Remote Learning Interruptions

Extended periods of remote learning have caused issues for aspiring leaders. Continuaty of implementation is inconsistent or not at all, depending on the initiative, length of remote learning and the ability to move the strategy online. In this blog, I'll share a few ways you can address common issues with remote learning and leadership applications.

 

Acknowledge Remote Learning Interruptions

It's OK to acknowledge the elephant in the room, remote learning interruptions have caused issues. Everyone applying for roles will have had some level of interruption on their initiatives for 2021 due to COVID and remote learning. Some teams have been able to pivot their projects to continue online and others did not.

 

Here are a few ideas to use in your application if COVID stalled the progress.

 

• During remote learning, this initiative was deprioritised ...
• The implementation of this strategy did not transfer to remote learning...
• Due to the nature of this project, continuation was not possible during remote learning.
• When remote learning, facets of this initiative were placed on hold, yet (this thing) was able to continue.

 

There is also room to show how you did pivot to an online platform. Use this as a result in your story because great pedagogy and processes that transfer online are future proofing the initiative. I've had several clients that were able to show how their teams have created video lessons for the students during remote learning. Now their teams are wanting to keep the practice going because not only does it make the strategies more accessible to more students, but the staff love the collaboration, shared workload, common language and ability to 'stop reinventing the wheel'.

 

Remote Learning Interruption on Data

Another issue is that things may have started well, then remote learning started, and you were able to keep something happening online BUT you don't know how the students are going. Tracking how the students are going is necessary because you need that data for your leadership examples. Without it, your stories are not answering the "so what", "how do you know this worked" part of the selection criteria response.

 

I've got a few suggestions.

 

• Use formative data from before remote learning and state intention to check for retention when returning to school.
• Get a few students from a few classes and do a formative assessment to see how students have maintained or grown.
• Do a smaller scale assessment and use that data, stating, "Initial indications show..."

Remote Learning Interruptions on your Expectations

If students haven't grown, would you really expect them to? If the strategy is super specific, then you could expect that students could have continued to improve but not all leadership examples are like that.

 

A more realistic expectation is that students maintained their previously taught work. There was not lose of knowledge, yet no gain, therefore maintained. There is also an element of recency for students. If the content was hyper specific, perhaps a refresher needs to be provided before a formative assessment occurs.

 

In conclusion

1. Acknowledge the interruption.
2. Get the data you can.
3. Manage your expectations

If you'd like help writing your leadership application, book in a free 30 minute call so we can get you moving in the right direction.