COVID-19

We have all been tracking the spread of COVID-19, and we’ve been speaking with our community of schools to learn about what impact this is having on them and their students, how they’re handling the disruption, and what they need moving forward. What we’re finding is that there are a range of needs for both students and educators—some of whom are struggling and others who are thriving. We would like to help all our students have a positive learning journey until this ends.

Over the past nine years, GOA has identified and trained educators in best practices for online learning. There are a few key points that need to be understood.

• First, online learning is all about connecting with others and fostering the relationships we have with our students and colleagues. Whether you’re designing for students or adults, keep the relationships central. You can create strong, healthy communities online. This becomes vital when students and teachers feel isolated or disconnected.
• Second, you will not get through all the content you might in an on-campus environment. At first, this will feel like a loss, but you will see that this acknowledgement will open up exciting possibilities for what you ask of your students. Online learning is not about replication of what you are doing in on-campus settings. Rather, there is an opportunity to reimagine learning in new spaces. Educators may need support in learning how to teach online.
• Third, assessments look different online. Instead of having students take a test or a quiz (although those can be used effectively as formative assessments and check-ins), have students demonstrate their learning in a way that requires real application of the material. Teachers will need to create new ways to summatively assess learning through culminating projects, peer-to-peer feedback, and teacher feedback.
• Finally, balance is fundamental to keeping your online communities healthy. Teachers need to balance synchronous and asynchronous connections and collaboration, and students need to do some of this on their own.

(From our Executive Director Michael Nachbar's letter to the GOA community)

Articles from GOA's Insights Blog

Approaching Online Learning

• 15 Strategies for Online Learning When School is Closed
• Competency-Based Learning: A Long-Term Strategy for Online and Hybrid Learning
• Five Norms and Five Rubrics for High-Quality Online Learning
• Four Takeaways for Designing Meaningful Assessments in Hybrid and Online Learning
  
• Relationships are the Foundation of Online Learning Design. Here's How We Know.
• The Four Habits of Successful Online Learners
• What Do Students Expect From Online Learning? We Asked Them.
• What Research Does—and Does Not—Tell Us About Online Learning

Designing Online Learning Experiences

• 16 Hybrid Learning Tips by and for Teachers
  
• Five Lessons for Learning Online with Middle School Students
  
• Five Tips for Designing Excellent Video Calls
• Four Strategies for Taking the Performing Arts Online
• From User Experience to Learner Experience: How to Prioritize Accessibility in Online Learning
• From User Experience to Learner Experience: Seven Key Concepts in Effective Online Learning Design
• From User Experience to Learner Experience: Why Usability Matters in Online Learning
  
• How to Cultivate Belonging in Online Learning
• How to Design for Learning: Four Approaches to Nonlinear Curriculum
• How to Use Online Learning to Support Competency-Based Learning
• Six Key Design Elements of Successful Online Learning
• Six Shifts for Math Teachers Moving Online
• Three Quick Wins for Engaging Learners in Online and Hybrid Learning
• Three Ways Online Reflection Promotes Learner Agency in an Age of Urgency

Leadership

• 10 Strategies for Leading Online When School is Closed
• 'If I Knew Then...': A School Leader Reflects on Ten Weeks of Learning Online
• Six Ideas School Leaders Want to Keep Post-COVID
• The New Normal: Five Key Insights from GOA's COVID-19 Leadership Roundtable

Additional Resources

• 24 Digital Tools for Formative Assessment
• Download GOA's Norms and Rubrics for High-Quality Online Learning
• Download GOA's Online Course Style Guide
  
• Download the Online Learning Habits Infographic
• Video Recordings: Find recordings of the webinar presentations we've given during the pandemic.

The GOA Team is available for consultation as well as facilitation of workshops on online learning. Learn more.