCSE student’s good note taking skills.

“With primary school children though, the focus tends to be more of a conversation. Teach in small groups if you can.

“And try to use fun activities, like quizzes, and polls. Think about using online games learning sites like Kahoot!”

“The Make Code website is useful as you can see pupils coding as they do it, and Repl Multiplayer mode is amazing.”

Holly suggested that teachers shouldn’t attempt to replicate the two and a half hours of lesson time that GCSE students would normally have in a week.

“Run a live lesson, but also record it so that it can be used multiple times, and by your students at times when it suits them,” she said.
Giving feedback.

Rethink how you give feedback in online lessons and make sure it’s an effective use of time. Holly suggests not to attempt to give feedback  to every student during the course of a lesson, which will be time-consuming.

“Mention work or ideas for a couple of students, but keep it minimal, you want the learning focus to be the main objective,” she said.

Of course, schools and teachers face a situation which is evolving, but it looks likely that remote learning will play a significant, and growing, role.

“Over the coming months, we’ll likely be looking at redeveloping our resources to take on blended learning with students in the classroom and at home,” said Holly, adding that it’s important to think creatively about ways to make resources work for both students and teacher.

“Consider recording yourself from inside the classroom, or even broadcasting your lesson live,” said Holly.

“Whatever you do, remember that there are others who are ready and willing to help when you’re feeling unsure!” 

Holly’s top tips
- Consider shorter lessons that students can pause & work through at their pace
- Make sure students have the camera turned off – and consider turning your own camera off too
- Keep feedback efficient
- Make use of fun, interactive activities, like games and quizzes.