Creating and implementing a remote eLearning plan during Covid-19 .
Our school district wasn't sure if we would have to close our schools and begin remote
learning. However, we knew it was just a matter of time because our county was in a high-risk
category, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health Covid-19 map.
According to Sheninger (2019), " Societal shifts involving technology are beginning to have a
profound impact on teaching, infrastructure, resources, stakeholder relations, and our learners."
( p. 3).
Our first step was to begin by meeting with the school administration team. Scheniger (2019)
suggests forming a committee when dealing with change, "and together build a shared vision
and a strategic plan" (p. 60).
Our administrative team consisted of our building principal, the assistant principal, the school
counselor, instructional coach, and the STEM teacher. The goal was to develop a remote
learning plan. The plan had to contain explicit details of how our teachers would deliver
instruction remotely (eLearning).
Our principal had already begun to outline instruction objectives that would include the teachers utilizing our Audio Enhancement camera system. This system allows the teachers to record lessons directly from their classrooms using the camera and audio system.
It also has other components, including a safety signal alert feature, teacher XD microphones with precise sound capability even when the teacher is wearing a mask or shield.
Our principal also met with the district Technology Director to ensure our school infrastructure was current and that all the classroom cameras were in proper working conditions. " The success of a school network is dependent on the design and durability of its infrastructure," wrote Frazier and Hearrington (2017, p. 121) in their Technology Coordinators' handbook.
After the administrative team met, we had a meeting with the leadership team to pass on the information. The leadership team consists of classroom teachers from both grade levels and content areas. Their goal was to provide feedback about schedules, delivery methods, and ways to work with general and special education students. Our activity teachers had to develop a plan to provide support and instruction for their students. The final draft was shared with both teachers and the Board of Education. Here are a few details of the eLearning remote plan we implemented.
Remote learning day to day instructional plan
All teachers will meet face to face from Monday -Thursday via Google Meet. Google Meet will be the best method of face to face because you can share it via email.
Friday will be a day designated as a remote workday for certified staff. Staff members working remotely from home will be required to complete a Remote Task Sheet for those days. The building will be open, and you have the option to come in if you want to.
New content will be taught and addressed and will reflect our pacing guide.
Google meet sessions will be shared with administrators, and we will drop in to watch interactions and provide support.
Take attendance using the spreadsheet that we have created to identify students who need "extra support and contact."
Teachers will be responsible for contact, instruction, and grading no matter their location. Please complete the parent contact log that we have provided for you.
Office Hours for Student Support/Tier 2 will be available each day and parent contact as well. You will be required to keep a contact log for each student.
Each team will be assigned a support person to help contact parents, provide support, and assist in any way. (ex. not grade papers, etc.)
Activity/Elective Teachers
They will be in a support staff role for the core instruction.
They will help call parents, provide someone to one instruction when needed.
They will assist core team teachers.
Activity teachers can provide an enrichment activity per week to the students in that team. It will be optional and not count against them.
PE will provide daily tasks.
Martinez and Broemmel noted that “Although teachers are often considered to be first responders in the midst of disaster, it is typically school administrators who must make decisions that impact the short- and long-term consequences of schooling” (p. 111).
After we returned to regular face-to-face school sessions, we revisited the plan and made minor changes based on teacher and stakeholder feedback. I am very proud of how we came together to create an eLearning plan for our students and staff. Our support staff stepped up and provided the necessary help as asked. What a blessing it is to work alongside a leader that always considers his staff and students first and foremost!
References
Audio Enhancement Inc (2020, June 17). Audio Enhancement teaching with a mask. [Video]. YouTube.https://youtu.be/zDK4RonVOko
Audio Enhancement Inc (2020, June 17). View path for remote and blending learning. [Video]. YouTube.https://youtu.be/EDIsmeMYGEs
Barrett, P., Treves, A., Shmis, T., Ambasz, D., & Ustinova, M. (2019). The Impact of School
Infrastructure on Learning. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Frazier, M., & Hearrington, D. (2017). The technology coordinator’s handbook. International
Society for Technology in Education.
[Photo]. Giphy. Retrieved April 30, 2021, from
https://giphy.com/gifs/abcnetwork-plan-modernfamily-lets-igynXOiKs0J2ttjt6l
Sheninger, E. C. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. A joint publication of Corwin ICLE.
Johanna,
ReplyDeleteThere was so much work in planning to reopen schools for students. I am glad that I am not in a leadership role right now because of this. I really like how the committees consisted of people from different positions. It was good to get feedback and input from all the sources available. Sheninger says, “It is important that all stakeholder groups contribute to a concrete, collective vision and work to create a plan” (p. 71). I like what is said in the article, COVID-19 and the Ongoing Problem of Educational Efficiency. “Rather than asking how can we return back to doing what we were doing before, we might ask instead how we might do things differently.” (p. 19). This is something that has been brought up a lot since the pandemic hit. There is no reason to go back to normal and lose all that we have learned to do during the pandemic. We can continue to grow and develop our skills to keep the technology we have but use it more effectively.
Sheninger, E. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Mindzak, M. (2020). COVID-19 and the Ongoing Problem of Educational Efficiency. Brock Education, 29(2), 18–23.
Johanna,
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like jumping into a new position and literally running full speed ahead. Your district is lucky to have you as a servant leader. Planning is always critical for learning outcomes, but especially so when there is physical distance between learners and teachers. When approaching such a drastic change to the status quo, we have to consider students first. Students are engaged in their digital worlds, and they are learning without us " (Sheninger, 2019, p.17). Therefore we must rethink our teaching. Digital pedagogy is critical in order to establish a digital learning environment set up for success. "Teacher educators should ensure that the necessary support and enrichment for digital pedagogy is an integral aspect
of the teacher preparation course" (Sailin & Mahmor, 2018, p. 147). Since many teachers have no formal training in digital pedagogy, then it's up to school leaders to provide that learning opportunity. Working with RICs and the technology specialists can help reduce the load place on principals to guide the digital pedagogical learning process.
Brooke
Sailin, S., & Mahmor, N. (2018). Improving Student Teachers’ Digital Pedagogy through Meaningful Learning Activities. Malaysian Journal Of Learning And Instruction, 15(2), 143-173. doi:10.32890/mjli2018.15.2.6
Sheninger, E. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.