Expectations

What does the learning look like?

Students and parents can expect regular communication from their teachers. In a distance learning situation, students need to be proactive in seeking out daily the information they need. Clear direction from teachers will be posted on Veracross and through Google Classroom, Seesaw or Storypark as applicable. Students will need to access those platforms daily to find lessons, resources and assignments. Teachers will not be emailing to alert you to new information as it is posted. In addition to these online activities, it is important to get off the computer, be active and learn in non-digital ways. This guidance from the IBO is instructive:

“Learning experiences that involve physical activities, resources, or spaces

The answer to this is specific to the school’s situation. However, in most circumstances it is possible to assign activities and discussions so that students seek out the physical experiences they need, then bring back evidence of and reflections on what they have done. This is possible with all age groups, depending on the amount of supervision they need to conduct physical activities.

For younger learners, special software that uses video evidencing and adult reflection is the best option. Parents or guardians will need to supervise younger learners in their play and learning activities—the school needs to provide some basic guidelines on what to observe. The school should also set up video conferencing with learners and guardians to discuss the children’s development.

For students who are not under quarantine but separated from campus, it is possible to use public libraries, sports facilities, or even art galleries as part of their learning. Some colleges and universities can provide space for science and art activities. Online databases for resources are available through most library subscriptions.

If students are under quarantine or must remain indoors, intelligent tutors and virtual learning environments can provide some support, especially for science-related activities. There are many open-source and free options for virtual science labs, galleries, physics simulations, etc that can be used to support students. Physical health activities that can be conducted indoors are also reasonable options for students under temporary quarantine. (Online learning, teaching and education continuity planning for schools, IBO, 2020)