As we monitored state and community COVID numbers during the first months of the 2020-21 school, we anticipated that we might not be able to keep K-8 students at school in person in our full time and hybrid models. After the first ten weeks of offering hybrid learning for our students K-8 in classrooms at 50% capacity (detailed more here in an earlier post), we had to shift to full time e-Learning. Thankfully we were able to use the time beforehand to prepare for this get our hybrid staff, students and their families ready.
Fortunately this wasn't our first rodeo: back in March when school was shut down for the first time by the Minnesota Governor, we had shift to e-Learning, too, so we had a lot of experience on which to build. As I wrote back then, the pandemic has been a huge catalyst for technology integration. An added advantage with this second shift to e-Learning was that we were able to prepare the checklist below for our teachers to get ready for this change based on what we knew would need to happen. Another advantage this time around was the time we had to practice with our students in person and prepare them.
Because students in our Grade K-3 hybrid model came to school daily this fall, their teachers were less likely to be posting assignments in Seesaw, our K-3 learning management system, so we felt that these students needed the most practice. Our checklist included setting up expectations for both setting up Seesaw and practicing using it. Earlier this year we also had created Seesaw Expectations, similar to the Schoology Expectations for Grade 4-12 we have had for years. Our grade 4-5 students were e-Learning each Wednesday this fall, so the checklist included Schoology setup and practice with the upper elementary students, but many teachers had already taken care of this. Students in grades 6-8 were in person two days per week and online the other three, so they were already experiencing e-Learning regularly.
As you can see on the list below, our checklist encouraged teachers to practice using other tools beyond our LMS with students such as Google Meet, too:
Instructional Model Shift: K-5 e-Learning
Due to the uncertainty of the current times, below is a checklist that will prepare you, your students, and their families for a shift to e- Learning should this occur by classroom, school or as a whole district. If you need help, please contact your tech coach.
By the end of the quarter, each of your K - 3 students should be able to...
participate in a Google Meet using a nickname
complete an assigned task in other programs (ex. SSO login, IXL, Pear Deck)
K-3 Homeroom Teachers Only: Reach out by phone to families who are not connected/have not accepted previous Seesaw invitations
By the end of the quarter, each of your 4-5 students should be able to...
use folders and calendar to navigate Schoology courses (review Schoology Expectations)
complete and submit a Schoology Assignment, Test/Quiz, Discussion Board
find assignment feedback/grades in Schoology
complete an assigned task in other programs (ex. SSO login, IXL, EdPuzzle, Classkick, Pear Deck, Padlet)
Other items to prepare for a possible transition to all eLearning:
What instructional strategies work best for online teaching and learning?
What skills do you need to reinforce in order for students to learn online?
What routines, procedures, and/or norms need to be introduced if completely online?
Practice an e-Learning day while at school (this may be coordinated by school-wide):
Review how to access the learning plan and assignments for the day
Practice and clarify expectations for synchronous and asynchronous learning time
Practice using Google Meet (login with student Google account, mute mic, use headphones/turn down iPad volume,)
Practice solving common technology issues (turn off/on iPad, install/reinstall an app from Self Service, update iOS) and how to get help if they need it
Identify resources and materials students will need at home
Practice streaming live instruction with Google Meet
Practice recording and posting asynchronous lessons (recording Google Meets, Seesaw or Screencasting tools)
Think through teaching with tools in addition to SMART Notebook.
Consider saving files to your Google Drive in case you want/need to access remotely.
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