Myths and Facts

Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding and skills. When student make sense of a problem or concept, they develop an understanding of what they are learning. This type of learning can happen in the classroom, online, or in any environment. We can give students real learning experiences online through direct instruction, collaborative tasks, discussions, and practice.

If we use Universal Design for Learning and include multiple means of engagement in our instruction and activities, we help students develop intrinsic motivation that takes the place of passive compliance. Since we are grading for progress towards standards rather than completion of work, we allow students to achieve mastery at their own pace, without the need for every student to be present in every real-time event. Additionally, equity considerations demand that in this time of social distancing, we accept that each family's situation is unique and it isn't always possible for a child to be online at a specific time. We want to emphasize compassion and give students grace when needed. We can encourage attendance without making it punitive.

Our online platforms and instruction look different than our physical classrooms, and that's okay. In working with young children, we can't expect students to be online for our normal blocks of time or even to learn the exact same way. We need to flex between asynchronous instruction, where students might watch a video or read something independently, and synchronous meetings, where we pull small groups together live to discuss. In this environment, there can be more effective ways for students to develop skills than to watch us teach in real time every day.

In a Standards-Based Grading system, grades are a communication of student proficiency of a specific standard or group of standards. Students should be active participants in the learning process, and should be given opportunities to reflect on their progress towards understanding a concept. By involving them in their learning, students are intrinsically motivated to do well.

It is very difficult, and usually ineffective, to engage a whole class of learners in direct instruction over Zoom. Pre-recorded videos of direct instruction give students the opportunity to pause, rewind, and replay as needed to support their learning. Virtual Conferencing, regardless of which platform, is a great tool to use for collaborative tasks and meaningful discussions. We go deeper into this idea in the K-6 Pedagogy and Practices Module, so refer back to that module for tips and resources.

Option 1: Take this formative assessment. (If you already have a GoFormative account, you can sign in with that. If not, you can just enter your name and join as a guest. To copy this to your portfolio, you could take a screenshot and paste it in, or just copy and paste the text.)

Option 2: Think about a different statement you have heard about distance or online learning, perhaps from a parent or community member or colleague. Create an infographic or text document in the "Myth/Fact" format, using supporting evidence to evaluate whether that statement was a myth or a fact.

Option 3: A parent sends you an email objecting to online learning, using one or more of the myths above. How could you respond to that parent? You can write this explanation, record a short video (no more than 2 minutes), create a drawing or graphic, or use some other tool.