Learning from a distance Reflections on the remote learning response to COVID-19, from Henk van Hout, Global Head of Shell Education Services.
Henk van Hout (above) is well known and respected throughout the world of education for his commitment to high quality learning at national and international levels. His career in education spans 40 years, 13 of which he has led Shell Education Services as the Global Head. In this capacity, he is co-responsible for Shell and Shell affiliated school operations in Oman, Nigeria, Brunei and Russia. Henk is also a member of School Boards in Malaysia and Qatar, for organisations outside of the Shell group, and he is involved at a governance level in Shell Education projects such as NXplorers. School Closure on a Global Scale The outbreak of COVID-19 has pushed schools across the world into uncharted territory, with closure for some announced within a matter of hours of
government directives. The shift from classroom settings, that we are familiar and comfortable with, has resulted in challenges that we may not have considered possible only weeks ago. Few would have thought that shortly after welcoming in a new decade, we would be impacted by a global pandemic, putting families in lockdown around the world. In April 2020, UNESCO estimated that school closure is impacting over 91% of the world’s student population. Data indicates that there are 1,575,270,054 affected students out of a total of 91.3% enrolled students, within 191 country-wide closures. These figures correspond to the number of students enrolled at preprimary, primary, secondary, and tertiary level education (Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics data). Data indicates that other countries implementing localised closures are impacting millions of additional students. There has never been a greater need to strengthen home-school partnerships and reevaluate what and how students learn. Whilst teachers, parents and students have, by and large, embraced the educational challenges presented to them, as weeks of school closures turn into months, new questions are emerging. Many parents are asking: ‘Are we doing enough, can we do better and what else should we be doing?’ Henk van Hout is well placed to steer school communities in times of crisis, having supported those
located in areas of civil unrest and humanitarian emergencies during his time with Shell Education Services. Most recently, in 2014, Henk supported schools in Nigeria during a period of closure as a result of the Ebola virus epidemic. In this interview, Henk is asked how well remote learning is being implemented across the schools he works with and what advice he can offer to those who are seeking reassurance. During your career in education, you have seen many changes in approaches to teaching, and more specifically, how students learn. Do you feel that students today are well equipped to learn remotely? Henk: Students today have a combination of different skills and resources that makes it easier for them to learn remotely compared to even a decade ago. The tools students have available through digital devices such as iPhones, computers and tablets means they can access knowledge within seconds. Information can be generated, stored and retrieved with a few clicks, making researching and recording a simplified process. Digital devices are almost like an extension of a student’s body, many haven’t experienced life without such technology.
David (above) and Maiden (below), both Middle Years students at Rumukoroshe School, Nigeria, use Google Classroom to complete their Maths, Science and Music learning.
Connor (P2) from Sakhalin International School, Russia, engages in remote learning conversations with his teacher.
Omar (P6) from Panaga School, Brunei, works well on his Maths tasks and checks for updates posted by his teacher.
Students are increasingly connected to virtual worlds that some adults would find difficult to navigate. In the past 10 years, there has been an explosion in the availability of technology with the capacity to transform education. In this respect, students are well placed to learn remotely; for them, it’s the natural way to learn. Many students can’t imagine a world where they can’t ‘see’ people on a mobile device, regardless of where they are. We need to acknowledge that this availability is not across the board, with some students having limited or no access to technology. This is where we need businesses and governments stepping up to close gaps and supporting those in need. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, we have seen examples of this happening in some countries. Schools are increasingly supporting students to develop the skill sets needed to become ‘independent and interdependent’ learners in an everchanging world. This means that students become competent in both learning by themselves and through collaborating with others across all age groups. Learning in this way really underpins what we are seeing in all aspects of remote learning. Many students are working on independent projects, developing personal interests, and at the same time, they are collaborating with peers by sharing ideas and contributing to group projects. The schools I work with value academic, personal and international learning and development equally. We are seeing that the personal qualities and dispositions that students have developed have prepared them well for the COVID-19 outbreak.
Lucy (P6) from Sakhalin International School, Russia, researches then makes her own bread, as a part of her IPC task.
Rumukoroshe School, Nigeria, students, Akeisha (MP3 - above) and Aliya (MP1 - below), now in Australia, start their daily lessons after breakfast. Akeisha uses Edmodo to do Hamilton Maths and English and Aliya completes extension activities, bought from the local newsagency.
Liam (P1) from Panaga School, Brunei, tries his hand at entomology by learning about the different habitats of various insects, as a part of the IEYC’s “The Brilliant Bug Ball” unit.
Uchenna (Early Years) from Rumukoroshe School, Nigeria, attempts a phonics game on her tablet, at her home in Nigeria.
Students are demonstrating great resilience, adaptability, communication and cooperation skills and putting thoughtfulness, morality, enquiry and respect into action in new situations every day. Change, in education, can often be a slow process, but COVID-19 has forced schools to act quickly, and because many of our students are well equipped for life beyond the classroom, we are seeing excellent results in how well they are learning and fulfilling our mission of: ‘Through excellent teaching and organisation, maximise learning in a way that enables children to achieve high social, personal and academic standards, enjoy learning, adapt to other education systems and develop both a national and an international perspective.’
Lila and Riley (both P6) from Panaga School, Brunei, learn and laugh “together” thanks to FaceTime.
Is there anything about the schools you work with that you consider sets them apart when it comes to remote learning and crisis management?
Siblings, Finn (P4 - above) and Sophie (M1 below), from Sakhalin International School, Russia, enjoy the extra space at home as they tackle their remote learning tasks.
Henk: Shell is a global company, operating in many countries, and it has a wealth of experience in crisis management. The company is familiar with dealing with extraordinary situations driven at both international and national levels. Since taking up my role, I have been involved in many challenging circumstances that have resulted in teachers and families being evacuated, including acts of terrorism, civil war, political unrest and country-wide epidemics. Shell has the capability of acting swiftly and making decisions in the best interest of employees, at short notice. Our multidisciplinary workforce ensures we have the specialist support needed for all aspects of crisis management.
Giselle (Middle Years) from Rumukoroshe School, Nigeria, concentrates on the tasks given to her by her Nigerian teachers, Stone and Segun.
In addition, we have a rigorous recruitment process that helps us to match candidates for leadership and teaching roles to the competencies that are needed in challenging situations. This gives me the reassurance that schools have committed and dedicated teams, with the ability to step up in an emergency. I am very proud of the way teachers, support staff and leadership teams have responded to the current situation. I have seen schools closing with only two hours’ notice and rolling out high quality online learning within days. In Shell, we believe in ‘care’ and ‘community’ and the current situation has demonstrated that staff in our schools are great advocates for both. Unlike schools that buy in ad hoc consultancy services, we work in collaboration with a team of consultants from Fieldwork Education every week of the year. Our consultants know each of our schools well having visited them multiple times. They are available to support all staff no matter where they are located. Whilst some schools are struggling to get support and many teachers are feeling isolated, our schools and staff are secure in the knowledge that they are not alone. Each week, I host a teleconference call with our consultants where we connect with all Head Teachers across the group. During the call, we update each other, offer advice and find out where targeted support might be needed. Having a robust support network and expertise at hand is crucial at this unprecedented time.
Some parents share concerns about not being able to replicate the classroom in their homes during the school closure period. What advice and reassurance can you offer? Henk: We need to remember that teachers in our schools are experts in the field of education, having studied for many years before qualifying, and have since gained experience in a range of schools. With this in mind, parents should not feel under pressure to recreate a classroom and implement a curriculum perfectly. Sometimes doing what we can, when we can and how best we can is enough, especially when life has thrown us something we’ve never experienced before. At this point in the academic year, teachers know the students in their classes very well. Be guided by the teachers, they are the professionals and they understand that home schooling isn’t always easy. Many teachers are facing similar challenges to the families they are supporting, and they understand this is a steep learning curve for most. At a time when we are experiencing different forms of separation anxiety, students need to feel safe, secure and nurtured. Looking after our own and our children’s wellbeing is a priority. Current research shows that brains struggle to learn and retain information when they experience high levels of stress. A balance of short periods of learning (pitched at the right level), physical activity, play and relaxation will gain better results than a demanding academic schedule. By creating manageable daily routines that
work for everyone, we are more likely to see success. When we see success, it needs to be celebrated – that’s exactly what happens in school! From the online platforms, school newsletters and social media posts that have been shared with me, I have seen many examples of student learning and parental engagement that we can be proud of. Whilst parents, students and teachers are all learning to adapt to the new norm, we can be assured that we are doing the best we can across our group of schools. Experts in the fields of education, social sciences and business are predicting that the current pandemic will be a catalyst for change in how we live, learn and work in the future. What is your view? Henk: This is an area of particular interest to me and something that I have discussed within my education and specialist networks for many years. Since the COVID19 outbreak, we’ve seen new ideas emerging and we are questioning approaches to teaching and learning that have followed the same model for over a century. At a time when businesses are striving to lower their carbon footprint, the time is right to observe and evaluate how we are responding to what is happening around us and learn from what is achieved in the current situation. In a short space of time, we are seeing clearer skies, wildlife flourishing and less energy being consumed.
If possible, maintain this approach at home and ask teachers about the strategies they use for different age groups.
Recently, a colleague remarked that in a matter of weeks, we seem to have skipped a few years and are getting closer to global climate control objectives. When we think about the future and how well many students are responding to remote learning, perhaps we need to ask if we should maintain an education system built around lessons that are dictated by a bell. This is the right moment in time to reflect on how schools operate. I am currently engaging with colleagues around the world in leading a Global Think Tank which will debate and challenge systems and structures that may need to change in response to life beyond COVID-19. I am looking forward to sharing this debate with school leaders.
Do you have a personal message for teachers and parents at this unique time in the history of education?
Elizabeth (Milepost 2), from Rumukoroshe School, Nigeria, completes her emailed tasks at her home in Nigeria.
Sakhalin International School, Russia, student, Riley (P5 - above), and her dad enjoy some learning time together; while brother, Carter (P3 - below), learns in the lap of luxury.
Thank you to everyone for your support, encouragement and commitment to education. By working as a united team, we will travel through this storm together and do the best we can for children of today and the next generation! Look after each other and stay safe and well.
Henk: I recognise that no two family situations are the same, and that some will require more support than others when it comes to remote learning. We are fortunate to have excellent support systems available, so please reach out and seek assistance whenever it is needed. As role models, adults have the greatest positive impact on children when we are calm, focused and maintain a sense of humour. Schools encourage students to talk about how they are feeling and help them to develop strategies for when things don’t go the way we would like them to, or when we are feeling sad, anxious or frustrated.
During each week, ensure there is a marked difference between learning and free time and make weekends as enjoyable as they can be. This is a challenging time for everyone, and with limited or no opportunity for social interaction, we are all waiting for normality to resume. However, we are also witnessing some heart-warming acts of kindness and generosity in our communities and seeing the world in a different light. There is a lot to learn about humanity and a lot of good coming out of a time when the world has been turned on its head.
- Henk van Hout, April 2020.
Credits: Introduction and interview by: Janice Ireland, Education Consultant for Shell and Shell affiliated schools Designed and edited by: Damian Brady, Digital Education Specialist Teacher and Publications Editor, Panaga School, Brunei
Panaga School, Brunei, siblings, Flora (P2) and Fergus (P5), begin their day by viewing their teachers’ Morning Mission videos.