Online teaching delivery can be hard work. It's a bit like starting to learn how to drive, the first time you pull off in the car and you are behind the wheel is for some very scary but for others very liberating. Think back to March 2020 and the beginning of lockdown across the UK, which driver were you? Those experienced in online delivery of learning im sure were very excited (including me) however this pandemic has really highlighted the need for serious thinking on how online learning is delivered and evolves into the future.
April 2019 seems forever ago, the good old days of visiting a pub for a chat and a bag of chips without the military style planning required to meet a pal these days. It was also the time the government launched the EDTech strategy: Realising the Potential of Technology in Education. How things have changed since then and if anything the strategy is now out of date before it really got going thanks to COVID. Some elements of the document are to be fair, still very much in play. Especially those which details barriers to technology use. It is clear beyond all doubt that further investment, training and development is required to keep learners learning and teachers innovating via technological opportunities.
On the shop floor teaching staff haven't had the time to wait for the stars to align, they have had to get on with educating the next generation. Back to back video lessons, phone calls etc have highlighted the importance of future sustainable online learning through technology, the infrastructure and planning required to make the experience successful for all. The key message I think now is let's keep it simple.
If you are a viewer of Grand Designs like me you always think, “blimey they are taking on a lot of work” or “they must be mad”. As the show goes on there are always bumps in the road, budget overspend and in the most recent series a global pandemic to deal with. At the end of the show 99% of the time you can't believe how the house looks and maybe bar some internal decoration changes you would move into the property tomorrow if you could. We are currently living through our own technological grand design in how technology is shaping jobs and learning in the future. COVID has accelerated the need for better understanding of technology use, pedagogy and striking balance between the new and the old. We must also remember this experience for some both on the teachers side and the learners side has been a massive switch off, and this is where battle must take place to ensure these people are not left behind.
As with any house build, the foundations have to be correct, solid and strong enough to be built on. Before that the ground has to be surveyed and checked to make sure it can sustain a build. In many cases the surveying and foundations were skipped and many had to start buying interior features before they did anything else. The coming up of a calendar year of delivery via different means has been a big learning curve for some, but we should not take for granted that everyone knows what they are doing. It is key now that reflective practice informs what we do next. Identifying gaps in skills sets of staff, gaps in infrastructure for organisations and developing a plan to close these gaps. Keep it as simple as possible, give people the time and space to learn and develop and encourage all to be bold and brave much like the past 12 months will be key for long term success.
