Distance Learning Resources with Forward Edge
As schools and universities move online due to state-wide lock downs and safety concerns from the corona virus, many schools have had a challenging time adjusting to the new environment. Students have very different interactions with teachers and peers in this situation, and this translates to very different ways that their needs have to be filled. Our C&I (Curriculum & Integration) team has spent hundreds of hours developing a distance learning best practices guide complete with various resources, templates, and examples from other districts to help schools develop distance learning plans for the upcoming fall.
Best Practices for All
This site (access it here) contains a wide variety of questions and the answers to those questions. Katie Ritter, Forward Edge’s Director of C&I, stated, “It is important to note that the resources accessible in the site were not developed in isolation by our team. They are best practices that were developed in partnership with current district administrators and teachers.” The strategies outlined in the guide have been proven to help solve real issues. Forward Edge is aiming to combine our collective knowledge with our customers to help others avoid the hurdles of transitioning to a digital environment.
Guided Structure
The distance learning resource guide is structured as “problem and solution” style with the landing page containing 12 common questions/issues districts struggle with, relating to data privacy, teacher training, and engaging students over digital media. Each topic has a case study from a school that has already implemented and influenced the processes on the guide. One of the best resources in the guide is the skills road map. Ritter noted, “We took our previous digital road map that was geared for face to face instruction and formed it into a distance learning resource. They can adapt the template for their own needs but it is a great starting point.” The skills road map articulates exact skills that districts who are successful in distance learning have adopted, as shown partially below:
The best way to go about accessing the resources will vary from district to district, each with their own unique needs. Picking and choosing specific needs may work better for school districts with more staff, while those with less staff may benefit more from combing through each site page systematically. The user interface of the guide allows easy navigation and the search feature lets districts drill down to their specific need. No matter which way your school district uses the distance learning resource guide, Forward Edge is here to partner with you to ease your transition to digital learning. Are you excited about using this resource? Send us an email at dl@forward-edge.net to see what else we can do for you!