From parent-teacher relationships to student learning – so many elements of life at Myrtleford P-12 College have emerged better and stronger from the remote and flexible learning period.
As students and staff have now returned to on-site learning, new developments around teaching and learning will continue to support education delivery into the future.
'Our reflection is while it's been an unprecedented and difficult time, there's been a great deal of learning in a short period,' the school's P-6 Team Leader, Adam Lindsay said.
'Skills that would have taken years for students to learn – such as time management, being responsible, organisational skills – have been developed in just one term.'
Among the major lessons, Mr Lindsay said, were:
- the need for increased communication and connection between teachers and parents
- a sharp increase in the use of digital applications in teaching
- the high usability of Google Classroom for teacher engagement with students.
What stood students in good stead was the strategic foresight of Mr Lindsay and his team in getting Grades 3-6 to learn how to use digital technologies two weeks before the end of Term 1 – ahead of the move to remote and flexible learning.
Mr Lindsay and his team taught the students important digital skills – something he had planned to do since the start of 2020, but the pandemic brought the plan forward.
The kids responded really well and so we didn't have such a steep learning curve at the start of Term 2,' Mr Lindsay said.
The use of digital applications in face-to-face learning will continue due to its capacity for teachers to provide detailed feedback to students, he said.
It's an unexpected outcome among many.
'There's been a strong sense of positive outcomes and that we've learned a lot about digital teaching, and relationships with parents, we never thought possible before,' Mr Lindsay added.
The Department is working with students, teachers, principals and families to ensure lessons from the period of remote and flexible learning are being captured and shared.
Following an independent analysis of the experience at schools across the state, an education summit will be held in July to discuss lessons learned and investigate what improvements can be made to the education system as a result of the remote learning experience.
Principals, teachers, parents and students can
submit feedback through a community consultation survey.