During the pandemic, teachers who found success during emergency remote education used district support, collaborated with colleagues, demonstrated perseverance, and had high levels of intrinsic motivation. The successful adaptation to the virtual setting wasn’t without challenges. Success was a direct result of the perseverance and dedication of highly skilled educators.
Topic
Emergency remote education for K-12 schools was designed to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and had systemic implications for staff, students, and families. There is sufficient evidence to support challenges in access to education for general education, special education, and at-risk populations. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the teachers, students, and families' emotional, physical, and mental health. Teachers, parents, and students experienced a significant adjustment to educational expectations. Educators were thrust into a new system of education which required them to adapt their instructional practices with little to no time for preparation, study, and practice. This paired with the need to learn how to deliver traditional instructional practices in the virtual setting impacted perceived professional competence.
Post-pandemic, virtual instruction has become a viable option for schools throughout the nation. Teacher adaptation to emergency remote education was observed from the start of the pandemic through the return to in-person learning. With the majority of districts returning to traditional instructional practices some districts and teachers found value in their newfound virtual skills. In fact, brick and mortar districts have begun to develop hybrid and fully virtual options for remote education. This allows districts to continue to reach the population of students that flourished in the virtual setting. Understanding the process of adaptation to emergency remote education through maintaining the perspective of growth mindset is key to developing and maintaining future programs.
However, the future of remote learning in a traditional setting should be seen as a supplement and not a substitute for in person learning. Traditional in-person learning comprises far more than academics. Students engage in a multitude of activities that assist them in developing the social-emotional skills that will assist them throughout adulthood.
Plan
The presentation will consist of visual aids and a brief discussion of the timeline of the emergency shutdown in Massachusetts public schools and the impact the shutdown had on student engagement and adaptability to emergency remote education. The challenges teachers faced during the pandemic will be presented. The steps to mitigate the challenges and adapt to the virtual platform will be discussed. A description of the steps districts took to mitigate the negative impact of the loss of in-person learning. The discussion and presentation materials will be inclusive of evidence to support the impact on perceived professional competence. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Takeaways
Attendees will learn about the process K-12 teachers went through in order to adapt their traditional instructional practices to the virtual setting. Attendees will further be able to identify the challenges teachers faced during the pandemic and the adaptations they made to successfully transition to the virtual setting. A final takeaway is the identification of the continued use of virtual practices post-pandemic and how those practices demonstrate the adherence to the growth mindset perspectives.