Learning Anytime Anywhere

Link to University of Waikato IPL site with more info on remote learning.

Covid-19 has just been declared a pandemic (march 2020) and many schools around the world are closed  to help limit the spread. While in NZ we are not at that stage with only 28 cases so far (as of 19.3.20), we should face the possibility that we could be a similar position in the not too distant future.
Pre-planning can mean a smooth transition if we need to deliver education online to our learners. Many of the steps that can be taken will be beneficial to students even if schools do not need to close.
Some schools are already in a good position to transition to online learning.  Those who have already set up and are using Google Classroom, OneNote Class Notebook, Seesaw, Microsoft Teams or similar options will find it relatively easy to move to online learning.
One point to note here is that online learning does not mean that learners will need to sit glued to screens all day. What is delivered online could (and indeed should) involve plenty of physical and hands-on activities eg a Checklist of physical activities to choose from,  motivation for an art activity or description of a simple science experiment/observation to undertake.
There are going to be some learners who are unable to access online learning and for them alternative arrangements will need to be made but the majority will have at least some access and if learners have choices about how they complete tasks that include offline options then this will help more learners to be able to carry on with their learning at home.

Schools or classes that have not already set up something like Google Classroom, OneNote Class Notebook, Seesaw  or Microsoft Teams should think about doing so in the near future.  Even if schools do not close these are extremely useful tools for use in the classroom. Once they are set up they need to be used so learners get familiar with them before they are needed. Parents/whānau should be informed about how these work and where needed (eg in Seesaw) have their account linked to their child's.
These platforms can then be used to deliver the daily programme to learners who then post their responses back to the teacher for feedback and next steps. Parents and peers can also be involved in the feedback process.

There are many educational companies offering free access or upgrade options for schools that need to close. A list of some of these can be found here.

For writing, cartoons and multi-media options Book Creator is useful. Teachers can create a library with spots for 40 books for free and when learners have finished the books can be published online then the library archived and a new one created. Numerous possibilities for using this across all curriculum areas and contexts.

Learners who already use Mathletics, Studyladder, Prodigy or similar options can of course continue as usual with teachers setting them work targeted at their needs or learners setting their own goals. Learners who are familiar with Scratch can work on solutions to problems or tasks by creating games, stories, activities etc. There are numerous tutorials for those just getting started. Code.org and Hour of Code have lots of tutorials to work through and more coding options can be found here.

Teachers can create videos for their learners using a variety of options eg Seesaw, ipad and phone cameras, Book Creator or the Screencastify Chrome extension, and then share to students.
Options for collecting learner voice include Seesaw, Padlet Google Forms and Google Classroom. Flipgrid is also a fantastic way to gather student voice anywhere, any place, so they can explain their learning or post questions or talk about their successes and challenges.

This is also a great opportunity for teachers to explore options like Google Sites which can be useful as a place to store videos and other resources so learners can easily access them. These are free to set up and easy to create - drag and drop. Options like Google Hangouts and Zoom can also provide options to connect with learners.

Learners can also work on independent inquiries at home. They can decide on their focus, discuss with their teacher and peers then work on it at their own pace at home. Some ideas and resources can be found here. The possibilities are endless.

More info on remote learning here.

Some more useful resources:
MoE Learning at Home site
Waikato University IPL Website with links and info on remote learning.
Teaching Online
Using Zoom for meetings
Enabling Hangouts Meetings for GSuite
Newslea free access
Seesaw - set up remote codes for learners who use codes to sign in
Free Mystery Science lessons
Ultimate Collection of Resources for remote Learning
eLearning templates and tutorials