Hey Coach,

My district is switching to a brand new online platform and going fully virtual at the same time. I want this to be a successful year! Where should I start?

Sincerely,
Overwhelmed and Over it

Dear Overwhelmed and Over It,

I hear you! Quite frankly, I think the nation hears you! It can be very overwhelming to transition to a new tech platform or learning management system (LMS) at any point, especially in the middle of a pandemic and while starting virtual teaching all at the same time. Therefore, step one is to BREATHE. You can do it! Let’s group your very valid concerns into three key concepts:

• Familiarization

• Pedagogy

• Grace

There are many available LMS and technology platforms and it is no surprise that your district has decided to roll one out. So what do you do? Take time to familiarize yourself with the new platform. This is probably the most obvious, yet crucial step. However, did you know that most LMS and technology platforms have self-paced “How-To” modules which walk you through their system, step by step? For example, Microsoft Teams has the Microsoft Educator Center, which has several self-paced modules. You can even earn a badge for completing them! To learn GSuite tools, you can visit the Google for Education Help Center. Canvas has a superb set of guides which quite literally touch on everything you could possibly need to know. There are also about a million YouTube videos focused on LMS and technology tools. Simply type a topic in YouTube and you can find hours of helpful video content! You may also want to attend any and all optional training your district provides for your new platform.

While familiarizing yourself with the new platform, remember the “why” behind it all. As explained by Diaz & Bontembal (2000), “Using technology to enhance the educational process involves more than just learning how to use a specific piece of hardware or software. It requires an understanding of pedagogical principles that are specific to the use of technology in an instructional setting.” You are an educator. Teaching is what you do best! Pedagogy must be at the forefront of everything you do with students regardless of which platform you use to facilitate the content. Focus on the outcome and the “path” will begin to form on it’s own.

Remember to consider ways to provide flexible content, individual paths, learner voice, authentic and adaptive assessment, dynamic communication, and mastery dispositions - the essential conditions of personalized learning. While those may sound like a laundry list of things to remember, you are likely already doing those things in your face-to-face classroom. Now it is time to find ways to transfer those best practices into an online setting. Keeping these conditions in mind as you plan will ensure you are successful.

Another key component to successfully make this transition is giving yourself, as well as your students, grace. This is new to everyone! Think of it as your first year teaching. You spent time practicing, preparing, saying the perfect lines, planning the perfect lessons, and what happened? The first day of school did not go as planned! While it may still have been a great day, your perfect plan did not play out that way. And guess what? You survived! You will survive this major pivot as well. Practice a growth mindset by giving yourself room to grow, learn in manageable pieces, and practice until you get better. You’ve got this!

Sending positive vibes,
Coach