Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Guiding Resources for Schools - Blended Learning

Memo Information

Memo Number
RT-21-001
Memo Date
7/13/2020
Memo Type
Informational
Unit
Research & Technology
Regulatory Authority
Response Required
NO
Attention
Superintendents; Assistant Superintendent; Principals; Technology Coordinators; Curriculum Coordinators

Primary Contact Information

Memo Text

Through a partnership with DESE and the Arkansas Education Service Cooperatives, Team Digital provides two resources for school administrators as they work with local district teams to plan for blended learning.  


Resource 1: Guiding Resources to Assist Local Planning Teams - Administrative Level

This tool provides leadership teams with support and guidance as they move through blended learning planning stages. This tool may be used anytime, anywhere, and at any stage of local conversation.  


Laying the Foundation for Blended Learning helps local teams assess the local landscape, look at connectivity access, determine the best delivery methods, ensure equity, and create a common language around blended, online, and remote learning as you build your plan.   


Technology Considerations helps local teams choose devices, an LMS, accessibility software, school-provided connectivity options, and plan tech support for students, staff, and parents. 


Curriculum Considerations helps local teams maintain focus on Arkansas alignment,  essential standards, and ensure the curriculum is well-designed and high quality... whether you are growing your own, partnering with a provider, or both!  This resource will provide you with resources to make sure your content choices “get along” with your LMS.  And of course, we will all need to make offline resources available.


School Models provides information for schools that may be considered 1) offering a fully virtual school option that allows students to also come on campus 2) flexible schedule where students have online days away from school and blended days at school 3)  implementing a flipped classroom for blended learning 4) implementing rotation models or other new school models.  


Human Capital Considerations provides tools and activities to help assess staff’s readiness, understand the new roles of staff, how to engage support teams, and look at new staffing models that may be necessary during seasons of remote learning. 


Student Readiness Strategies provides guidance for meeting students’ basic needs, creating a student orientation, encouraging engagement/buy-in, setting student expectations, and teaching digital literacy skills.


Parent Readiness Strategies provides guidance for preparing parents such as creating a learning space, setting schedules, partnering on health and wellness, and creating a parent orientation. 


Communication Plans provides guidance in emphasizing internal and external communication channels and policies and selecting the best communication tools for your parents, teachers, and students.


Policy Check provides guidance so schools can ensure local policy aligns with national and state policy changes concerning technology, attendance, and other blended learning practices.  


Preparing Staff provides guidance on what to consider when preparing your staff for blended learning and provides resources for aligning your professional development to your blended learning plan.


Measuring Your Models provides guiding questions and resources for measuring the success of your newly implemented school model. 



 


 



Resource 2: Professional Learning Master Catalog  -  Administrative Level

Research shows that the most effective method to prepare teachers to teach in a blended or online classroom is to place them as a learner in a blended or online classroom.  Once a blended learning plan is created, school leadership may select customized sessions to supplement professional development for staff.  This catalog provides FREE anytime, anywhere sessions to prepare teachers for blended, virtual, and remote classrooms.  This tool is a professional learning catalog released through the Arkansas Education Service Cooperatives to assist leadership teams in planning professional development for August. Click the link below to request access. 


 

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