education technology

How COVID Changed Education

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

COVID has completely changed the way the world operates. It has affected how we interact as people, how we learn, how we do jobs, how we celebrate big events (baby showers, birthdays, weddings), and more. The area most impacted by COVID has been education.

Setting

With the COVID-19 shutdown in March, the physical setting of school has changed in several ways.

Virtual or Building

Over the summer, teachers and administrators received detailed, intensive training on how to meet students’ needs during a global pandemic, both virtually and in person. This training was needed, regardless of a global pandemic. With the uptick in technological needs, the training teachers and administrators received was a lifelong necessity.

Since March 2020, students have been learning virtually. Initially, schools were thrown into the new process, and lessons weren’t well-developed. Teachers and students struggled with how lessons were presented in late Spring 2020. Students who were already behind in grade level fell even further behind, due to the lack of time teachers had to prepare for the national shutdown.

504 and Special Education

It appeared that students with 504 and SpEd needs were indirectly left behind. Although teachers tried to adapt to the needs of those with special circumstances, it was impossible to provide all the necessary tools with minimal training and preparation. Case managers of 504 and SpEd students did not know how to provide many accommodations. Some accommodations came naturally, such as: extra time, eliminating answer choices/shortened answer choices, and oral testing.

Parental Support

Parents and/or guardians weren’t sure how to provide for their students’ educational needs. It may seem easy to hover over a student to ensure they complete work, but completing work and learning are two different concepts. USA Today provided a great insight into how students and parents/guardians are struggling to meet their students’ special education needs.

Choices and Growth

This year, campuses received an option to start virtually or in person. Daily Voice talks about how this could be the new normal, which I agree with. Some states allowed their districts to delay the start, while other districts chose to go against their states’ wishes and risk losing funding. Many campuses chose to offer a combination of in-person and virtual options. This presented new challenges (how to account for true attendance, when work is due, lessons delivered virtually and in person, what to do with students who do not complete work, how to handle special circumstances, password lockouts, eLearning platforms crashing, etc.).

Even though this was a more successful start than in March 2020, and most teachers were better prepared to handle the curriculum, some still struggle with the new methods expected of them. Older generations of teachers struggled with uploading materials, making videos, using eLearning platforms, and the like. Districts tried to hire a fresh round of employees (teachers, technologists, coaches, etc.) to support these struggling learners and replace teachers who left due to COVID.

Workload

One of the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic is the increased workload for teachers, administrators, coaches, technologists, and case managers.

Before and Now

Teachers were already facing an uphill battle with documentation for state and federal guidelines, but now they are facing additional documentation due to the choice to be virtual or in-person. Refinery 29 offers valuable insight into what teachers faced at the beginning and middle of the pandemic, directly from teachers. Teachers were already required to provide lesson plans, substitute plans, emergency substitute plans, teacher input for 504 and SpEd students, tracking of accommodations, parent or guardian contact, tracking of work submissions and/or failures, and attendance.

In addition to all of this, teachers around the world are now required to meet additional documentation requirements for the campus and/or district to receive funding. A student going to the nurse now requires documentation that had never been an issue before due to COVID. A student who is not submitting work online requires more documentation than an email or a phone call home. Teachers are now tracking how much a student has completed virtually, providing in-person and virtual tutoring, logging Zoom or Google Meet meetings for in-person and virtual classes, teaching simultaneously in-person and on Zoom, and maintaining discipline in in-person and virtual classes.

Technology Experts

Teachers have also become the first point of contact for technology issues, with the expectation that they know how to resolve them. Teachers have faced password lockouts, password resets, Microsoft 365 or G Suite not loading in eLearning platforms, Zoom or Google Meet not connecting, work not submitting to eLearning platforms, work not opening on these platforms, these platforms crashing, and much more.

Physical Layout of Building

Although campus structures did not change, the way campuses handle the physical layout of classrooms, lunchrooms, hallways, bathrooms, and more has changed. The CDC issued new guidelines for campuses that limit decision-making for teachers and administrators.

Distancing

Classrooms across the United States went from an average of 25-30 students per core classroom (math, science, history, and English language arts) to about 10-20 students per classroom. To meet the needs of the global pandemic, desks were rearranged and spread out throughout the classroom. Although teachers and students may not be able to maintain a six-foot distance, teachers tried to aim for a minimum of three to five feet by placing desks farther apart. However, classrooms just aren’t large enough to maintain social distancing requirements. Mashable shows some pictures of what teachers are facing currently.

An example of an attempt to social distance is from a local campus:

Masks

So how do teachers get around this? Districts made it mandatory that students and teachers wear some sort of face covering (shield, mask, or a combination of both – anything except bandanas). In doing so, teachers are still trying to space desks about 3-4 feet apart. This isn’t ideal for a classroom for a variety of reasons, mainly because it changes how teachers plan their lessons. However, everyone’s safety is the number one priority. If that means we have less collaboration and engagement in face-to-face learning to be safe, then that is what the campus must do.

Fountains

Water fountains were covered and/or disconnected on some campuses to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Some water fountains were replaced with water bottle refill stations. Another option campuses have offered is leaving the water fountains uncovered, but only for refilling water bottles. That places a lot of trust in students and requires a lot of adult supervision to ensure they are used properly.

Procedures

As mentioned previously, facial coverings are now required for adults and students in the building. Although they have options as to their facial covering, this still presents many issues.

What happens if a student comes unprepared with a mask? How many chances do they get in order to self-correct? How many free masks will students receive before disciplinary action is taken? Will disciplinary actions occur? What is considered a truly appropriate mask in terms of coverage and design? Too many questions and not enough answers!

Cleaning Routines

Teachers, bus drivers, and custodians are all working overtime to ensure their environments are sterilized. Bus drivers are required to sanitize the bus after every drop-off. This includes seating, railings, or any other area a student may touch. Custodians are wiping stair railings, door handles, and benches (even though students are not supposed to sit on them, they are cleaning to ensure they are safe), fogging rooms and bathroom stalls, and more.

Although several of these cleanings have always been done (such as bathroom stalls), the sanitizing process takes much longer, sometimes requiring bathrooms to be shut down temporarily. Teachers are using medical-grade disinfectant to wipe desks, chairs, keyboards, books, dictionaries, and much more in between classes. Mind you, teachers are supposed to be in the hallway between passing periods. Teachers also have to worry about students with allergies to any cleaner. The disinfectant needs to sit for at least three minutes. Passing periods for most middle school campuses range from three to five minutes. It makes it difficult for a teacher to be at two places at once, while ensuring safety both with COVID and allergies.

Supplies

Teachers are no longer allowed to “borrow out” supplies. Students cannot lend supplies to other students. If a student comes unprepared, teachers constantly give them supplies to keep. This doesn’t seem like a big deal. However, if a student needs a pen/pencil every 180 days, that will add up to an average of 150 students per middle school teacher and 200 per high school teacher. These are endless battles faced in a typical school year, but teachers typically have procedures in place to retrieve their items. Given that most supplies come from teachers’ income, these new procedures can be frustrating, but they are necessary to keep everyone safe.

Nurses/Clinic Assistance

Nurses’ routines have also been affected by COVID. In the past, the nurse would welcome any student to their office with minor issues (headaches, bandages, feminine products, etc.). However, with COVID, the procedure for sending a student to the nurse’s office has changed drastically.

Unless a student has a medical condition (diabetes, allergies requiring EPI pens, seizures, a G-tube, etc.) or COVID-19 symptoms, students’ medical needs should be assessed in the classroom. Teachers were equipped with the necessary tools to handle many medical issues within the classroom.

Nurses used to be able to check the vital signs of teachers and administrators. Yet again, COVID has changed this. Teachers and administrators are no longer allowed into nurses’ offices. If you are concerned about having your vitals taken, nurses have offered to come to the teachers’ classrooms. This shouldn’t be because of a curious moment; it should be because they feel something is bothering them (heart racing, dizziness, etc.).

Breakfast & Lunch

Breakfast and lunch used to be times when students could socialize and release their energy for the day. Now, students are expected to skip seats and minimize their movement and socialization. Imagine seeing your best friend daily, but not allowed to sit by them or talk to them because a pandemic is limiting you.

Impact on Educational Setting

Although some may see the pandemic as a benefit, with fewer face-to-face classes, there are several drawbacks. Because of the pandemic, students are no longer allowed to work in small groups, collaboration groups, or similar settings. This is harming students’ education. Collaboration is the essence of all future jobs for students. More importantly, collaboration helps students understand the material by discussing it with peers.

There are millions of people impacted by COVID-19, but the biggest group facing change right now is those in education: teachers, students, paraprofessionals, and administrators. School districts have lost teachers at an alarming rate, and it won’t slow down as long as the coronavirus is around.

Virtual Learning – A Gift or a Curse?

Angel BoucherLeave a comment

With the lovey visitation of COVID-19 (coronavirus), our world has been turned upside down. Some of the United States have been affected by this since late-January. Other parts of the United States didn’t feel the repercussions until around March. Although many states have shut down, most states reopened around late May/early June.

Impact on the Educational Industry

One of the biggest impacted areas has been education. Around March, nationwide schools shut down to prevent the spread of COVID. Given so many unknowns, even to this day, it was the safest thing to do. Districts nationwide readjusted or extended their Spring Break to figure out how the rest of the year would be handled. Many districts took the situation week-by-week.

The Start to Virtual Learning Outside of College

One of the go-to options was digital/virtual learning. Even so, many districts were ill-prepared for the last-minute changes. Many families didn’t have Internet access, technology, time, the ability, or much else to handle virtual learning. Internet providers stepped up and provided discounted or free service for a short time to help students learn. Some districts provided technology to students, but quickly ran out. Parents/guardians were temporarily on hold with their lives, but lacked the teaching credentials to properly help their child. When they returned to work, they weren’t around to ensure students completed their work.

When summer hit, many schools canceled summer school. However, with school starting again – now what!?

The Return to School 2020-2021

Summer Training

Teachers around the world, especially in the United States, have spent their summer preparing for the return to school in various ways. Much of their professional development was focused on virtual incorporation and/or whole-hearted online learning. Teachers discovered tools like Flipgrid to connect students from around the world, Nearpod to help students complete teacher-led or student-led lessons, PlayPosit to help students stay engaged with YouTube videos, and many other online learning tools.

In addition to virtual teaching strategies, tools, and techniques, teachers also had professional development on their normal blood-borne pathogens, suicide awareness, mental health, FERPA, and more. This year was even more affected by the additional COVID-19 training campuses had to complete (signs, symptoms, cleaning procedures, how to handle, how to social distance in a classroom, etc.).

Questions

In addition to their regular and virtual training, teachers also had to figure out much of their future for themselves. What masks work? Would they wear a mask all day (yes, we found out)? How do you social distance 25-35 kids in a classroom the size of a standard American kitchen? What happens if someone gets COVID-19 in the building? Where do they find sanitizer that doesn’t smell like tequila? Where do they find wipes for their desks, handles, and other surfaces? How do they handle small group instruction? How do they lend out books for students to read? How do they lend out supplies for those who can’t afford it (CDC states no communal supplies, so that solved that concern)?

Teachers were left with a million questions and received a lot of “we’re not sure.” With so much uncertainty, many teachers opted to leave the profession or retire, leaving an already short-staffed profession even more understaffed.

What’s the News?

School districts around the world are still unsure about the status of COVID-19. There is a lot of debate on whether students can or cannot transfer it to adults, each other, etc. As a result, many school districts gave parents/guardians the option of online or virtual learning. Some districts delayed school; some still have plans in the air; and some are deciding to open. The one trend I keep seeing, though, is that virtual learning is here to stay regardless of COVID-19.

Many people are not happy about this trend. They have many of the same concerns as in March-June (lack of technology, slow or no Internet, no time at home, and more). However, I think a lot of society is missing the good in the situation.

The Good in Virtual Learning

With life in the digital world, there is no doubt that the upcoming generation needs to be more technologically prepared than ever before. We aren’t talking about Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat integration, but about true digital needs such as Microsoft Office, G Suite, digital design, writing, and much more.

Many students in a classroom throughout high school have no idea how to format a paper properly, on their own, to write a college-level entrance essay. That’s a problem! Students can take this opportunity to learn so many beneficial aspects of virtual learning.

Repetition

When teachers record lessons in their classroom or at home, students can rewatch them as many times as needed. A student who may be 504, Dyslexic, Special Education, Emotionally Disturbed, or have other (dis)abilities can rewatch it several times for clarification. Students may be able to pause and take notes instead of trying to focus in class while writing. Even if the teacher provided notes online, students could underline, highlight, or take additional notes during the virtual lesson.

Scheduling

If they’re unable to watch the lesson from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, when class is, they can find the recording later in the day and still be held responsible for the content presented during the lesson. This is a great planning tool for entrepreneurs, college preparation, job scheduling, and more. Maybe the student is a night owl and works better in the afternoon than in the morning. This will give those students an opportunity to focus better. This is also great if they have a parent who works from home and needs to use the computer/Internet during the day for business. The student can spend the afternoon completing their work.

Responsibility, Team Work & Work Ethic

One of the biggest benefits is teaching students responsibility, teamwork, and a work ethic. Through online learning, even in elementary school, students develop a sense of responsibility. They are responsible for completing their work and turning it in. Just like an in-person classroom, they are responsible for completing and turning in their work. However, this puts more pressure on a student because they don’t have someone reminding them constantly throughout the day to complete and turn in their work.

This is also a great way for students to learn true teamwork. With programs like Microsoft Office and G Suite, students can collaborate with each other remotely. Depending on how the teachers set up the assignment, students will be able to work virtually with one another. With many careers requiring collaboration within their network, it is important to instill this, whether in person or virtually. So many tools are available for students to collaborate on documents or videos!

It is so incredibly easy to cheat with virtual learning. However, there is a lot of risk, as it becomes easier to copy and paste a handwritten response. Virtual learning puts a bit of pressure on students to ensure they’re not plagiarizing, sharing answers, or Googling them. It’s acceptable to use Google as a research tool, or in our case a way to look information up we may not know, but it’s not okay to use it as a copy and paste skill.

College Prep

America is one of the countries that may have all the greatness, but we severely lack in college preparation – whether it be academics, life skills, social interactions, or financial responsibility. We need to do a better job of preparing these students for college, and virtual learning is no exception.

Many colleges use virtual learning in some aspect of their students’ education. Even in-person lessons have a virtual component so students can submit work (papers, presentations, designs, analyses, financial literacy breakdowns, etc.). By introducing some of these minimal modalities (such as papers and presentations), students will be prepared not only to format them but also to write and submit them. Although the college may use a different eLearning platform, they will still be able to get an idea of where to submit and/or learn faster on the new platform.

Although that may seem minor in terms of benefits for virtual learning, it is extremely impactful when discussing the preparation of students for post-secondary learning. Our nation has become one in which having a Bachelor’s degree is no longer sufficient for education. The competition for employment is astronomical! When given the tools in advance, students can better focus on classes that are more relevant to real-life experience and internships.