Distance Learning - Action Plan

[hyb80]

Hi All

 

This morning I was asked to put together a Coronavirus - distance learning - action plan in the event the school needed to close.

 

We use a mix of M365 and local storage and are slowly progressing, depending on department, on to using Teams as our main conduit to providing content to staff and students.

 

As yet I have had no guidance as what the powers that be want to able to provide so I am going on the premise that at bare minimum we provide videos of lessons via teams to student phones. (We do not have a 1:1 scheme)

 

A few pointers I have thought of to put in place a plan of action:

 

• Provide all/most content via Teams
  
• Departmental channels in Stream to provide embedded content in teams
  
• Utilise sharepoint for departmental shares and embed via teams
  
• Use built is screen recording function in powerpoint for teachers to create "videos of lessons"
  
• Teacher training on teams usage / creating content
  
• Scheduling of a lesson.
  

 

Anyway I was just wondering what other schools have in place or ideas you might have to enhance delivery.

 

Thanks

[paulkerton]

I'm already beginning refresher training on Google Classroom, and starting to screen record a lot of how-to guides for staff to utilise, should the issue arise.

SLT haven't approached us as of yet, but we figure its only a matter of time before they will so we're doing prep work.

 

Staff don't realise why the training is being put on. It's just refresher training to them, not "just in case we need to close due to Covid-19" training just yet, but anyone with half an eye on world events will probably figure it out.

[jthompson]

I suspect that in our case it would primarily be a case of ramping up the 'homework' workflows to 11. Homework tasks are all set online using EduLink and we have G Suite available. Some departments already use Classroom as their goto for lessons and homwork tasks anyway, but some other probably haven't touched it much.

 

The most effective measure here would therefore be to get all teaching staff familiarised with Classroom to some kind of minimum functional level, so that a combination of EduLink and Google Classroom can be expected from all departments.

[zzyzxuk]

We're now also putting together a plan for if the school has to close... Over the weekend I saw a very helpful 'checklist' for schools considering impromptu distance learning, but I didn't keep the link and can't find it now. Does anyone have any useful tips/ideas/things to be aware of when putting together a plan to suddenly start teaching online?

[hyb80]

We are lucky all teachers have laptops which double up as their teaching device.

 

As a lot of lessons are delivered via Powerpoint we are creating videos on how to create lessons using the screen recording function build into Office 2019. This will also capture audio via the mic. They can annotate and upload to Teams or embed into Stream.

 

We use Ruler / Locker which exports our classes directly into O365 via the School Data Sync which creates each class in teams. This can be accessed directly from mobile app or via the web browser.

 

I am also investigating the Live Event option built into Teams so teachers can provide a live lesson should they want to by streaming their desktop or via a visualiser.

[the_quick]

Not really a plan, but headteacher asked if I can put quick guides to classroom. I have mentioned meet for live learning and he liked the idea. We had already some teachers that used meet with a success.

As we use salamander and g suite, it is easy already. All classes already created in google classroom and it is easy to invite whole class (email group) to Meet.

[paulkerton]

All classes already created in google classroom and it is easy to invite whole class (email group) to Meet.

 

Class email groups don't appear in Gmail searches though, so is it that easy, or am i missing something? Personally I'd just create a meeting in my Google Calendar and then send the link into the Classroom!

[the_quick]

They do on ours, those classes email groups are created by Salamander, from Sims.

[paulkerton]

They do on ours, those classes email groups are created by Salamander, from Sims.

Ahh I see. We still ask staff to create their classes manually (at the moment, it's currently up for discussion!) so in that case, they don't.

I am pushing to move towards Wonde and synchronising classes here, sooner rather than later for this distance learning action plan I'm working on.

 

However, I'm not confident on the quality of the timetable data, so it's still up in the air.

 

Although utlimately I think the Government is hoping to delay any attempt at school closures around the Easter break, so they can be closed for 3 or 4 weeks, but not impact learning that heavily.

Edited March 9, 2020 by paulkerton

[PotNoodleTech]

Doing similar here only using google.

 

We could cover a lot of it with Google as many departments are using classroom day in day out.

 

It's going to be problematic for pupils (or teachers) with poor equipment levels or broadband access, and it is also problematic if you have departments that are still using files on a shard drive.

 

You can't recreate a school from home - I think all anyone can do is a best endeavors to provide the pupils with work - there's no way to make them actually do it at home!!

[paulkerton]

You can't recreate a school from home - I think all anyone can do is a best endeavors to provide the pupils with work - there's no way to make them actually do it at home!!

 

True, but my job is to help facilitate the possibility of it. If the kids decide not to do it, then thats for SLT to deal with.

[the_quick]

In the case school has to shut and it is requested that teachers try to teach remotely - only thing can be expected from teachers, is to reach as many as they can - but they will not be able to force students to do anything.

This would be up to the parents. As the school, we fulfil our obligation to provide access to education.

Edited March 10, 2020 by the_quick

[Zoom7000]

Check out this recorded webinar that the Google for Education team ran last week on how schools can get prepared for distance learning.

 

I'd also check out this Wakelet from Clay Smith which has a great collection of resources on distance learning and coronavirus related resources.

 

Clay has also offered to support where he can with schools working on a distance learning plan, so definitely reach out to him for further advice and ideas.

[Brimstone]

I've just been around 4 primaries that already use Seesaw and Showbie to help them put together distance learning plans, Seesaw have posted guides

 

https://web.seesaw.me/home-learning?mc_cid=d5fcef128a&mc_eid=522f9ee6fb

[kennysarmy]

Similar talks going on here.

 

We use Firefly for our VLE which will do most of what we need for distance learning alongside access to staff for the students via Email.

 

However, I've been asked to investigate how easy it would be to create a school YouTube channel so if required staff could upload "help" videos to alongside their Firefly content.

 

It looks as though a single YouTube Channel, when a YouTube content owner is created for the organisation, one user serves as the administrator for the content owner, the administrator can then invite other users to manage content for the content owner and assign content management permissions.

 

Presumably though every user contributing would need their own YouTube logon? Can I batch create some or would I need to perhaps do ONE per department?

 

Thoughts?

[TwistedHelixis]

I look after a few primary schools. One has SeeSaw, so they will use that for remote learning, the others are all G Suite schools, but the pupils do not have any accounts, so will probably just create Drive folders that are shared on the schools website for the teachers to upload some work into. Edited March 10, 2020 by TwistedHelixis

[mullet_man]

Hi All

 

This morning I was asked to put together a Coronavirus - distance learning - action plan in the event the school needed to close.

 

We use a mix of M365 and local storage and are slowly progressing, depending on department, on to using Teams as our main conduit to providing content to staff and students.

 

As yet I have had no guidance as what the powers that be want to able to provide so I am going on the premise that at bare minimum we provide videos of lessons via teams to student phones. (We do not have a 1:1 scheme)

 

A few pointers I have thought of to put in place a plan of action:

 

• Provide all/most content via Teams
  
• Departmental channels in Stream to provide embedded content in teams
  
• Utilise sharepoint for departmental shares and embed via teams
  
• Use built is screen recording function in powerpoint for teachers to create "videos of lessons"
  
• Teacher training on teams usage / creating content
  
• Scheduling of a lesson.
  

 

Anyway I was just wondering what other schools have in place or ideas you might have to enhance delivery.

 

Thanks

 

Thanks for this hybo80, I've setup a few Teams hastily and it turns out I've done most of those things already.

 

I've created a department channel for each year group on Stream so for example Year 7 - English and then teachers can upload straight to Stream from within Powerpoint. It would be nice if you could choose a channel when you upload but at the minute am checking Stream and then applying the videos to the correct channel.

 

Each channel is assigned to each Team Subject Channel.

 

The only thing we haven't tried yet is a "live" lesson, we are not sure if it would be good to have the kids on webcams, is there a way to disable webcams/microphones expect just for a presentor?

 

Cheers.

[ITGuyNW]

Thanks for this hybo80, I've setup a few Teams hastily and it turns out I've done most of those things already.

 

I've created a department channel for each year group on Stream so for example Year 7 - English and then teachers can upload straight to Stream from within Powerpoint. It would be nice if you could choose a channel when you upload but at the minute am checking Stream and then applying the videos to the correct channel.

 

Each channel is assigned to each Team Subject Channel.

 

The only thing we haven't tried yet is a "live" lesson, we are not sure if it would be good to have the kids on webcams, is there a way to disable webcams/microphones expect just for a presentor?

 

Cheers.

 

I was looking at going down this route but annoyingly when I tried recording in Powerpoint it says there's an error and stops.

[PotNoodleTech]

We are working on onboarding as many departments as possible onto google classroom so that they have *some* resources on there.

We've tested google meet/hangouts so theoretically a teacher could use their school supplied chromebook to run an online class.

 

One problem we have run into is departments with specialist software, some we can do nothing about e.g music software which kids will not have, others such as old activinspire flipcharts we are looking to try and convert to PDF so each resource can at least be uploaded.

Edited March 11, 2020 by PotNoodleTech

[paulkerton]

One problem we have run into is departments with specialist software, some we can do nothing about e.g music software which kids will not have, others such as old activinspire flipcharts we are looking to try and convert to PDF so each resource can at least be uploaded.

For music in particular, we switched from installed DAW software to Soundtrap and flat.io, so students can get them wherever they are. With ActivInspire, you can PDF convert or there is also Classflow that they could use.

 

I wouldn't suggest switching now just in case, but its something to consider once everything has settled down over the summer (and as we prepare for potential second waves of this in the winter)

[PotNoodleTech]

For music in particular, we switched from installed DAW software to Soundtrap and flat.io, so students can get them wherever they are. With ActivInspire, you can PDF convert or there is also Classflow that they could use.

 

I wouldn't suggest switching now just in case, but its something to consider once everything has settled down over the summer (and as we prepare for potential second waves of this in the winter)

 

Agreed.

 

Promethean is a problem full stop as it's so proprietary. In 2 years time we may have 0 Promethean boards and thus 0 licences to use the software. That will be problematic for the few departments that really flew with it and now have gigabytes of flipcharts.

[paulkerton]

Promethean is a problem full stop as it's so proprietary. In 2 years time we may have 0 Promethean boards and thus 0 licences to use the software. That will be problematic for the few departments that really flew with it and now have gigabytes of flipcharts.

 

It's just a shame Becta fell before they put the UK wide standards in place.

[Zoom7000]

Agreed.

 

Promethean is a problem full stop as it's so proprietary. In 2 years time we may have 0 Promethean boards and thus 0 licences to use the software. That will be problematic for the few departments that really flew with it and now have gigabytes of flipcharts.

 

I had to break the news to my teachers that Promethean were discontinuing ActivInspire back in 2016 (a decision they backtracked on) but it's pretty obvious that there is hardly any development going in to ActivInspire. We used to the news as a reason to push on with the change to Google Slides. A lot of teachers didn't like it, but I explained that we had to move this way to sustain ourselves for a financially insecure future, reduce our reliance on on-premise platforms and embrace 21st century cloud learning and productivity platforms. Those schools that did listen to this advice have a much easier distance learning transition than those who weren't willing to change. I've had many discussions with schools telling them that you can't just simply expect to set up a platform and then start using it. It's a process that requires training and active use to enable the cultural change required to move forward with it.

[mullet_man]

Next thing is I need to work out how to stop students creating their own Teams just found a team called Random Student Chat Room created by a Y7 pupil!

 

DELETE!

[hyb80]

I had to disable everyone from creating groups. Then allowed it by GPO for staff. Cant remember exactly what I did though will have a look.

 

EDIT: This https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/create-groups/manage-creation-of-groups?view=o365-worldwide

Edited March 11, 2020 by hyb80