Restoring Connection

Who Am I?

I am a mother, a teacher, and a community member. I am honored to be labelled the “instructional leader” of our small rural school. My background is in early learning where the value of place is significant, and where the environment is the third teacher. As such, my header photo serves as an important symbol on my blog as I constantly center myself in place. I have been shaped by the land, I am a benefactor of the land, and I must work to recognize my privilege and decolonize the learning landscape so that all may experience more equitable outcomes. The following quote has served as a roadmap and source of inspiration in my work:

 

“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”
― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

 

 

So where does online and blended learning fit into this educational journey and worldview? In the post-COVID era, my thinking about knowledge, learning and equity has changed.

As were many, I was thrust into to the world of online learning in 2020. Fear and frustration accompanied this detour. As an educator,  this format appeared to exacerbate social inequity in education, leading to disconnect and segregation. I helplessly watched my students fall off the map, with vulnerable students disproportionately affected due to gaps in access to technology and quiet, private spaces to access learning. However, as we do, students and teachers learned new tricks and adapted. We collaborated to address inequity and learned new ways of engaging with learners.

When we came back to in-person instruction, the students had learned how to problem solve and how to use new modes of learning. While everyone was eager to “get back to normal,” many students and staff saw value and potential in a format that provided more flexibility. A system that was viewed as escalating inequity might in fact be used to address inequity. A system that was viewed as isolating might be used to connect learners.

Challenges and Opportunities: A Case Study

Our small community of learners comprises of around 30 high school students from Grades 10-12. We have 2 high school teachers. Let’s consider Math. In any given year, we should be offering students: WAM 10, Foundations and Pre-Calc 10, WAM 20, Foundations 20, Pre-Calc 20, WAM 30, Foundations 30, Pre-Calc 30, and Calculus. That is 9 courses options for 30 students led by 2 teachers — you do the math! Old solutions included combining all curricula for one group. For example the Grade 11/12 math teacher would teach 6 courses at the same time (including modified and alternative courses).  This was extremely difficult for staff and students to manage. We needed to do something different!

Well thank you online and blended learning! We partnered with two other PreK-12 Schools 35 and 50 minutes away and created the first of its kind on our division — a monstrosity that we labelled e-Magnet learning. One school would offer the 20/30 WAM, one would offer the 20/30 Foundations and one would offer the 20/30 PreCalc. Students would take attendance in their home schools, have the math teacher in the classroom as support, but would ultimately get their instruction online. It was a huge success and a huge failure. But we adapted, changed a lot, and we continue to grow.

Students who struggled with attendance due to transportation or other extenuating circumstances were able to access their learning at any time and catch up. We expanded our community of learners and increased the expertise of teachers, now able to gain a deeper understanding of their curriculum.

Where to next?

I was inspired by Chapter 4 of Tony Bates’ Teaching in a Digital Age: 4.4 Online Collaborative Learning. In our setting, online and blended learning has been a means to an end, and has not been undertaken with the intentionality that it deserves. I anticipate exploring this theory in practice with my colleagues. In addition, 4.7 ‘Agile’ Design: Flexible Designs for learning was a bit of a relief for me! I had considered practices of online and blended learning to be prescriptive in nature. I am excited about opportunities to include more constructivist approaches that allow the learner to take the lead. Finally, I am excited about the potential of 4.6 Communities of Practice. I would like to explore the possibilities of utilizing a blended approach to professional development in our building. Ultimately, I am eager to learn more about harnessing the power of this “new” tool to improve equitable outcomes for students.

I love the famous equality/equity/justice cartoon & have used it a lot in talks. However, its always really bugged me that the three people stay exactly where they are, outside the park, in all 4 pictures, so I've taken the liberty of added a 5th, does this make sense? pic.twitter.com/h2sPUB62Gp

— David Murphy (@ClinPsychDavid) June 21, 2021

Thanks for stopping by for my long-winded reflection! Please comment any of your thoughts, connections, or concerns below. How do you envision the role of Online and Blended learning in working towards equitable outcomes in your setting?