November 5 at NOON ET – Moving Beyond Triage: Transitioning from Emergency Remote Instruction to Hybrid Learning Environments – Dr. Michael Barbour
In March 2020 schools were forced to transition to remote learning. As it was an emergency, teachers and school leaders simply triaged as best they could to provide some continuity of learning. However, when schools reopened in the Fall school leaders and teachers were supposed to be better prepared. Preparations were supposed to be made to ensure their remote teaching and learning provided instructional continuity for students. Students physically attending school on alternating days of the week. Class sizes capped based on the square footage of the classrooms. Gymnasiums and auditoriums, even outdoor spaces, turned into classrooms due to their large size. Temperature checks as student entered the building. Teachers and students wearing masks. The use of distance and online learning to accommodate instruction during times when students were not physically present. These are just some of the measures that should have been planned. Unfortunately, too many schools returned to the same emergency remote learning they left in the Spring. This session will examine the steps that school leaders and teachers should have taken in the Spring and Summer, and what educators can do now to move beyond continuing to simply triage an emergency situation.
Michael K. Barbour, Ph.D. has been involved with K-12 distance, online and blended learning for over two decades as a researcher, evaluator, teacher, course designer, and administrator. His research has focused on the effective design, delivery, and support of K-12 online learning, particularly for students located in rural jurisdictions. Recently, Dr. Barbour’s research has focused on governance and policy issues related to creating effective K-12 distance, online, 
and blended learning environments. This has resulted in invitation to consult for Ministries of Education across Canada, as well as to testify before legislative committees in several US states and in New Zealand.
