Last Week at One Schoolhouse: So Far, Only 58% Planning To Include Online Courses In Their 21/22 Offerings

If there’s one big takeaway from the COVID-19 pandemic for education, it’s that teaching well online is increasingly, and critically, important because online learning is here. For good. Last week at One Schoolhouse, we asked if you are planning to include online courses in your 2021-2022 course offerings? Only 58% of respondents have plans to so far. However, as you continue to continue to think ahead to the 21/22 school year, we encourage you to consider the place of online learning. This spring’s emergency pivot online revealed that most schools had limited online and hybrid learning experience. Going forward, schools must place a greater value on online learning and incorporate aspects of it in their approach to teaching. How? For starters, ask yourself, "What have we always wanted to do?" and "What have we learned from the last 7 months than we can carry forward in our work?" With online learning, schools have an opportunity to: connect students globally in a diverse and changing world; offer a greater breadth of elective offerings, language strands, and advanced math and science courses; explore staggered scheduling, pod-learning and micro-school models; take advantage of your campus and more place-based learning; and think about their finances and funding differently. There isn't a downside to offering students more ways to engage with course content and material, whether the classroom is in-person or online. Simply put, if you want today’s — and tomorrow’s — students to learn and succeed, you need to embrace the opportunities that online learning provides rather than trying to simply "return to normal." Ways to Engage: 2021-2022 Consortium School Survey: On Friday, we sent along our fall survey to consortium schools asking what courses we should offer for students and faculty in summer 2021 and the 2021-2022 school year. As you know, we build offerings based on their course needs. Not a part of the consortium and want to learn more about partnership? Click here . Resources to Read & Watch: Remote Learning Has Been A Disaster For Many Students, But Some Kids Have Thrived : This Hechinger Report article on how online learning has brought unexpected benefits to some students who were previously distracted, bored or anxious in school. Staying Connected Through Morning Message Videos : This short Edutopia clip is about how recording short, fun videos for your students every day can help build community and consistency during distance learning. A hybrid education format is sticking around. Here’s how we can improve the model : FastCompany article on how the most successful versions of combined online and in-person instruction will need to prioritize connectivity and foster community. Online Learning Is Here To Stay : Did you catch Corinne's, our Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning, blog this week? She blogged about how schools found out that teachers can shift their pedagogy, students can adapt to a different platform, and online learning can be part of what schools do going forward. Did you miss Wednesday's Academic Leaders Webinar with Sarah and Brad on how schools should weave online learning into their curriculum in a post-COVID world? You don't want to miss this one. Watch a recording here . ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

This spring’s emergency pivot online revealed that most schools had limited online and hybrid learning experience. Going forward, schools must place a greater value on online learning and incorporate aspects of it in their approach to teaching. How? For starters, ask yourself, "What have we always wanted to do?" and "What have we learned from the last 7 months than we can carry forward in our work?"

With online learning, schools have an opportunity to:

connect students globally in a diverse and changing world;
offer a greater breadth of elective offerings, language strands, and advanced math and science courses;
explore staggered scheduling, pod-learning and micro-school models;
take advantage of your campus and more place-based learning;
and think about their finances and funding differently.

There isn't a downside to offering students more ways to engage with course content and material, whether the classroom is in-person or online. Simply put, if you want today’s — and tomorrow’s — students to learn and succeed, you need to embrace the opportunities that online learning provides rather than trying to simply "return to normal."

Ways to Engage:

2021-2022 Consortium School Survey: On Friday, we sent along our fall survey to consortium schools asking what courses we should offer for students and faculty in summer 2021 and the 2021-2022 school year. As you know, we build offerings based on their course needs. Not a part of the consortium and want to learn more about partnership? Click here.

Resources to Read & Watch:

Remote Learning Has Been A Disaster For Many Students, But Some Kids Have Thrived: This Hechinger Report article on how online learning has brought unexpected benefits to some students who were previously distracted, bored or anxious in school.
Staying Connected Through Morning Message Videos: This short Edutopia clip is about how recording short, fun videos for your students every day can help build community and consistency during distance learning.
A hybrid education format is sticking around. Here’s how we can improve the model: FastCompany article on how the most successful versions of combined online and in-person instruction will need to prioritize connectivity and foster community.
Online Learning Is Here To Stay: Did you catch Corinne's, our Assistant Head for Teaching & Learning, blog this week? She blogged about how schools found out that teachers can shift their pedagogy, students can adapt to a different platform, and online learning can be part of what schools do going forward.

Did you miss Wednesday's Academic Leaders Webinar with Sarah and Brad on how schools should weave online learning into their curriculum in a post-COVID world? You don't want to miss this one. Watch a recording here.