Continuity of Instruction: Learning During a Crisis

                                                 

    The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education systems worldwide, forcing teachers, students, and families to adapt to an unprecedented situation. Schools closed abruptly, and educators were faced with the challenge of transitioning to remote learning with little preparation. As a kindergarten teacher during this time, I experienced firsthand the difficulties of maintaining meaningful instruction without established systems to support virtual education.

    Today, advancements like ClassLink and other frameworks recommended by organizations such as SETDA have streamlined the shift between traditional and remote learning, equipping schools with tools to support continuity in education.

The Shift to Distance Learning

    Distance learning became the primary mode of education during the pandemic. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) emphasize that successful distance education requires thoughtful design, appropriate technology, and student-centered strategies (p. 298). However, many schools, including my own, struggled with the transition.

    As a Title I school, most of our students lacked access to adequate technology and high-speed internet. Without the infrastructure to provide school-issued devices, we resorted to creating weekly instructional packets. Teachers made instructional videos and relied on parents to support learning at home. Daily check-ins with families became a critical tool for maintaining engagement and addressing questions.

Addressing Equity 

    The pandemic highlighted disparities in access to education. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) emphasize that accessibility is a cornerstone of effective distance learning. 

    Some solutions included distributing devices and providing Wi-Fi hotspots, as recommended by SETDA (2022). Many schools equipped buses with Wi-Fi and parked them in underserved communities to provide students with reliable internet access. These efforts ensured that more students could participate in remote learning, though the gaps in equity remain a critical area for improvement. 

Supporting Teachers and Students

    Teachers and students were not prepared for what they experienced during the pandemic. The pandemic emphasized the need to support both educators and students in adapting to new learning trends. Teachers were thrust into a digital-first environment with little preparation, highlighting the urgent need for professional development. The programs adopted focused on helping teachers navigate learning management systems, design engaging virtual lessons, and manage digital assessments. 

    Not only did teachers need support, but students needed support to adjust to the demands of remote learning. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) state that "The quality of student support services available and easily accessible to a distant learner will play a major role in determining whether that student learns about the program, enrolls, and persists through to completion" (p. 299). Emotional and social support, alongside academic guidance, became vital components of the remote learning experience.

Conclusion

     The pandemic made it clear that learning is a dynamic process that is not confined to the traditional classroom. Frameworks like those from ClassLink and SETDA have provided educators with tools to design systems that prioritize equity, accessibility, and student-centered learning. 

   Continuity of learning is more than a response to emergencies; it is a commitment to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to learn, regardless of their circumstances. The lessons from the pandemic will continue to influence the way we approach education, equipping schools to be more resilient and adaptable in the face of future challenges.

References

ClassLink | Remote Learning. (n.d.). https://www.classlink.com/solutions/remote-learning

SETDA. (2022, January 12). ELearning - Leadership, Technology, Innovation, Learning |
    SETDA. Leadership, Technology, Innovation, Learning | SETDA.
    https://www.setda.org/main-coalitions/elearning/

Simonson, M., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of
    Distance Education 8th Edition. IAP.

Exploring the Flipped Classroom in Distance Education

 

                                                                                                      UT Austin CTL

    The flipped classroom has transformed modern education. There are many different types of flipped classrooms, and teachers can choose the model that best fits their students' needs. This approach has transformed the way distance education can be presented to students. The flipped classroom focuses on students gaining knowledge before class and the instructors focusing on guiding students through interactive activities to apply their knowledge (Flipped Classroom, n.d).

What is the Flipped Classroom?

    Simonson and Zvacek (2024) state that "Flipping a classroom supposedly refers to recording a class lecture so students watch and listen at home to free up time in the classroom for discussions" (p.236). At its core, the flipped classroom emphasizes active learning during synchronous or in-person meetings and flips conventional teaching approaches by shifting lectures outside of class time. The flipped classroom approach utilizes online resources such as video lectures, readings, and multimedia content, which students engage with independently (Simonson & Zvacek, 2024, p. 236). This method helps teachers fulfill their responsibility to lead their students to higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills (UT Austin, n.d.). In the flipped classroom, the focus remains on the students' learning.

Benefits of the Flipped Classroom

    There are many benefits to a flipped classroom, especially in distance education. According to Ramirez and Buitrago (2022), some of the benefits of a flipped classroom include:

• Student-centered learning
• Students are provided more opportunities for interactive and collaborative activities, and students are actively involved in their learning process.
• Personalized student learning paces
• Students have the opportunity to learn at their own pace. This approach allows students to watch content multiple times and review material conveniently.
• Enhanced Teacher-Student Interaction
• Teachers can focus on individual student discussions due to less time spent on lecturing. (p.16-19).

For various reasons, many educators are opting to flip their classrooms. Giving students more responsibility and ownership over their education, involving them in the process, encouraging peer collaboration, and giving teachers more time to give feedback to students are some of the reasons why teachers flip their classrooms (Flipped Classroom, n.d.).

This approach allows for a more dynamic learning environment where students can engage with the material at their own pace, fostering deeper understanding and retention. Additionally, the flipped classroom model promotes critical thinking skills as students are encouraged to apply what they have learned in collaborative settings.

Implementation

                                                                               UT Austin CTL

  The emphasis of the flipped classroom method is on student learning. You can implement this method in traditional or distance learning using a variety of different strategies. Samaila et al. (2025) suggested using a Study-Summary-Quiz (SSQ) model and the Think-Pair-Share (TPP) model. In the SSQ model, students review material before class, write a summary to reinforce understanding, and then take a short formative quiz to grasp their understanding before class (Samaila et al., 2025, p. 2512). The TPP model is embedded in the synchronous portion of class by having students solve a problem individually, discuss it with a partner, and then share their ideas with their peers (Samaila et al., 2025, p. 2512). 

Both of these implementation strategies allow for students to have accountability, critical thinking, and collaboration among their peers. 

References

Ramirez, M., & Buitrago, C. R. (2022). In-Class flip: A Student-Centered Approach to
    Differentiated Learning.

Samaila, K., Al-Samarraie, H., Tsong, C. K., & Alzahrani, A. I. (2024). A new guided flipped
    learning model for lifelong learning. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–15.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2024.2412063

Simonson, M., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of
    Distance Education 8th Edition. IAP.

Flipped classroom. (n.d.). University of Texas at Austin: Center for Teaching & Learning.
    https://ctl.utexas.edu/instructional-strategies/flipped-classroom

Students’ learning journey in a flipped classroom (n.d.)
    https://ctl.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/what-is-flipped_comparison-table-120516.pdf

What is a flipped class? (n.d.). Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/70893101

Distance Education: Learning through Technology

 

    Distance education wasn't something teachers thought about until we had no choice. In 2020, when COVID 19 hit, many teachers, including myself, were not prepared to teach students at a distance. At the time, I was a kindergarten teacher and only had five Chromebooks to use at a center. My students, nor myself, were prepared to go digital for our teaching and learning. 

    The pandemic forced teachers to think outside of the box and teach their students from their homes. In my case, the kindergarten teachers I worked with were in constant communication and sharing ideas and resources to help our students get as much instructional content as possible. Unfortunately, I worked in a Title I school and many of our students did not have access to the internet or a digital device to use while learning at home. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) state, " Even where the Internet is available, many potential students do not have ready access to powerful, modern computers, and if they do, they may not know how to use Internet resources" (p.114). The digital component of distance learning was a struggle for our students because even if they had access to internet, they did not have devices they could use to complete the assignments or even the knowledge of online platforms. 

Growth Opportunity

    This experience gave teachers the opportunity to learn about distance education. Many teachers took the opportunity to introduce their students to online learning platforms in the classroom. The year following COVID, our school went one-to-one with Chromebooks and it gave us the opportunity to teach our students how to use Internet resources. Particularly, we focused on using SeeSaw . Students learned how to upload pictures, complete assignments, and turn in assignments while completing their classwork or their center activities. SeeSaw solved the problem of students not having desktops or Chromebooks at home because "the mobile application can be downloaded at any time from any location with an internet connection to any smartphone or tablet device" (Kusmaryani et al, 2022, p. 55). 

Positive Experience

    Through the chaos of COVID came opportunities to learn. In my district, we were all part of a Blended Learning professional development that was delivered through Google Classroom. Teachers got to experience learning the same way we would expect our students to learn. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) state "The effective utilization of distance education classrooms requires a new set of skills for most educators and learners" (p. 128). By participating in this online professional development, teachers were able to learn how to utilize online-learning platforms to best serve their students.

Conclusion

    Even though teachers were not prepared for distance learning, it forced us to learn how to teach students in the event that something similar happens again. I have learned so much over the last five years to support and teach my students technology etiquette, internet resources, and how to use different platforms. The pandemic was hard for everyone, but I think it made schools think about how technology was being used within schools and change for the better.

References.

Imoogi Graphic. (N.D.). Teenagers Distance Learning Online Education 3D Character
    Illustration. Canva. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.canva.com/p/imoogigraphic/?
    utm_medium=referral&utm_source=creator_share&utm_campaign=creator_share.

Kusmaryani, W., Arifin, & Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Borneo
    Tarakan. (2022). PENGGUNAAN APLIKASI KELAS SEESAW SEBAGAI MEDIA
    PEMBELAJARAN DALAM PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS PROYEK DIGITAL
    [Journal-article]. JURNAL BORNEO SAINTEK, 5(2), 54–62.
    https://www.jurnal.borneo.ac.id

Seesaw. (2024, August 29). Experience 5 powerful ways to use Seesaw [Video]. YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYJAW1FTc0A

Simonson, M., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of
    Distance Education 8th Edition. IAP.

Simm

S