The Pivot to Remote Learning
In 2020-2021 we interviewed literacy workers in Ontario about blended learning and the pivot to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We worked with the intervirewees, identified themes and published the interviews in 2022.
We sorted their responses into the themes that came out of our conversations.
Some things that happened during the pivot
Phase 1
In the first phase of the pivot, LBS facilitators seem to be mostly focussed on learner-facilitator interaction. They were figuring out methods of staying in contact remotely by ascertaining:
who could stay in touch using digital technologies (who had access to devices and bandwidth);
who could stay in touch by phone (who had inexpensive data plans); and
who needed to have hardcopy content dropped off and picked up.
Phase 2
The second phase saw LBS facilitators focus on learner-content interaction.
Once they had figured out a delivery system for each learner or group of learners, what content would those learners have access to?
Phase 3
In the third and current phase, LBS workers are grappling with how to create remote curriculums that provide learners with opportunities to create, collaborate, communicate and think critically.
They are exploring ways to convert the emergency measures into a more complete blended learning approach.
See what happened next in the Maker Space.