“The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them,” by Erin Bromage, Comparative Immunologist and Professor of Biology (specializing in Immunology) at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

“The principle is viral exposure over an extended period of time. In all these cases, people were exposed to the virus in the air for a prolonged period (hours). Even if they were 50 feet away (choir or call center), even a low dose of the virus in the air reaching them, over a sustained period, was enough to cause infection and in some cases, death.”

Why does this matter to the future of learning?

This article does an excellent job of laying out how COVID-19 spreads. Must read for every school leader.

Without significant mitigation efforts in place—which will likely include masks indoors—it’s hard to imagine how schools can safely reopen until there a COVID-19 vaccine.

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“Brigadoon Academy and a Once-in-a-Century Challenge,” by Moira Kelly, President, Exploration Learning

“It is September 1, 2020, the first day that Brigadoon has opened its brick and mortar doors since it closed the third week of March. Because social distancing is still required, in-person schooling is on a staggered schedule. The school has been split in two. The Lower and Middle School students will each attend for three days a week whereas Upper School students will attend for two days a week. This week, only the Upper School will start. Everyone expects that many things will not work and will require modification, so working out the kinks with just the Upper School seemed to make the most sense. (No doubt a different set of challenges will present themselves with the Lower and Middle School students.) Even with just the Upper School students, start times are staggered since every student is screened on arrival and only so many students can be screened at once.”

Why does this matter to the future of learning?

EXPLO’s thought experiment, based on actual challenges faced by Wahaha International School in Hangzhou China, offers concrete considerations for the 2020-21 school year, including:

• Screening before entry

• Population density

• Technology needs and supply chains

• Teachers as instructors and disinfecting agents

• Mental health support

• …and much more

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“How Leopards Change Their Spots: Five Attributes of Schools That Successfully Transitioned to Distance Learning,” by Frances Messano, Senior Managing Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund

“Students who have been attending schools where self-directed learning is a central feature of the model are making the transition to distance learning more easily. A classroom environment that empowers students to choose which subject to focus on, proactively seek help, and use a range of tools to complete a task also prepares those same students to continue learning in a variety of contexts, even at home. Similarly, schools that were using technology consistently as a way to enhance student agency have been able to shift more easily to distance learning because students are continuing to learn on the platforms they’d been using throughout the year. At Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indianapolis, students are used to self-directed learning and pursuing topics that interest them most. Specifically, students create their schedules, pace their work, and frequently connect with teachers, other students, and experts through Google Hangouts. Making the transition to an entirely virtual environment was relatively easy for Purdue teachers and students. In fact, in the first week, 95% of students participated in distance learning, which is higher than their average daily attendance rate.”

Why does this matter to the future of learning?

If self-directed learning wasn’t already central to your model, consider how it will continue to be an advantage in a post-CV19 landscape.

How will you bridge that gap?

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Wondering whether your school will open in September? The CDC currently recommends…

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