The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely challenging for Roblin Elementary School. Last March, like all other schools across the world, we were unprepared for school during a pandemic. Out of necessity we made many changes to offer meaningful learning for our students.
With all of the difficulties faced, it is easy to focus on the negatives that occurred throughout the pandemic. However, the pandemic has also had many positive impacts. I have seen our school community pull together and work collaboratively more than they ever have, students and staff have adapted and changed to meet new health guidelines, and everyone has shown great resiliency and innovation.
There have also been positive impacts on student learning caused mainly by a greater integration of technology in the classroom. These changes will be long lasting and will improve teaching and learning long after the pandemic is over. While there is nothing that can replace in-person learning, greater use of technology in the classroom is helping us to better prepare our students to join the 21st century workforce by laying the ground work that will help them become productive citizens in a modern economy. I will briefly describe some of the positive impacts that technology has had on Roblin Elementary School during the pandemic.
Teachers are using digital platforms to increase transparency and communication. At Roblin Elementary our Kindergarten to Grade 4 teachers are using a platform called Seesaw. Seesaw allows teachers to upload images or short videos of student work and share them instantly with parents. Parents can immediately see what their child has done and they receive feedback on student learning and progress. Teachers are also able to post assigned work that can be completed electronically. If a student is away, they are able to catch up on some of the work they miss. It also allows students the ability to further practice and apply what they have learned in class.
Digital platforms like Teams and Seesaw are allowing teachers to pre-record and share lessons with students and colleagues. For students, videos of their teacher’s lessons, that they can go back and re-watch at any time, are very powerful tools. A student that does not immediately grasp a concept can review a video multiple times or watch it before class to be better prepared. A student that is anxious and does not want to ask for help can view the video as many times as needed. When it comes time to study, these videos are very helpful. Teachers can easily share successful lessons and teaching strategies with colleagues through video examples. This technology is allowing our students to access learning and support any time they need it.
We have teachers that are using platforms to share individualized work and assessments with their entire class at the same time. Teachers are creating pre-made audio/video recordings of assessments. They then upload these assessments to a digital platform and assign it to students based on student ability. The student then takes a device with headphones and completes the assessment electronically. In the past, this type of differentiation would have required a great deal of support staff and time to implement. Now teachers are able to more efficiently meet the needs of their students with the assistance of available technology.
The use of technology in the classroom is teaching students new skills. Teachers are able to produce assignments that are done digitally. These assignments are not just a replication of paper and pencil work but a complete redesign of traditional assignments. Students learn a vast array of applicable skills to complete this digital work. Students are learning core curriculum content alongside transferable skills that they are using every day. These skills that students are learning are often the same skills many adults are using in their careers. Technology is also allowing students to collaborate and work together as a team on the same assignment simultaneously from different locations. Collaboration and teamwork help students learn key skills that are needed in a changing world.
The use of technology is fun and exciting for students. Our teachers have always done an excellent job of creating interesting lessons that ignite the desire of a child to learn and discover. Further technology incorporation has made this job easier and our students are more engaged than ever. Children that are completing work on a tablet or laptop often think they are playing a game and do not always realize that they are completing valuable learning tasks. Students are also eager to learn in this way because it is very easy for them to see how they can apply and transfer the work they are doing at school to their day-to-day lives.
With increased technology there are also challenges. We need to be mindful that technology is being used to enhance learning, not just as a gimmick. The use of technology needs to be done alongside in-person learning; technology is not a replacement. Everyone needs to be continually educated about appropriate use of technology and made aware of some of the risks that come with it. We also must be able to acquire the devices needed, along with the necessary internet capability, to be successful. If the internet and devices are not adequate, incorporating technology becomes nothing more than a frustration.
Technology in the classroom is not new, but the pandemic has forced us to become more reliant on it and incorporate it in new ways, resulting in long-term improvements to teaching and learning at Roblin Elementary. Technology cannot replace in-person learning, but when combined with effective teaching, we are seeing increased learning. Our children are being better prepared to enter a technological and competitive world.