7 minute read
Online Learning
The Transition to Online Learning
It is said that difficult times often bring out the best in people. This is definitely true for members of the Storm King School Community. As the novel Coronavirus outbreak began to unfold across the globe earlier this year, our students, parents, faculty, and staff rose to the challenge.
With foresight, some quick decision-making, and a tremendous effort, the School mobilized quickly to keep our community safe. The decision to move to online learning was made during the Spring Break holiday. Within a few weeks, our faculty succeeded in transitioning the School’s academic program into a virtual format and began to deliver classes successfully online.
Virtual learning at Storm King officially began on Monday, March 23. “At that time, the school administration was already monitoring the progression of the virus very closely,” explained Dean of Academics Dr. Tim Lance. “We had many things to consider, but the health and safety of our close-knit community took priority. After the announcement was made, it took us a little over one week to adapt our academic program for full-time online learning, establish contact with all of our students who were all over the world, and get everyone up to speed in using the new, online tools. Although we continued to perfect the system throughout the semester, we started off strong and our quick turnaround was truly impressive,” he continued.
How Did It Work?
Using a combination of online platforms including Zoom, Google, and the School’s integrated academic platform Blackbaud, teachers held classes at the same times they would conduct them in their classrooms on a normal school day. Students from locations across the world were able to join their classes in real time. For those located in different time zones, recordings of their class sessions were posted for their future use, and students had the opportunity to get help from their teachers during virtual office hours.
“The dynamic was very natural and organic,” continued Dr. Lance. “The overwhelming majority of our students were very proactive and participated actively. Along with the academics, having a schedule and being able to connect again with friends helped to relieve some of their anxiety about the future, and provided a sense of normalcy.”
After the first week of online classes, the news about positive experiences began to come in. For example, dance instructor Mrs. Jacobson was very happy to report that her first virtual dance classes using the Zoom platform were a great success. All of her students were in attendance and completed their dance routines from six different countries around the world, including Macao, Ukraine, South Korea, Malaysia, Canada, and the United States.
“At the start, I was concerned that conducting my class online wouldn’t provide the same experience for my dancers,” explained Mrs. Jacobson. “It was different, but we all adapted quickly and it ended up being a lot of fun. I’m so proud of all my students for “attending” class on time and dancing from home.”
Dr. Lance also reported that his initial math classes went exceptionally well with the use of the live shared whiteboard function in Zoom: “Using the live whiteboard, I was able to work through problems and do corrections on the board for the students just as I would in my own classroom,” he commented.
Evaluation and Improvement
Once the Virtual School was up and running, the faculty turned their attention toward evaluating what was working and what needed improvement. Dean of Faculty and English Department Chair Jeremy Freeman, who was part of the team who initially worked to move our academics online, now took on the task of gathering feedback and making recommendations on how to further improve the online learning experience for our students.
“I wouldn’t say the transition to online learning was seamless, but the first month of online classes certainly felt like a success, and it continued to get better after that,” explained Mr. Freeman. “Consistent student attendance in virtual classrooms and advisories was an initial concern; however, looking at the records, teachers reported consistently that they were making contact with all of their students, and most students were eager to attend classes.”
“We also found that class sizes ranging from 10-15 students turned out to be ideal for making personal contact with students as a group or in individual meetings. Giving individualized feedback on assignments within a 48-hour window was also very manageable. Sending a personal email or setting up an individual conference with a student when necessary was also easy to do which helped to maintain more individualized contact using our online tools and platforms,” he continued.
Zoom was the Hero
According to Mr. Freeman, Blackbaud and Google Drive formed a great baseline to begin building what would become remote classrooms. “Once we added Zoom, Google Meet, and Google Classroom to the mix, just about anything became possible. The big surprise was how quickly everyone learned how to operate as a Zoom Host and how many ‘grassroots’ types of meetings emerged. We had teachers organizing practice meetings to try out new features in Zoom, such as break-out rooms, the whiteboard feature, and screen sharing. The Math, Science, and Art departments taught each other how to use tablets that are paired with the Zoom whiteboard. These tools made it easier to draw diagrams, demonstrate drawing techniques, or write out chalkboard-style math problem solutions.”
Online Challenges
“There were a few technical issues and we had some teachers who needed updated or new laptops, but that was quickly taken care of. We ordered stylus/tablets which made whiteboarding easier on Zoom, and teachers stepped up quickly to master their use,” continued Mr. Freeman.
The question of how to reach students in different time zones while still keeping the class synchronized took some deliberation. “Some teachers arranged for evening classes once or twice a week so that students in remote time zones could join classes earlier in their days. All teachers provided some video component to each class, whether a screencast or a recording of the class. This way, a student could miss a class but still observe and integrate the learning that happened live. Some opted to set aside a day each week for individual conferences and check-ins to keep the daily connectivity going as much as possible,” he continued.
“There was an initial concern that these methods wouldn’t work, but students on other continents were actually very appreciative of these extra measures. I know in my class, even though they were not required to, and that a video of the class was made available to watch during the day, some students still stayed up a bit late to join the class,” he explained.
New Goals
Looking toward the start of the fall semester, Dr. Lance sees the School’s successful transition to online teaching and learning as a stepping stone toward the future. “Depending on the circumstances, online learning may become a necessary and permanent installment as part of the School’s academic offering,” he explained. “We have found that the School’s mission, in part, can be delivered successfully in this virtual setting. Based on what we’ve learned, we’re looking at further improvements and new ways to keep our students engaged with the material while learning online. Whatever course events take in the near future, we’ll be ready. It seems online learning in some form or another is here to stay,” explained Dr. Lance.
Kudos
Both Dr. Lance and Mr. Freeman agree that despite the sometimes deep learning curve the School faced, the faculty was outstanding during the entire process. “As is often the case in a crisis, people rise to the occasion and embrace the ‘growth mindset.’ With so many questions and unknowns, teachers were extremely proactive in identifying the help they would need and the help they could give. There were a lot of teachers who were teaching teachers and then sharing what they discovered and learned in the process,” they continued.
“I’m very proud of how our entire school community has come together to make this happen, and make it successful,” said Head of School Jonathan Lamb at the conclusion of the semester. “Kudos to Dr. Lance, Mr. Freeman, and all of our faculty and staff for stepping up to do everything necessary for us to make the switch so quickly and seamlessly. To our students who are located all over the world, I congratulate them for their enthusiasm and active participation during these difficult circumstances and for completing their spring semester successfully. I also want to thank all of our parents and guardians for their support and open communication with us since these changes began.”
“Looking toward the fall semester and beyond, our faculty will continue to look for innovative ways to teach their classes and engage their students online, and we’ll be prepared to deliver our mission of inspiring our students toward academic success and confidence in a learning environment that embraces character, balance and trust amid whatever circumstances arise,” continued Mr. Lamb.
