Reaching New Families through Distance Learning

Methods with Meaning
May 11, 2020
6 min read

Remote Learning can Help Christian Schools Reach More Families

COVID-19 has brought about new teaching and learning opportunities for Christian school educators through distance learning, whether or not we were ready or wanting it! As school leaders, I’m sure you’ve been able to identify teachers who have thrived in this new learning environment. You may also have heard from families who are enjoying having their kids home so much that they desire to homeschool next year. This may be true of families outside of your current school’s enrollment, too.

At first blush, this is scary. Any threats to our enrollment bring with them a certain level of trepidation. However, I believe this presents as a unique opportunity for Christian schools to reach new families in a different way.

With little overhead and using existing staff, Christian schools may be able to expand their offerings to include an online academy utilizing the same curriculum as their physical school.

Here I’ll share some of my ideas as well as tools I’ve found to support such a shift to regular distance learning opportunities for families. Hopefully we’ll get your wheels turning with ideas of how this might be applied in your setting!

Benefits of Distance Learning for Christian Schools

If online enrollment is kept at a number that, when combined with in-person enrollment, is a reasonable class size for a teacher, you may not need to hire an additional teacher at all. In the programs I’ll share, the teacher’s screen and webcam can be captured, recording regular class instruction that is then streamlined and available for online students to observe. This is perfect for recording for a wider audience though distance learning. Educationally speaking, this method will work best with a workshop model of instruction for literacy or math due to the short, teacher-centered minilesson that opens each class.
If enrollment is such that new staff members are needed for online instruction, new hires can potentially still be kept at a minimum. For example, if adding an elementary school-from-home component, by removing one subject from the teachers’ schedules, the teachers could pick up one section of distance learning for a subject they already teach. So, by adding, for instance, a new science/STEM teacher who teaches the class more like a special to all grades in the elementary, startup costs should be relatively easy to cover with initial enrollment if enough interest is generated.
By using the same curriculum, the entire faculty can benefit from the same professional development, though online teachers will need additional PD in providing meaningful and high-quality learning experiences with technology.
If numbers are not super high the first year (just enough to cover expenses with a little cushion), it’s possible Google Classroom could be used as the online site, saving money over a more expensive program like Blackboard or Canvas that would likely be required for larger online enrollment.
I think some homeschool parents might be quite receptive to more of a hybrid model wherein they do not have to provide the instruction or grades, even just for one subject.
With all that has happened with COVID-19, states are offering free PD to private schools regarding how to better/best implement distance learning. Check out these sessions offered in New York.
Teachers may be excited about the potential for future work from home opportunities presented by the online academy, and it’s possible you’ll find great new candidates, as well.
When students are absent, they can access the instruction they’ve missed, an added bonus for teachers, students, and their parents.

Important Considerations for Remote Learning:

You’ll need to decide if online students will be required to sign up for all classes in a grade level, or if they can choose only certain classes. Math quickly comes to mind as a course many parents would be interested in if offered as a stand-alone subject, so this might be a good place to start.
It might go without saying, but as a new venture, it’d be wise to pilot the program with one or two of your teachers who has excelled at online instruction during this COVID era. This will minimize expenses and help you iron out potential difficulties or points of frustration for teachers, students, or parents.
There will likely be some digital startup costs involved, so don’t forget to plan for potentially necessary tools for teachers like ipads, document cameras, and microphones, depending on the program(s) you choose. If your teachers don’t have document cameras currently, you should make this investment soon, whether or not you move forward with online learning! Here’s why.
You’ll need to check your state’s requirements for launching an online academy to make sure everything is on the up-and-up for accreditation and other legal implications.

Distance Learning Tools to Check Out (Don’t forget the free trials!):

FlashBack- This program allows you to record your screen and add a window of your webcam simultaneously, so students can see content and the instructor. There is a free version (FlashBack Express) or a full version with full editing software (FlashBack Pro). Pro comes with educator discounts, costing under $45 for 1-4 users. It seems that the free version might be sufficient for many educators, and it comes without watermarks that would cheapen the look of your videos. However, Pro is required in order to select and save only portions of your recorded video, so it might be worth the expense for the peace of mind that not every minute of recording must be perfect. Note that this program only works on Windows.
Screencast-o-matic- This program is quite affordable at either $1.65/month or $4/month (ad-free) per teacher, and it interfaces with Google Classroom which can be a great time-saver for teachers. You can record both your screen and webcam simultaneously so students can see both the teacher and anything displayed under the document camera or through a program like PowerPoint or Google Slides. Note you will need the more expensive version ($4/month) in order to upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
Panopto- This is a very cool program for education and seems relatively affordable at $15/month per classroom (when considering additional online enrollment tuition). It integrates with programs like Canvas and Blackboard, but does not appear to work seamlessly with Google Classroom. Multiple cameras can capture regular class instruction in addition to the teacher’s computer screen. For example, one camera can be trained on the teacher at the front of the room, while another captures either the computer screen or document camera’s view. This is different than the other programs that will require the teacher to teach from in front of the computer. Another cool feature is called “Smart Search” wherein users can search for words or phrases used within videos (spoken or typed). This could be a very useful tool for students, especially high school students for whom lectures will likely be longer and more involved.
Explain Everything- This is another good option, and depending on your enrollment, may be less expensive than Panopto. Cost is $3/seat/month for 1-9 seats, and $0.9/seat/month for 10+ seats. This is an interactive whiteboard program in which teachers can create notes, add video, and really have some fun with their lectures, and it works with Google Classroom. If using this program, your teachers would probably use this to create their lessons for use in both the physical and virtual classroom. Additionally, with options for live collaboration during lessons, online learning can feel more personal for students and help them feel like they are part of an actual class, not just working independently. This program will require more tech savy-ness of your teachers and may appeal to the creative on your team. It looks like creating videos can be time-consuming depending on how elaborate the teacher desires to make them, which could be frustrating for some. But for others, it might be a lot of fun.

Biblical Implications for Distance Learning:

We could view these new circumstances as a threat to Christian education, or we can view them as an opportunity to expand the Kingdom. Now, perhaps more than ever in our lifetime, people are frightened and looking for security and answers. And we have them! We know we need not fear the future, for we know the God of the universe. And boy does he love people. Distance learning can be a vehicle through which we share his love with greater influence. Perhaps we might even expand our enrollment to include seekers looking for excellent educational opportunities for their children. Through God's grace and our influence, may they end up finding salvation on the journey!