E-learning opportunities: Students and teachers suddenly enter world of virtual learning

JO DAVIESS COUNTY–Local educators and students are adapting in real time to school moving out of the classroom to an online delivery format through at least April 7 as a result of COVID-19.

Sara Wentz, Scales Mound School art teacher, explained that educators in her district have gathered all sorts of learning opportunities for students in hopes of keeping up the learning momentum. Wentz said since the faculty isn’t allowed to require students to turn in assignments or grade their work during this two-week period, this seemed the best option.

“For art, I sent home packets or posted them on Google Classroom of suggested art activities–drawing, making, building, creating,” said Wentz. “I did my best to encourage my students to do them, to help pass the time, and then share them with me (or have their parents share them with me). I also plan to provide other artistic opportunities and suggestions periodically throughout this whole debacle.”

Wentz said if school is cancelled beyond March 30, faculty have discussed using two e-learning days–the ones that would have been used this past winter for inclement weather. During those days, students would be required to complete something and turn it in for a grade and for her, that would be one of the many suggestions she offered them.

Wentz offered these examples:

•kindergarten–Draw and color the food you ate for one meal today.

•first grade–Draw and color something using only the secondary colors.

•second grade–Draw something using only one color and the tints and shades of that color.

•third grade–Draw and color something using a complementary color scheme.

•fourth grade–Make flour salt dough and then make something with it.

•fifth grade–Create a color wheel using objects you find at home and then take a picture.

•junior high–Go to YouTube and watch a video (link included), and draw along.

•high school–Complete your two required fourth quarter sketchbook drawings.

 

Students begin e-learning

Will Kieffer, junior at East Dubuque High School, said that the school has prepared the students for the challenging times ahead.

East Dubuque High School held an assembly on Monday, March 16, the last day of school prior to the closure, to discuss the information that they are aware of and to prepare students for the road ahead, as best they can.

“Right away Monday morning we had an assembly, talked about safety, why we were doing this and talked to us more about Google Classroom,” said Kieffer. “Monday we had half of a class where we kept learning and the other half was making sure everyone was ready for this e-learning process.“

Kieffer said that they had been preparing a few weeks prior in preparation for the unknown, but that everything happened so quickly that they were lucky to have the extra day of class.

“Over the previous couple of days they got us ready, even though they weren’t sure what was happening, when or if the school would close,” said Kieffer. “They were able to get us set up on Google Classroom and told us to take our books home with us every day, just in case.”

Kieffer said that teachers at East Dubuque have worked closely with students to ensure they were adequately prepared for an unknown future.

“There will always be a challenge with it, we have to accept the challenge and make it through it,” said Kieffer. “Being able to have the teachers and students work together and being willing to accept everything with it is good.”

Kieffer said that he likes the aspect of Google Classroom where they can put the assignment online, send it directly to the students and the access students have to communicate with the teachers via email.

“There haven’t been many challenges early on,” said Kieffer. “We are all trying to get used to it, which will help in the future, God forbid we ever have another emergency like this. Everything has been happening so fast, that is definitely the most challenging part of this.”

Advertisement Advertisement

Kieffer said that another challenge that he and other students have to face at times is internet connectivity. He also said that he was fortunate in having access to a computer, but not every student has that ability.

Some teachers are able to still teach lessons through video conferencing apps, where they are able to record and talk to students about a lesson. Other teachers also utilize YouTube videos to help explain a point.

Students are also facing a new reality without being able to compete in spring sports. Kieffer competed at IHSA state track in Charleston last May and was hoping to return as a junior; however, he fears that his junior season may be over before it had a chance to get started.

“It is hard on a lot of people, seniors especially,” said Kieffer.

Kieffer, though, admits that the more that he has learned about COVID-19, the more he understands the decisions that have been made.

“We have to be careful with everything now at this point,” said Kieffer. “You have to be careful with what you are doing, being careful when you are around people.”

‘Feels like I am a first-year teacher’

Alice Lundh, social studies and English teacher at East Dubuque High School, has been thrown into a sudden change with having to implement e-learning until the end of the school shutdown caused by COVID-19.

“Teachers and administrators have done a phenomenal job,” said Lundh. “The problem is it is just all of a sudden. It is a lot of trying to figure out as we go, meeting with kids, talking with kids and having meaningful, engaging lessons.”

Lundh says that for veteran teachers this has been just as challenging.

“It feels like I am a first year teacher all over again,” said Lundh.

Monday, March 16 for Lundh was as normal as it could be, knowing that it was the ‘last day.’

On Friday, March 20, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that school closure would extend until at least Wednesday, April 8.

“Teachers were able to talk to their kids about how they would see the next couple of weeks and pass out anything needed to be passed out and to explain the procedure of what was going to happen,” said Lundh. “As the day went on there were fewer and fewer questions. We will all just work through it together.”

East Dubuque School District has implemented rules that assignments and tasks are to be posted by 8 a.m. and students are to check in by 10 a.m. East Dubuque is currently scheduling their e-learning for every other day to give teachers a chance to catch up.

“Some teachers are having students meeting online at a particular time, other teachers are having their lessons involve video or chats to ensure students understand the lesson,” said Lundh.

Some challenges for Lundh are from the lack of engagement with the students.

“I can be in a classroom and understand what they are thinking and understanding what they aren’t understanding,” said Lundh. “That engagement can’t be replicated via email. That’s definitely challenging.”

Other challenges involve students having varying internet capacity and reliability.

“The face-to-face interaction is what teaching is all about,” said Lundh. “That’s what is most challenging for me, it is a work in progress.”

Lundh said right now there have only been some technical issues and right now the students are doing OK with the change.

A variety of lessons are being offered to students in Lundh’s class, for example she is able to post videos where students have to stop and answer questions before they move on.

Lundh has also been able to have the kids complete web searches and also video her and her computer screen at the same time to show the students the topic of discussion or what the lecture might have been for that lesson.

On Thursday, March 19, for example, students in Lundh’s class had to answer a question for her about what they didn’t understand so that she is able to put together a video on what the students had questions on and help them with those parts of the lesson.

Lundh said that everyone is doing their best to do what is best for the kids.