Written by: Nadav Avni
The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shut down school systems for most of last year. Sudden closures caught many school districts unprepared for a switch to online learning, rather than in-person teaching, resulting in a mad scramble to equip schools with remote-learning capabilities.
Thankfully, the March 2020 CARES Act came through with educational funding to assist US schools with this mass conversion, and as a result many schools managed to carry on via remote and hybrid learning.
Assisted by various types of classroom management software, schools were able to conduct classes in a safe and secure online environment.
While the “when” is still hazy, coronavirus will inevitably be tamed at some point. People will return to “normal”, in-person interaction on the regular, and the negotiations will begin regarding what the new world should look like.
For students, this more specifically means a return to classrooms and in-person instruction. But what about the remote learning investments made by the schools? And what about students who perhaps work better in hybrid environments?
Providing the same quality of education for students
Given our still-fluid understanding of COVID-19, some parents remain hesitant to send their children back to school just yet. Instead, many are requesting a continuation of remote learning, at least as an option for students who prefer to stay home.
Forward-thinking school districts should understand that the need for remote and hybrid systems will persist even after official lockdowns wind down.
As a new term approaches, many schools are preparing to reopen their doors to students. However, there is no fixed policy determining when to allow students and when to keep at home. School districts need to prepare strategies to ensure student and teacher safety in any eventuality.
But schools also need to ensure the same level of education quality regardless of a student’s location. Whether in the classroom, connected remotely, or studying offline at home, every student must have equal access to learning materials.
With teachers facing the prospect of juggling both in-person and remote teaching and students unsure of where they will be learning at any given time, districts need to consider smoothing the bumpy road ahead by utilising classroom management software to facilitate competent hybrid learning.
Prioritise those who need help first
While some students perhaps work better remotely, others need the stability of the classroom space to thrive. Whether due to learning differences, economic hardship, unstable home environments, or other complicating factors, many students had difficulty coping with the sudden shift in learning environment.
Even as schools reopen for the coming year, in-person class sizes will likely have to remain smaller than they were pre-COVID. School districts will have to make hard choices as to who can come back into the classroom and who should work remotely.
In this scenario, districts should recognise that not all students are equipped to deal with changes in learning methods.
Schools may need to prioritise moving, say, students with learning disabilities back into the classroom first. Children of essential workers with no means of childcare should also take precedence.
Other students may have to attend class virtually in the meantime. It will be crucial to have a competent hybrid-learning plan in place to keep everyone on the same page.
Create a well-designed system for hybrid learning
Last year, when most schools got caught unawares, it was okay to improvise. But by mid-2021 schools have hopefully learned from the early mistakes and strategised proactively. Now they should have the tools to design teaching methods that capitalise on remote learning technology.
Remote, distance and hybrid learning aren’t just exact translations of in-person instruction. For example, subjecting students to lengthy video conferences or lectures is a sure-fire way to disengage them. Limit conferences to half an hour or 45 minutes max, then intersperse the day with self-study assignments.
Districts should have the data to determine an ideal number of hours for online learning per age group. Different age levels of course require varying proportions of synchronous and asynchronous learning.
For example, younger students will need more time away from the screen to learn through human interaction and cultivate social skills. Classroom management software can help educators navigate these complex hybrid schedules and communicate between the virtual and physical classroom.
Radix TeacherView – seamless classroom management software for a centralised system
Regardless of the learning system, it pays to have classroom management software to handle administrating, maintaining, and monitoring school devices.
With students connecting online using their own devices (whether school-issued or BYO), ensuring that they remain securely connected requires a responsive classroom management software like Radix TeacherView.
TeacherView can help maintain control and keep students focused on the lesson on hand, whether you’re navigating:
- fully remote
- in-person
- hybrid classrooms
TeacherView is all-in-one classroom management software
TeacherView functions along three different modalities. First, it operates as a videoconferencing software, removing the need for separate applications to conduct class.
Anybody who has tried juggling multiple presentation apps over a videoconference knows how cumbersome the experience can be. Integrating videoconferencing features into classroom management software reduces the complexity.
Second, it acts as your classroom’s de facto Learning Management System (LMS). TeacherView can easily distribute learning materials and transfer interactive content like quizzes and forms.
Finally, TeacherView functions as your classroom manager. The platform connects to students’ devices to ensure students are only working on relevant materials and apps. In cases where students need individual coaching, the software also lets instructors privately reach out to individual devices.
TeacherView provides added value to schools
Investing in remote learning—both during and post-pandemic—is a must for school districts. Despite many wishes to bounce back to “normal” after COVID-19 ends, the future of education (like most fields) is hybrid.
Forward-thinking school districts need to plan accordingly and make investments in educational technology today—and classroom management software like Radix TeacherView can help manage those EdTech investments.
Radix TeacherView handles the complexities of hybrid learning so teachers can focus on what they do best: shaping young minds. Contact Radix today for more information on TeacherView and other EdTech solutions, or to arrange a free trial of services.
