Continuity of Instruction
Continuity of Instruction
When the world transformed during the pandemic in 2020, the world of education underwent a complete shift from face-to-face to online. In a matter of days, educators were expected to transform their teaching into virtual lessons. As we have learned from that experience and prepare for the future of education, the continuity of instruction is vital. The continuity of instruction refers to strategies and practices that ensure learning continues uninterrupted, even when faced with unexpected disruptions. Let's discuss a few key elements to the continuity of instruction for educators.
Instructional Design
Engaging students is always a top priority for educators-- whether they are teaching face-to-face or virtually. Keeping students engaged with the content improves student understanding of the material. One key aspect of engagement is instructional design. According to the Continuous Learning Rubric v2.1, instructional design should "integrate instruction and technology to engage students with instruction, materials, and teachers". To accomplish this, educators must be intentional about the way they design the course, record their lessons, create informational graphics, and assess student understanding. A professor at the University of San Diego, Lisa Evans, has recently published tips for effective instructional design practices. See the graphic below for the list of tips.
Tips to Instructional Design by Meredith BarkerFor more information about each tip, read the full article which can be found here.
Professional Development
The importance of effective and helpful professional development grows as education continues to shift and transform. The Continuous Learning Rubric v2.1 states that school districts should "provide opportunities for teachers and staff to receive the appropriate professional development". Although districts should be intentional about providing these essential opportunities, if they do not, educators can seek them out on their own. ClassLink acknowledges educators' learned skills and discusses the need to continue to deepen their skillset when stating, "while most teachers have some training around online learning, most haven’t had to use those skills until now. Meaning they need support and a refresh focused on both technology and instruction" (Kemble, n.d., 2020, para. 3). Seeking out opportunities for professional development concerning technology and instruction is always beneficial for teachers and will enhance teaching strategies and skills. For professional development opportunities click here. Additional ways to support teachers can be through:
- Trainings
- Assistance with course development and delivery
- Technology support
- Workload, compensation, and reward systems
(Simonson & Zvacek, 2024, p. 314-316)
Assessment and Data
Once the information has been taught to students, it is essential for educators to evaluate the effectiveness of their lesson through assessment. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) define the four levels of evaluation as follows: "Did they like it? Did they learn it? Will they use it? Will it matter?" (as cited by Simonson & Zvacek, 2024, p. 324). These four evaluation levels can be accomplished through formative and summative assessments. Assessments can be through:
- Google Forms
- Google Meets:
- Having formal or informal interviews with students about the material.
- Having class meetings and discussions.
- Google Docs for papers or essays
- Canva for presentations.
- Adobe Spark for presentations.
If educators implemented the use of these platforms to evaluate their students according to the four evaluation levels, they would accomplish Standard 29 of the Continuous Learning Rubric v2.1, which states that educators must "securely collect formal and informal data that is actionable and accessible to understand students' instructional and socio-emotional needs".
References:
Continuous Learning Rubric v2.1. (n.d.). Google Docs. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lXAwsLWBfNslkhIGxHqgojVjmV5n8KIrR7SCmZnNqsA/edit?gid=1587779846#gid=1587779846
Evans, L. (2025, April 16). 12 Instructional Design Best Practices [+ Tips for success]. University of San Diego Online Degrees. https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/instructional-design-best-practices/\
Kemble, J. (n.d.). Learning Continuity Guidebook: Develop Teacher & Student Capacity. https://www.classlink.com/blog/learning-continuity-guidebook-part6
Simonson, M., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (8th ed.). Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Assessment is a key component of educational continuity during remote learning. The transition to remote learning during the pandemic prompted many schools to use more project based activities to assess student learning. "Adjustment on the types of assessment measures is a major factor amid the pandemic. There is a need to limit requirements and focus on the major essential projects that measure the enduring learning outcomes like case scenarios, problem-based activities, and capstone projects. Authentic assessments have to be intensified to ensure that competencies are acquired by the learners" (Dayagbil et al., 2024, p. 2). Project based assessments require transfer of knowledge, which can show program evaluators that learning is taking place. "Evaluators attempt to determine if the skills, knowledge, and attitudes learned are being transferred to the actual learner activities" (Simonson & Zvacek, 2024, p. 325).
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Dayagbil, F., Palompon, D., Garcia, L., & Olvido, M. (2021). Teaching and learning continuity amid
and beyond the pandemic. Frontiers in Education, 6.
https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.678692
Simonson, M. & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance Foundations of
distance education (8th Ed.). Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Hi Meredith! I agree that professional development is a very important factor in this process. According to Doersch and Jackson (2020), "the more time spent preparing teachers for proper instruction during these new conditions, the greater the gains will be in student's outcomes and learning". Teacher training is so important for student success; this is true for the regular classroom as well as the distance education classroom.
ReplyDeleteMeredith,
ReplyDeleteI think putting focus on instructional design, professional development, and assessment are important to running a successful distance learning program. I also think faculty support is so important when creating and sustaining a quality program. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) explain that educators often need extra support with strategies that are proven to be effective in distance learning environments. Additionally, the instructional design process is equally important. Simonson (2023) argues that designing effective online instruction should involve the subject matter experts, instructional designers, and instructional developers. Teachers bring the content knowledge, but instructional designers play a role in shaping that content into engaging, well-structured digital learning experiences. Our study of distance learning has been a reminder that high-quality instruction has to be intentional, built through planning, support, and collaboration.
-Tanishia Smith
References
Simonson, M. (2023). Systems and instructional design. Distance Learning, 20(4), 27–28.
Simonson, M., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (8th ed.). Information Age Publishing.