Question and Spark online learning 2.3
Introduction
Teaching and learning online, as a response to the pandemic, has had an impact on the educational landscape. Depending on who you talk to, there are positive effects, and negative effects of online learning. This is my reaction to the annual Report of the Digital learning Collaborative. Henceforth, referred to as DLC 2022. I will discuss a question that came to me during my reading. Then I will share my final thoughts or illuminations based on completing the reading. The DLC 2022 report was one that revolved around the topic of online learning and the onslaught of student enrollment during the COVID pandemic.
Question
What kinds of benefits and/or rewards have been received by the students, parents, communities, and educators? We can explore this through examining the usage and effectiveness of virtual learning for lower elementary school environments. According to the DLC 2022 report, there was an emergent need for remote learning because of the pandemic. Although the online learning community had established many processes and procedures for schools and educators (over five years) prior to the outbreak of COVID, school boards and local communities, had no experience to direct them on how to deal with the forced remote learning situation brought on by the pandemic. One positive effect that was realized dealt with identifying areas of teaching and learning that needed to be updated. “A silver lining of the pandemic, perhaps, was the spotlight shined on these issues of equity, as well as an increased recognition of the role of schools as pillars of our communities, supporting students in ways as basic as providing meals, as well as supporting mental and emotional health of students, families, and communities” (Digital Learning Collaborative, 2022). Another positive result was the realization that online learning could be further developed to augment the traditional educational landscape.
As we move throughout our daily routines, we have come to the realization that technology has begun to play an increasingly significant role for adults, children, and industries. As education professionals, our efforts in the scope of academic development should take the position of leadership when it comes to digital learning. “In the early stages of the pandemic, seemingly every publication and website declared that COVID-19 changes everything.” (Digital Learning Collaborative, 2022).
Spark!
As I consider my journey ahead, I offer my illuminations to my readers and viewers on what this reading sparked for me. There have been some unprecedented challenges faced by the educational industry during the pandemic. Consideration had to be given to the local and federal governments as they worked to facilitate the emergent need for remote learning. School boards, administration, and local communities riffled through the poorly implemented remote learning (Digital Learning Collaborative, 2022). Moreover, the needs of the students, families, and educators were seldom met. In instances when those needs were met the quality was abysmal. (see optional video highlights for this reading)
Sources
Digital Learning Collaborative (DLC). (2022). DLC digital learning snapshot 2022: An inflection point for digital learning?