The global confinement to which COVID-19 has brought our society has challenged teachers, school students and universities to implement virtual teaching platforms to continue educational processes from homes, while monitoring the pandemic.

This has been a challenge for institutions, who have gradually moved their traditional learning practices and methodologies, towards virtual models of innovation and interactivity. In addition, in record time, teachers have been trained to learn how to adapt the materials and contents of their classes, to the cross-platform and multimedia language provided by the network.

Even digital platforms with extensive experience offering educational environments, such as Google, enabled for free several advanced features of their video conference services, Hangouts Meet; and also, the options they offer for their G Suite and G Suite for Education customers, all these tools contribute to the learning process from home.

For the learning experience in the homes to be effective and successful, the Principal of the Gimnasio Moderno, Victor Alberto Gómez Cusnir, recommends 10 fundamental aspects that must be taken into account:

1. It is very important that students in their homes are disciplined and maintain a clear routine that allows them to comply with the study schedules defined by the school.
2. Guide books, study items, and other tools, should be placed in order in one specific location, near the area from which the student will be connected.
3. The environment chosen for learning should have good lighting, preferably natural light and should be located away from distractions such as television, video games, mobile phones and/or toys.
4. It is important that the student maintains continuous contact with the teacher, through the previously authorized platforms and/or communication channels, to resolve any concerns that may arise during the process.
5. As these are very long periods of study, there should exist spaces for leisure and active breaks, which should foster a better educational environment.
6. One of the most important skills that the student must develop is reading comprehension, as the student will have to clearly understand the instructions of each of the activities that he will find in the virtual environment. It is recommended that once the student has read the instructions, he should write on a piece of paper what he has to do in order to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
7. Another aspect for the student to manage properly the time and always comply with the due dates is the creation of a calendar which should allow him to keep in mind the work times.
8. Because the study modality of E-learning requires the student to express himself through written language, good spelling is a necessity for ideas to be clear and correctly expressed.
9. One way the student can prove that he has acquired the knowledge is to take the most advantage of the positive aspects offered by digital tools in video making, imaging and audio editing, mind mapping creation and slideshows, among many others.
10. All institutions have relied on the Internet as a channel to carry knowledge; therefore, making a regulated use of it will ensure the connectivity of all students in the country. Therefore, it is necessary not to watch videos streaming while studying, avoid sending heavy files and using videoconference conversations with friends, while the virtual school activities are being carried out.

The Principal also states that: “It is important for parents to take into account that, in case their children become ill, it is better that they abandon their study process and rest so that they can recover properly. He also recommends that you should follow a healthy diet so that your brain is in the best condition to process all the information you will receive during this process.”