Teaching practical subjects through online in an Australian global school

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of all schools and universities in more than 120 nations, impacting approximately 1.25 billion children and youths, about 73% of all registered students. Online teaching and learning have been used by teachers and students on an unprecedented scale. However, teaching practical subjects online is difficult and limited. This chapter focuses on how online live streaming technology has already been adopted as an innovative approach in multiple on-campus locations in an Australian global school. The course delivery includes face-to-face teaching from dedicated and experienced teachers onsite, as well as via video conferencing with other campuses. It allows a broader range of elective subjects to be offered and provides enriching interaction with other students. This chapter reports that teaching practical subjects (such as food technology and art) online is highly feasible. Numerous successes have indicated that technical skills can also be taught online with detailed lesson planning, careful scaffolding, selection of innovative technologies, and well-trained teaching staff. Evidence from an Australian global school has shown the possibility of teaching practical courses remotely in secondary school settings by adopting a combination of onsite and online resources. The chapter argues that despite the challenges of delivering practical lessons online, it is a shift of profound importance for global schools to offer more flexible learning norms. Teaching and learning in a post-pandemic future require schools, teachers, and students to adapt to the accelerated trend of online learning in every subject.