Distance Learning: The "New" Cool Way to Teach and Learn Model to Successful implementation for K-12 Institutions.

Our purpose as educators during the COVID-19 health crisis is to provide continuity during a time of great uncertainty. A well-designed Distance Learning program, whose goals are clear and shared by all stakeholders, can be our most powerful tool right now. This article outlines how school administrators should adopt distance learning for a successful and sustainable roll-out.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Distance learning “is a method of studying in which lectures are broadcast or classes are conducted by correspondence or over the Internet, without the students needing to attend a school or college. Also called distance education.” Based on this definition, distance learning does not automatically mean online education, and it may take a different form for students depending on their grade level and subject areas. For instance, some teachers (likely those of our youngest students) may generate packets or use various textbooks with instructions for students to work during the period that they are away from school. 

However, with the prevalence of technology and its ability to enhance interaction between teachers and students, online learning is a preferred method for distance learning. The Distance Learning K-12 Implementation Model below explains the process a K-12 institution may adopt to implement a distance learning program. 

1. What are the fundamental elements to consider when developing a distance learning program?

The circumstances for online learning in K-12 institutions are undoubtedly different in the case of a pandemic, such as COVID-19—as many schools and districts are only thinking of a temporary solution and not a permanent online program—and those circumstances should be considered in the development process. Important to note is that when life is unpredictable, the distance learning needs to be predictable. 

Hence, institutions should adopt the following fundamental elements of a distance learning program:

• Mindset: It is important to have the right mindset. Be innovative, creative, flexible, adaptable, and willing to learn with and from each other, including from the students. Embrace the challenge / new situation. Have fun with it; it's a "cool" way of teaching and learning. Many innovative educators have been using these strategies already. It's new for others; draw on the expertise of those creative teachers. Innovation and creativity are unleashed when the environment and logistics are structurally sound. So, it’s imperative to make goals of all classes shared and mission-driven.
• Infrastructure: Internet must have a strong bandwidth, and the school’s servers are preferably cloud-based.
• Technology Resources: These include hardware, software, and a support team: 
• Hardware: Availability of computers (PCs, Chromebook, Mac, iPad) for both students and teachers. 
• Software: The main software would be a Learning Management System (commercial or open-source), to support the learning process. LMSs allow educators to facilitate instructions by creating, distributing, and managing their content as well as monitor and assess student performance in a centralized web-based environment. Students and educators can interact via chats, threaded discussions, emails, etc. Students can also upload assignments and receive feedback (comments and grades) on the same platform. Several LMS/online platforms are available to support student-teacher interaction. Options to consider include Moodle, Schoology, Google Classroom, Blackboard, or Edmodo. 
• Support: Training should be provided for educators and administrators to use the systems. Even in emergency situations, deferring use of the platforms to a day or two of training and test-launching the system is recommended. Ongoing support to address technical issues from teachers and students throughout the duration of the program is also essential. 
• Stakeholders' support and involvement: As with any new system, for a distance learning program to work, it requires all stakeholders full commitment. Especially in a crisis situation, there should be substantial support from the government, department of education, school administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Leadership is critical and education leaders should lead this process with empathy.

2. What should the educators and administrators be thinking about at the academic level?

• Goals: Should be centered on students’ learning outcome. Institutions should aim for the least possible disruption to students' traditional academic progress and routine to provide a sense of continuity in uncertain times. 
• Mode: Synchronous (teachers and students are communicating in real-time, as in the case of videoconferencing) vs. Asynchronous or a combination. For synchronous communication, technology options include Zoom, Google Meet/hangout, GoToMeeting. 
• Technology: Adopt a balanced approach. Once a school selects the preferred Learning management system, it should also decide on other technology tools to incorporate. Try not to overwhelm teachers and students with too many options. Choose a few tools that work and that the teachers can effectively manage. 
• Content: Most importantly, whatever the delivery method, educators must provide extremely clear, step-by-step instructions to students. Educators should also think about pre-developed content vs. developing their own; Don't recreate the wheel for everything. There are several platforms with pre-developed content from which to choose. However, it's important to review all materials before assigning to students. Pre-developed options to consider include electronic textbooks, Khan Academy, Open Textbook Library, Lumen Learning, Kahoot, PBS Learning, NASA STEM center, Quizlet. Developing your own can be done with Polleverywhere, recording options such as VoiceThread, QuickTime, YouTube, Screencastify, or Screen Recorder on iPad.

Administrators and educators should develop: 

A Teacher Participation Plan: To establish routine interaction and communication guidelines. Elements to consider are:

• Communication: Avoid Transactional Distance, the lack of appropriate communication between teachers and students. Establish the how and when of communication between admin-teacher, teacher-teacher, student-teacher, teacher-parents, etc.  
• Schedule: Establish when and how classes will be delivered. Try to maintain students' traditional schedule as much as possible, especially in the beginning of the program. Over time, the schedule can be reassessed and adjusted for flexibility. In the case of video conferencing, identify the time and duration for each class, subject or grade. However, while we want students to do as much work as possible, it is important that students have time off screens, school leaders should build food breaks into the schedule, and parents should encourage students to stretch and exercise.
• Virtual office hours: How and when will educators offer additional support and advising to students, particularly students with special needs? 
• Engage: Educators should strive to make their lessons as interactive and engaging as possible. Also, establish and discuss with students the classroom norms for video conferencing sessions. 
• Assessment: Establish methods to assess students: Be creative; the evaluation does not need to be a written test. Consider projects, oral presentations, developing prototypes, etc. 
• Attendance: How will administrators track teachers' and students' attendance? 

What does distance learning look like for institutions and students without Internet access and computers at home, in the Caribbean?

In the report Unleashing the Internet in the Caribbean, Fonseca-Hoeve et al. (2017) established that only four Caribbean countries—the Bahamas, Barbados, Cura?ao, and Trinidad and Tobago—have access to Internet connections that can support total broadband service, with download speeds over 10 Mbps. This finding indicates that while some households in other Caribbean countries such as Jamaica may have Internet access, the quality of services such as video streaming, which require high bandwidth is likely to be affected. For schools and students that do not have access to the Internet and/or computers, educators may consider preparing print materials with work for extended periods for up to a month, assign reading and activities in textbooks, and transmit instructions and communicate via mobile phones. Schools may also transmit educational activities via devices such as radios and TVs. During this COVID-19 crisis, it would also be ideal for Internet Providers to step up and offer free or reduced Internet access, while the government could initiate a distance learning device loaner program for low-income families with K-12 students in the household. 

Now that educational institutions are investing heavily in distance education, will distance learning or a form of it become the new normal in K-12 institutions?

Written by Dr. Vivienne Forester.

Dr. Forrester has over fifteen years experience as an Educator. She is an Instructional Technologist, and a STEM Consultant. Currently she serves as the Head of Upper School Academic Technology at the Chapin School in New York. Dr. Forrester also worked as a Computer Science Teacher at the Edwin Allen High School and the HEART Trust National Training Agency in Jamaica.