Distance Learning Planning & Facilitation Support
While your transition to a distance learning method of instruction may require expediency, it is also critical that stakeholders are provided with professional learning. Even minimal professional learning and support will support a successful distance learning migration. It is also important that teachers/staff have resources to assist them as they navigate the distance learning environment.
Preparing to Deliver Instruction Via Distance Learning
The following articles are available to support you as you plan to deliver instruction using distance learning tools/resources.
Title: Distance Learning Best Practices, Tips, and Tools for Teachers
Category: Distance Learning Best Practices
Audience: Admin/Teachers
Description: Region 4 ESC shares best practices, tips, and tools for distance learning.
Title: Sharing Coronavirus Contingency Planning Best Practices
Category: Distance Learning Best Practices
Audience: Admin/Teachers
Description: Blackboard provides best practices for creating and sustaining an distance learning environment.
Title: Resources for Teaching Online Due to School Closures
Category: Distance Learning Planning-Logistics
Audience: Teachers
Description: Edublogger's Kathleen Morris provides support with the logistics associated with setting up an online learning environment. (i.e. daily structure, using interactive components, setting up your home base, etc.)
Topic: Preparing to Take School Online? Here Are 10 Tips to Make It Work
Category: Distance Learning Planning-Logistics
Audience: Administrators/Teachers
Description: Reshan Richards and Stephanie J. Valentine of EdSurge share 10 tips to support the success of online instruction.
Provider: The Global Online Academy
Category: Distance Learning Planning-Logistics
Audience: Administrators/Teachers
Description: A collection of resources to support effective and efficient remote learning. The organization shares support that they have fine-tuned over the past nine years. Strategies, design tips, instructional methodologies for the remote learning environment, and various downloads are available.
Provider: Universal Design for Learning
Category: Distance Learning Planning-Logistics
Audience: Administrators/Teachers
Description: A framework designed to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. The UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs. This philosophy and the standards designed based on the UDL Guidelines are standards and methods that virtual learning instructors rely on to help run their virtual learning classrooms and environments.
Provider: Quality Matters
Category: Distance Learning Planning-Logistics
Audience: Administrators/Teachers
Description: An organization founded to make online learning better for students, educators and other stakeholders. Rubrics and Standards have been designed to provide objective, evidence-based ways to evaluate the components of online learning. These rubrics and standards have also provided quality assurance guidance to virtual learning instructors and assistance in building and improving their online courses. Check out the K-12 Rubric for guidance on the elements you should think about as you work on your journey to providing online learning experiences for your students.
Title: Resources for Learning at Home When Schools Close (UPDATED)
Provider: The New Teacher Project
Category: Distance Learning Best Practices/Resources
Audience: Administrators/Teachers
Description: A collection of resources to support at home learning via a blog by Crystal Harmon.
Title: Distance Learning Readiness Kit
Provider: Schoology
Category: Distance Learning Planning-Logistics
Audience: Administrators/Teachers
Description: A collection of resources put together by Schoology to help districts/campuses with distance learning.
Microsoft Teams Remote Learning
A Collaboration Between Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) and Microsoft
Getting Started: Microsoft Teams for EDU Quick Start Guide
IT/Leader: Get started with Microsoft Teams for Remote Learning
Educator/Student: Remote teaching and learning in Office 365 Education
Training/Tips: Teams EDU Remote Learning Webinars | MEC: Getting Started with Online Learning in Office 365
Parent/Guardian: Remote learning with Office 365: Guidance for parents and guardians
Educator Examples: Microsoft Teams for EDU Scenarios (Flipgrid): K12 | Higher Education
Blog: How schools can ramp up remote learning programs quickly with Microsoft Teams
Collection: Remote Learning Wakelet (collection of Microsoft resources for Remote Learning)
Support for Commonly Used Distance Learning Tools & Resources
Microsoft Teams is a digital hub that brings conversations, content, assignments, and apps together in one place, letting teachers create vibrant learning environments. Build collaborative classrooms, connect in professional learning communities, and connect with colleagues. The following resources mentioned above and below will help you get started:
Note: Zoom is temporarily lifting the 40-minute time limit on free Basic accounts for schools affected by the Coronavirus. To get access for your school, sign up for a free Basic account here using your school’s email address. Fill out the information for your school to remove the 40 minute time limit for anyone on your school’s domain after verification. Personal email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook are not eligible.
The following resources are available to support your use of the Zoom platform:
How to Use Zoom
Download and check out your Getting Started Guide and Best Practices for Online Meetings!
Watch these bite-sized Zoom Video Tutorials on YouTube!
Clever has recently partnered with Zoom to make video conferencing free for all districts experiencing school closures.
If you are a teacher interested in using Zoom, please contact your district administration with a link to the setup guide. District Admin must set up Zoom first.
Using Zoom through the Clever Portal
Additional Clever Resources (video):
Zoom accounts setup through Clever will include the following:
Unlimited teacher accounts
No time limit on class sessions (40 minute limit removed)
Single sign-on via the Clever Portal
Support for PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, iPads, Android phones & iPhones
All of these features will be available at no charge through July 1, 2020.
For more information, click here.
Edgenuity is a leading provider of K–12 online learning solutions, partnering with schools and districts throughout the country to provide the tools and support they need to leverage technology to improve student outcomes.
To minimize any disruption your students experience during school closure, Edgenuity is offering a variety of customized options.
Teacher-Led Solution: A free teacher-led online solution where educators can quickly and easily use Edgenuity’s online curriculum to continue offering instruction. Educators can broadcast lessons using Zoom or Google Classroom.
The following resources are available to support your use of Edgenuity:
BrainPOP offers developmentally appropriate on- and offline activities and ideas that are simple, meaningful, and most of all… fun! Over 1,000 short animated movies for students in grades K-12, together with quizzes and related materials, covering the subjects of science, social studies, English, math, engineering and technology, health, and arts and music.
BrainPOP is providing free access. Register here and use the promo code: BPCVFAE1.
The following resources are available to support your use of BrainPop:
Nearpod is an instructional platform that merges formative assessment and dynamic media for collaborative learning experiences. They're extending impacted schools and districts temporary access. Request access here.
The following resources are also available to support your use of Nearpod and Flocabulary:
Live Webinars (i.e. Deliver Digital Lessons for Home-based Learning)
Nearpod & Flocabulary: Home-Based Learning Resources
If you have specific questions about any resources, contact support@nearpod.com or support@flocabulary.com
Google Classroom simplifies creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students.
The following resources are available to support your use of the Google Classroom platform:
Website: https://classroom.google.com/
How to Use Google Classroom
Google is providing free access to advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities to all G Suite and G Suite for Education customers globally including:
Larger meetings, for up to 250 participants per call
Live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain
The ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive
These features are typically available in the Enterprise edition of G Suite and in G Suite Enterprise for Education, and will be available at no additional cost to all customers until July 1, 2020.
The following resources are available to support your use of Google Hangouts:
Use Screencastify to easily record, edit, and share videos. It can be used for video lesson tutorials, video presentations, video coaching, and so much more. Download for free at screencastify.com. With this tool, users are able to:
Capture their tab, whole screen, or webcam only
Embed their webcam anywhere in their recording
Narrate with their microphone
Record offline (no internet required!)
Additional Resources for using Screencastify
Additional Software
The following additional resources are available to support the implementation of remote learning:
Adobe Connect
Adobe Connect is a web conferencing platform that supports- video, audio, screen-sharing, polls, chat, Q&A, document sharing, etc.
Free 90-day access for Adobe Connect, until July 1st, 2020. Individuals and business who aren’t customers can use Adobe Connect rooms with up-to 25 participants for free for up to 90 days if they sign-up for a trial license between now and July 1st.
FrontRow Teacher Edition Software
Available for anyone at no cost or commitment to buy. This software enables educators to capture their lessons for students to access online. The software records audio and video presented on the computer and converts it into an mp4 file, which can be shared to your desired online destination so students can access the lesson from home.
A download of the 45-day trial of the software is available at FrontRow: Free Lesson Capture. If you wish to continue using the software after the 45-day trial, email customercare@gofrontrow.com to request a license code. FrontRow will be provided at no charge or product commitment.
Tizra
Free-60 day access to content sharing software including custom templates to set up your portal that includes…
• Branding and URL
•Mobile friendly design
•Powerful search
•Easy content management and updates
•Flexible access control
Contact: abe.dane@tizra.com
Microsoft Teams
Chat, meet, call and collaboration features integrated with Microsoft Office software.
To get started, download the Quick Guide