Adapting to online learning is easier for some Pierce schools than others. Here’s why
As schools across the state finish up their third week of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, plans for online learning are starting to take shape in Pierce County.
For some, like the Bethel School District and Tacoma private school Bellarmine Prep, online learning started weeks ago, largely in part because most students there already having take-home devices like iPads and laptops.
For some districts, like Tacoma Public Schools, laptops were distributed this week to students who need them.
What remote online learning looks like from the ground floor can vary from school to school, class to class.
In a media conference on March 26, state Superintendent Chris Reykdal encouraged school districts to use digital and online resources when developing learning plans but said he didn’t expect all districts to be able to do so.
From video meetings as a class to phone calls from teachers, here’s how some schools are working to comply with the state’s directive that learning must continue.
The transition
School districts in Pierce County generally agree that transitioning an entire learning system online is not an easy thing to do.
When Gov. Jay Inslee announced all schools statewide would close to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on March 13, school staff were left without much of a playbook on how to proceed.
But some districts had an advantage over others.
The Bethel School District, which serves 20,000 kids in Pierce County, started remote online learning within a matter of days after the governor’s announcement, said Jennifer Bethman, assistant superintendent for Bethel’s secondary schools.
All of Bethel’s students have their own iPads as part of the district’s one-to-one initiative to provide digital tools to all its students. Students grades six to 12 already take those iPads home. Bethel was one of the first districts in the county to implement a one-to-one program.
The program, which was made possible when voters first passed a technology levy in 2014, allows students to work with software on their device to communicate with teachers and upload assignments, both in school and at home.
“We were able to adapt relatively quickly,” Bethman said.
The same goes for Bellarmine Prep, a private school in Tacoma serving about 900 students grades 9-12. Bellarmine also has a one-to-one program and had an online learning plan up and running as early as March 16.
“I think if the kids haven’t had that practice in using (their devices) in a variety of ways it would have been a bigger struggle,” said Bellarmine vice principal Jody DeGroot.
Meanwhile, for districts without one-to-one programs, there’s a greater challenge.
Tacoma Public Schools, which serves 30,000, started handing out 2,500 laptops for students this week and ran out on Thursday. The district is awaiting an order for a second round of distribution.
Even school districts with a leg up are facing challenges, particularly when it comes to identifying and connecting students without access to the internet.
Connecting students to the web
Homeless students are some of the most vulnerable populations when it comes to accessing online learning opportunities.
About 550 of Bethel’s 20,000 students are considered homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act.
Staff know who they are and are actively reaching out to make sure they have what they need, said Bethman.
At Bellarmine Prep, a private school, the administration already knew how many families had access to the internet.
“Since we started one-to-one, we started inquiring into families about Wi-Fi access,” said Cindy Davis, a Bellarmine Prep principal.
For those without access, districts are using Wi-Fi hotspots to connect students to the web.
Prior to the closure, Bethel had 300 hotspots. Those devices have been deployed to students that need them, and the district has another order coming, Bethman said.
White River School District also is a one-to-one district serving Pierce County students and has deployed 200 hotspots to students without Wi-Fi, The News Tribune previously reported.
What does online learning look like?
School officials recognize a classroom setting can’t be replicated online.
Some teachers are trying to connect to students all at once, while others meet one-on-one.
Bethel teachers have outlined what they want their students to learn during the closure, according to Bethman.
“Our teachers are trying to find ways to assess student learning of those standards,” she said.
Currently, there’s no specific guidance from the state when it comes to grading materials.
Bethel teachers are asked to connect with their students at least once a week, although many do more often, either as a class or in smaller groups.
They use the video conference tool Zoom, Google Hangouts or another platform available on their devices to connect. Zoom appears to be the favorite for most, since students can connect by phone and don’t need to use a laptop or tablet.
“What we’re finding is that it’s important for our teachers to have office hours,” Bethman said. “All teachers have an identified time where they can meet with groups of students.”
Bellarmine Prep does the same — classes meet online through Moodle, a learning management system already available on the one-to-one devices. Teachers are expected to be available to students when their class periods would typically take place during the school day.
“Depending on the course, students may expect a series of smaller assignments or a longer assignment intended to take place over the course of the week,” according to Bellarmine Prep’s remote learning plan. “If faculty determine it is necessary, they may assign appropriate home-based assessments such as online quizzes, papers, projects, videos, online discussion posts, etc.”
Bethel takes student privacy and security into consideration when using the video conference tools, Bethman said, but for families that are not interested in it, they are provided hard copy learning packets. Students can take a picture of their assignments and email them to teachers.
Teaching elementary students compared to secondary students looks a bit different.
Bethel’s elementary teachers are mostly communicating through a lot of phone calls and emails to families, Bethman said. While all elementary students have their own devices, they don’t take them home.
When asked if elementary students would be able to take those devices home in the future, Bethman said it’s an option.
“We’re considering it,” she said. “We’re waiting to see what happens.”
‘Something to look forward to’
When running a class online, it’s important to give students something to look forward to, Bethman said.
It won’t be the same, but “your classroom environment and culture still has to be there,” she said.
Some teachers have told students to “wear sunglasses today,” or “wear your hoodie today.”
“One teacher decided to have the kids share their pets for the day,” DeGroot said.
Some teachers are getting creative.
In Bethel’s Graham-Kapowsin High School, band teacher David Stewart asked his students to submit recordings of themselves performing the same song and edited the video into a concert.
Administrators are trying not to put too many expectations on educators.
‘They’re not hired to be online teachers,” said DeGroot.
“It’s a ton of work for our teachers to shift to a new instruction strategy, so we have to be realistic,” said Bethman.
When asked about the response from teachers about how the plan has been going, DeGroot said, “It’s a spectrum.”
“Everyone is overwhelmed, to a degree,” she said.
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
