Giving Compass' Take:

• Here are three ways to make digital learning more meaningful for students amid school closures due to COVID-19.

• How can donors contribute resources to help increase virtual tools and programs during this time? 

• Here are more strategic steps to digital learning success. 

It first started with an extended spring break, and now many states have decided to close their schools for the remainder of the year. Today, school district officials across the country have successfully created solutions to support students’ basic needs during the coronavirus crisis, such as protecting their safety and health. But are we prepared for the second stage of student success, which is helping them grow their skills and knowledge?

Some leaders have taken steps to train staff on the most up-to-date digital tools and assist families in accessing their digital accounts to obtain their child’s lesson plans. But will we create a stimulus package of tools, resources, and engagement methods that will allow us to stimulate the minds of millions of students who are stuck at home? To make this happen, we need to try new approaches to bring the most important parts of school into a virtual infrastructure that can support each student’s needs.

School is so much more than academics. It also provides tutoring, counseling, and college advising, but sometimes these resources were only available around the school day. Now that we are adapting to a time where the school day no longer exists, it’s more challenging for students to access these resources due to limited virtual opportunities.

  1. Increase Accountability Previously, teachers could hold students accountable by directly supervising them in the classroom. The virtual learning models that are being built should emulate this environment and use the power of relationships and check-ins during the school day.
  2. Deepen Relationships Most people think online learning is where you record content, use technology to scale capacity, and reduce the need for one-to-one interaction.
  3. Embrace Mobile This is the largest opportunity in our at-home learning models.

Read the full article about digital learning by EJ Carrion at The 74.