With schools beginning their various journeys back to the physical classroom we are taking the opportunity to reflect on some of the things we have learned during the lockdown period.
As part of this process we would like to celebrate with schools their extraordinary achievements by showcasing some of the examples of best practice that they have seen. We will shortly be running a competition where you can share the great things that you and your teachers have been up to over the last few weeks.
Get involved by sharing your school’s outstanding digital practice, with three categories to choose from:
- Rethinking teaching & learning online - what activities are you most proud of that brought learning to life?
- Engaging parents with the learning conversation - how have you helped parents feel part of the learning journey?
- Celebrating school life virtually - how have you created a sense of school togetherness through virtual activities?
We have had the privilege of speaking with teachers all around the world and finding out from them how they have addressed the challenges they faced and continued to support the needs of their students and their families.
We have seen how teachers and students are using technology in a wide variety of innovative ways to keep learning going. With the creation of rich, multimedia resources, and online quizzes and activities, schools are encouraging independent learning amongst their students. Online lessons using video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, help students and teachers to collaborate effectively and stay connected with each other, wherever they might be.
Parents have become an even more significant part of the learning conversation with greater visibility of their child’s activities, along with the challenges they face and how best to support them. Ongoing feedback between the school and home ensures that the process of learning continues to evolve, and the relationship between parents and teachers has in many cases, become stronger than ever.
School leaders are working to engage teachers, parents and students with regular newsletters and updates, alongside “virtual assemblies” and online circle time for younger pupils. Activities such as virtual sports days and weekly challenges for students, or online art galleries to showcase their work and help to bring the whole school community together.
These conversations are still ongoing so be sure to check out our series of upcoming webinars that celebrate, reflect and reimagine learning (more to come on this) or watch some of our discussions with teachers where they share their experiences.
We would love to hear from you and see some of the amazing things that you have been doing, so feel free to enter as many categories as you like. Simply share examples of some of the things you are most proud of, with screenshots if possible on our dedicated Twitter Moments Board.
The competition will close for entries at 17.00 (BST) on Friday 19th June, and you will be able to vote for your favourite entries until this time. A panel of teachers and edtech leaders will then select finalists ready for a final round of voting to take place between the 23rd and the 28th June. Winners will be announced during the week of the 29th June.
We look forward to seeing your work!