School District 68 are continuing to navigate the new world of online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. (NLPS)

By Alex Rawnsley

SCHOOL'S OUT

‘This time we’re experiencing could potentially revolutionize education:’ Nanaimo teachers forging new online learning paths

May 4, 2020 | 9:14 AM

DNANAIMO — Local educators have been forced to reinvent the wheel in order to deliver continuing education for its 14,000 students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus, schools were closed by the province following March’s spring break. Online learning resumed in early April and has led teachers and administrators to rethink how they present their lessons.

Laura Tait, assistant superintendent for elementary programs told NanaimoNewsNOW the silver lining of the current shutdown is the opportunity to shape the future of schooling.

“This time we’re experiencing could potentially revolutionize education in a way that’s never happened before. Sometimes if we can put our actions first, our thinking will come along side.”

To support the revolution, the district has loaned out almost 2,000 laptops to students and is setting up affordable internet to around 150 families.

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Tait said the trailblazing of new course outlines has highlighted potential options for education after the pandemic.

“I think we can start to look forward a more student centred, inquiry based, discovery style learning versus direct instruction where the teacher is standing at the front of the class to students,” Tait said.

Don Balcombe, NLPS assistant superintendent for secondary programs said the transition to online learning has forced people out of their comfort zones and adopt new and creative approaches.

District use of online learning programs has spiked sharply, with an average of 1500 connections to video conferencing software every day. Before COVID-19, the service would be used around 25 times per day.

Discussions continue about how teachers and students will transition back into the classroom, whether it happens before or after summer break.

“We have some students with very complex needs and we’d like to be able to get in and support them between now and the end of June,” Balcombe said.

One of the major obstacles staff have had to overcome is the equity of education, which Balcombe said has been amplified during the transition to home schooling.

“A student who has a parent or grandparent who has a shop and a bunch of tools can take a lot of their learning home with them, other students cannot,” Balcombe said. “We have students who have lots of physical space, technology, parents who are able to support their learning and we have the other end of the continuum with families who are really struggling.”

Balcombe and Tait both said the only comparison remotely similar to the current situation is the return from extended strike action, however the added layer of physical distancing protocols makes what school’s are currently navigating truly unprecedented.

“As we run through these scenarios on what (returning to school) could look like, imagine doing that when you have to keep two metres of space between everyone,” Tait said. Trying to figure out how we’re going to make classrooms work, pass each other in the hallway.”

The province is due to provide an update in the coming days on lifting some restrictions as B.C. continues to post encouraging COVID-19 case numbers.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley