Connecting with students through virtual video conferencing platforms is a great way to continue learning activities even if the school is closed. But what happens if a student has limited or no internet access at home? What if they don’t have a device to access your instruction?
As a teacher, it is YOUR responsibility to plan for ALL of your students. With some forethought and creativity students without access to the internet or a device will be able to keep up and keep connected.
A few things to think about:
1. Survey your students and their parents about their ability to connect from home. This can be done simply by just asking questions in class or can be more formally done by sending home a survey or using a Google Form to get feedback. Click here for a sample questionnaire to get you thinking about the information you need.
2. What time of day are you planning on connecting to students virtually? It may be possible for students to connect at different times of day depending on when family members are home.
3. What community resources are available to students without devices or the internet?
4. What other family members or friends are available to the student who might have internet or devices that a student can use temporarily?
5. Can you contact students by phone for some quick instruction and check on the work they are doing?
6. Can you mail packages of work home to students and, if needed, include a prepaid envelope to receive work back.
7. Prioritize activities that are most important and accommodate students who do not have internet to be sure they can have access to the most important information.
8. Most video conferencing applications allow you to phone into meetings without a computer. If you are holding a virtual class, plan for students to get most of the information through audio means and email them documents that you might be sharing during a video conference. Also, don’t forget to call on them in a discussion.
Also, stay informed about your school district’s policies, practices, and resources to help you ensure that your students have equity of access to learning remotely.
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