Durham Hairstyling Academy excels using video and YouTube

Posted On Thursday June 11, 2020
Photo1-Mykael and son
Mykaël Jackman, instructor at Durham Hairstyling Academy, developing barbering lesson plans at home during quarantine, and creating a mid-fade on his son’s hair.

Durham Hairstyling Academy instructor and student share their experiences using Distance Learning

The Durham District School Board (DDSB) started Distance Learning on April 6th, as a result of schools being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators and students have had to adjust quickly to teaching and learning at home. While it has not been easy, many have found innovative and unique ways to make learning and engagement at home successful. We spoke to a few educators and students who shared their stories and experiences with us.  

See below for a Distance Learning success story from the Durham Hairstyling Academy (DHA) with instructor Mykaël Jackman and student Savanna Sloan. 

Mykaël Jackman, Instructor

Q: Explain how the transition to Distance Learning has been for you?
A: Getting everyone to buy in with consistent engagement was the first challenge. Many aspects of the transition were enjoyable because of the element of creativity that was needed to formulate lessons that would be engaging and valuable while keeping theory, practicality and balance all working simultaneously.  

Q: What do you enjoy most about this innovative type of teaching?

A: I enjoyed the video aspect of students creating their own tutorials, because I wanted them to benefit from the idea of someone learning from what they had to offer. It made me happy to witness their increased confidence with communication and technology.

Q: What type of reaction have you received? 
A: The student reactions to Distance Learning have been positive. The more I encouraged the students to share their thoughts and challenges, the more open they became and the more creative I was able to be with customizing solutions to accommodate their specific situations.

 

Q: Anything to add?
A:
Examples of instruction and assignment videos:
Cutting tool assignment: https://youtu.be/NR2e1XsxYls
Student YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/95b-4Ewfk4Q
A sped-up version of a few of the lessons: https://youtu.be/mfiQLE8toVw

 

Savanna Sloan, Level 2 Adult Student

 

Q: What’s the biggest difference between learning in a classroom and learning from home?
A: The biggest difference for me would be the learning environment. In the classroom we have discussions and bounce ideas off each other and talk about it as a class.

Q: Do you have any tips for other students about how to stay focused while learning from home?
A: I would suggest removing yourself from any distractions and putting aside some time to focus. I’d also suggest looking online for any free educational videos. Personally, I’ve found some great ones on Sam Villa, SALT Society and some hairdressers on Instagram.

Q: What has been your favourite assignment since Distance Learning began? Can you explain the assignment?
A: My favourite assignment during this time was a haircutting tutorial. We had to find a video showing a technique and then recreate it on our mannequins by showing it in steps in a video. I enjoyed this because it was an effective way to learn something new, by having to get good enough at a technique that you could actually demonstrate it to others.

Q: Anything to add?
A: For the circumstances and resources we have, I think we are doing great. During this time, it is giving us the opportunity to use what online resources we have. We’ve been given lots of support from our teacher, giving us options on how to complete homework assignments based on what works best for us as individuals.