Significant Challenges to Remote K-12 Education

Many schools embrace new teaching and learning methods to educate pupils for a technologically advanced future. But as schools abandon traditional teaching methods, new issues arise

FREMONT, CA: While remote education is not the norm, the world's future scientists, medical professionals, and engineers nonetheless require an education—regardless of where it takes place. While classroom education is the model that most instructors are accustomed to, it is not the sole acceptable method of teaching pupils. Remote schooling can be just as effective with the proper planning and equipment.

When teaching remotely, educators must be mindful of some distinct challenges.

Personalization: Within the classroom, educators may struggle to connect with their students, identify their specific talents and weaknesses, and present instructional content that promotes their development. This may appear impossible with video conferencing, learning management systems (LMSs), and other educational tools.

This is not always the case. People frequently focus on the disadvantages of distance learning rather than on its potential. While remote education makes developing a positive student-teacher relationship more challenging, technology can make it easier to track student success. Educators may need to be creative to preserve a human touch while using video conferencing software, but their EdTech tools can assist them in identifying which students most need assistance.

For instance, digital assessment technologies can detect which pupils want additional assistance in a particular subject area and how far they are from fulfilling criteria. Educators may create customized curricula for pupils with the appropriate assessment technology and tool integrations, ensuring they reach their intended destination.

Accessibility: Everyone deserves access to education, yet the reality of distance education might make meeting everyone's requirements difficult. When deploying a digital assessment platform or other components of the EdTech stack, conduct an accessibility audit of solutions. This may involve the following—assistance with assistive technology, such as screen readers, throughout the experience, a consistent interface, numerous navigational options, sections for headings and titles that make sense, utilization of contrasting text and color, and text that is descriptive and includes test items and visual elements.

Educating Professionals on New Tools: Educators are subject-matter experts; they are not necessarily technological specialists. Any tool that the district adopts will be only as useful as its educators' ability to use it. That is why it is essential to organize time for educators to be trained on using any new tools designed to assist remote instruction. This can be facilitated by selecting tools with an easy user interface that streamlines the responsibilities required by teachers during remote education, such as material production, roster management, and assessment delivery.