Lots of Acceleration and Little Steering…yet – How do we Leverage Digital learning during and post Pandemic?

The introduction of new technologies has always brought with it a myriad of responses from users. For example, some are willing to wait in line for countless hours to be the first to own the latest and greatest cell phone, others cannot imagine being without a landline. Some find merit in both. Regardless of where each of us was a few months ago, technology has become an essential tool to address an urgent need as a result of the pandemic. The recent move to learn remotely has administrators, educators and students propelled into accelerated learning on the technology learning continuum.

When remote learning began, the key focus for many was on learning the basics of site navigate and content upload to the virtual learning environment. As familiarity with digital tools have increased at a rapid rate and basic skills are developing with greater automaticity many are using technology as an effective tool to be leveraged to enhance and transform teaching and learning.

Now that school systems have been accelerated into a digital world teaching and learning will forever be transformed to involve technology. The status quo will no longer suffice for many educators and students. Even so, anyone who has driven a vehicle knows that acceleration without steering can have dire consequences. School and system leaders need to consider how to effectively leverage new digital capabilities to support deeper pedagogy. When face to face learning resumes and the urgency of the pandemic is not a significant driver in the use of technology it will be imperative for us to consider how to keep the momentum going for effectively using technology in new and innovative ways in education.

We need to consider:

• What is your vision for digital in the next year?
• What conditions need to be in place to continue to leverage technology in schools to enhance learning?
• What are the ways that technology can be used for transformative learning and the creation of new learning opportunities that were previously inconceivable?
• What practices will need to discontinue?
• What is your first move?

We are currently in a state of flux in education with momentum to make significant strides in the use of digital technologies to support student achievement. Putting on the brakes when we return to a more familiar classroom experience should not be our next move. Now is the time for steering. Leaders have opportunity to choose the path rather than having the path chosen for us.

A Superintendent in another Board near us recently posted this Dave Hollis meme on her Twitter feed and it succinctly summarizes exactly what we need to continue to consider together as we move forward.