Remote learning has transformed not only the way teachers teach but the concept of the classroom.
With Covid-19 restrictions, gone is the notion of a teacher standing at the head of his or her class to deliver lessons.
School staff working mostly from their own homes have transformed the way they work, to allow children and young people to continue their education and keep them motivated.
With training in the technology required and fresh thinking about methods, every school and every teacher has approached the challenge in their own way.
Since the start of this term in January, most pupils have been remote learning at home, and we took at look at how teaching is being delivered by some schools in Tayside and Fife.
Craigie High School
Like many other primary and secondary schools, Dundee’s Craigie High School has created a virtual school with classrooms where pupils can access extension activities.
These are also being used to help P7 pupils making the leap to S1 in August.
Pupils can find each subject on the school’s online learning hub and get regular updates on Twitter.
They are directed to lessons in Microsoft Teams, which often use videos, PowerPoint presentations and live lesssons, with clearly set out instructions.
Science experiments have been conducted with props youngsters can easily find at home.
Refraction in action Part 2!!!
Thanks to all my S1 pupils’ that shared pictures of their refraction experiment. pic.twitter.com/TwmekDIqkN
— Craigie Chemistry (@craigiechem) January 22, 2021
A bit of healthy competition inspired pupils in PE, when they were challenged to create the best Fifa Ultimate Team, with circuit training exercises to unlock the top players.
English and media teacher Meg Brough, who is also digital learning education support officer for Dundee City Council, told us how teachers had stepped up to the challenge.
She said: “At Craigie High School we have worked extremely hard to upskill both our staff and pupils and to be able to provide consistent and easily accessible home learning opportunities.
“Staff are working hard to strike the balance between live lessons and independent learning opportunities, as well as looking for ways to ensure our young people do not have to be looking at a screen for their whole school day.
“In the first lockdown, it was a steep learning curve for all as everyone adjusted to a new way of working.”
“Staff at Craigie High have been nothing short of amazing, finding creative and innovative ways to ensure our young people can still learn from home.”
Meg Brough, digital learning education support officer
Confidence is now greater among both staff and pupils, she said.
“Pupils are more adept at using programmes they may be expected to use in the workplace or in further education and now staff are in a better position to support them to develop the necessary skills for life, learning and work.
“Staff at Craigie High have been nothing short of amazing, finding creative and innovative ways to ensure our young people can still learn from home.
“Being asked to completely revolutionise their entire way of working is tough but they have risen to the challenge tremendously.”
Pitteuchar East Primary School
Virtual classrooms which are familiar to Pitteuchar East Primary School children are encouraging more families to engage with lessons this time round.
Pupils of the Glenrothes school click on an animation of their teacher in a classroom scene which looks just like their real classroom, and hear their daily message and instructions.
They can then click on the creative corner or the reading area, for example, for art or literacy lessons.
Headteacher Jennifer Knussen said she was “absolutely delighted” with how her staff had responded to remote teaching.
She said: “We have taken a lot of learning from the first lockdown.
We always knew that there was the risk of another lockdown.”
Jennifer Knussen, headteacher Pitteuchar East Primary School
“From before Christmas we were making sure that children were learning with Glow [Scotland’s digital learning platform] in school and doing that as part of their normal day.
“We always knew that there was the risk of another lockdown.”
She is able to monitor how pupils engage with their teachers and said: “We have had a high uptake.
“That’s improved because we have been given devices and there are higher expectations this time around that children will access their learning.
“We are confident that anybody who needs a device has one.”
Kinghorn Primary School
As well as daily literacy and numeracy tasks issued on the Seesaw learning platform, Kinghorn Primary School pupils have stayed active by virtually bagging Munros.
During January children were challenged to climb their stairs at home as many times as they could to help their school house bag the most Munros, with 6,550 steps conquering Ben Nevis and 6,225 Cairngorm.
PE teacher Isla McPhail said: “At this time in school we focus on Scotland and in PE we would be doing Scottish country dancing, with the children performing their dances at a Scottish afternoon in school, but not this year!
“It was time to think outside the box and come up with something Scottish and physical that is possible to do whilst home schooling, and also the whole family can get involved in.
“Having an element of competition, houses at school and how many you can achieve, makes it more fun.”
Perth Grammar School
Head teacher Fiona Robertson said: “Whilst it is far from business as normal, Perth Grammar School quickly established the fact that we should seek to adhere to what we would be doing in school but online as far as possible.
“For us this has been utilising live lessons for all pupils every period which is a significant offering.
“By this we do not mean direct screen time for the duration but that staff are empowered to meet and plan as they see fit to reflect the learning and work that they need to undertake with our young people.
“An example would be a few minutes of introduction, a starter task, set activity and then re-joining the call for a lesson plenary.
“Another, would be for the staff member utilising different functions of Teams, including the chat function and providing feedback on a set theme.”
The Great Perth Grammar Bake Off has also encouraged pupils to engage with the school and their peers, while honing their home economics skills.
More amazing bakes we’ve received 😋 Remember you have until Friday to enter the #PGS #Bakeoff pic.twitter.com/C0af9ji1DX
— Perth Grammar PLT (@PGS_PLT) January 27, 2021
The school had prepared pupils for the possibility of remote learning, resulting in 76% of pupils saying they are confident, or even expert, at using the various functions of Microsoft Teams.
Mrs Robertson said: “Young people are very positive about the quality of learning and teaching they are receiving.”
More than 120 digital devices have been distributed to pupils to ensure they can take part in lessons, and faculties have enabled practical work, such as the technologies department sending out workshop packs.
Not only have young people been engaging more but 87% report that they are learning more during this period of lockdown than last, emphasising the significant improvements made to delivery.”
Fiona Robertson, headteacher Perth Grammar School
Ultimately, though, Mrs Robertson said the secret to success throughout the pandemic had been listening to and hearing learners’ voices.
She said: “Not only have young people been engaging more but 87% report that they are learning more during this period of lockdown than last, emphasising the significant improvements made to delivery.
“Our stance has been that we firmly believe we can deliver to young people a quality education at this time.
“Whilst it is obviously not how we would like it we are at least connected, have gained confidence from the experience and are excited about how it may evolve post pandemic.”
Brechin High School
At Brechin High School, its remote learning platform is being used to keep an eye on pupils’ wellbeing as well as continue their education.
The Angus school funded a Google Chromebook for every youngster as a part of its digital strategy and these are rented for £20 a year for in-school and home learning.
Google Classroom is used to set and mark work, provide live and recorded lessons and communicate with pupils. It allows parents to be provided with a weekly summary of their child’s progress.
Google Forms is used to track how young people are feeling as they continue to learn from home and allow school to step in where necessary.
Depute headteacher Tom Mawhirt said: “We regularly ask pupils to score themselves using the Shanarri wellbeing indicators as part of our monitoring and tracking procedures.
“This process has continued during the lockdown and pupils have been asked to reflect on their wellbeing using Google Forms.
“This data is collated, analysed and our pupil care and support (PCS) staff follow up any issues arising.
“Pupils can also request their PCS teacher to contact them to discuss their reflections if needed.”
Staff regard the use of Chromebooks as a major success and parents feel they are kept in the loop with their child’s learning.
One parent told the school: “I think teaching staff are doing a tremendous job in very difficult and different circumstances.”
Mr Mawhirt said: “During the pandemic and associated lockdowns we have been able to transition smoothly into remote learning.
I think teaching staff are doing a tremendous job in very difficult and different circumstances.”
A Brechin High School parent
“Our staff and learners are already comfortable with the technology and have been routinely using it as part of learning and teaching at Brechin High School.
“No additional training was required during the first lockdown – learning simply transitioned to a fully remote platform.
“During the current lockdown we have improved our practice and added live lessons into learning and teaching practice.”
