As schools return to class, leaders in IT and technology across the nation are faced with some of the most difficult circumstances due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Parents and teachers are also pushing back against reopening plans. This creates a lot of uncertainty. IT leaders must prepare multiple contingency strategies because there are so many unknowns.
We will outline the common reopening educational models and their impact on technology. As well as some IT steps that can be taken to gain control of a situation rife with variables and last-minute changes.
COVID-19: Back to School in 2020?
Leaders in technology are still playing catch up after the outbreak of the coronavirus that disrupted the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
In March and April 2020, schools across the U.S. will begin to use remote-control technology in order to combat the spread of COVID-19. In the beginning, officials from the government’s education and health departments indicated that students could return to school in person in the fall.
Despite the fact that the U.S. continues experiencing an increase in cases, many leaders of education across departments, grades, and roles struggle to plan. The constant changes in government recommendations, disease statistics, and medical understanding challenge technologists.
Some of the factors that will impact reopening plans are:
Information on disease spread: Medical teams have identified specific behaviors and activities that increase the risk of coronavirus transmission. Close contact and activities that require heavy breathing, such as singing, can increase the risk of infection.
Vector info for children and teens: Over the past few months, the data has dramatically changed in terms of how children transmit COVID-19. These minute-by-minute lessons have had a significant impact on the reopening of schools.
Community Demands: Teachers, parents, and students all have different opinions about the current virus crisis. The politicization of the virus has heightened tensions and a sense of what good practices are. Teachers in some places have protested what they see as the risk of reopening schools by holding sick-strikes.
In addition, some schools are offering a choose-your-own-adventure style entrance to the school year – or requiring 1:1 – all without including the IT team in planning.
Government Recommendations: The federal and state governments sent mixed messages about the spread of COVID-19 and the risks of reopening schools. This added another layer of difficulty for educators and IT leaders who are trying to create an effective reopening 2020-2021 plan.
The number of stakeholders, factors, and the reopening of educational models impact technology services.
This model is the most impactful on IT. However, it’s also the most decisive, as the IT department will be able to manage technology in a routine, consistent manner once initial planning has been completed.
: In an all-out remote or 100% virtual model of education, students and teachers operate from home or other similar locations. They can use a personal computer or a device issued by the school.
Impact: Security tools, collaboration tools, and network connectivity are top of mind.
Next Steps: Ensure that you have implemented adequate security controls, including multi-factor authentication.
Use the same diligence in securing your collaboration platform. Cisco Webex Teams is the most secure platform for e-learning.
Last but not least, provide families and educators with simple, clear support to ensure a fast, connected experience.
School districts with smaller populations and multiple stakeholders prefer the hybrid model to reopen schools. Many communities believe that this option is safe and offers a middle ground for the 2020 back-to-school.
Description: The most complex and diverse hybrid models are those that reopen schools in the fall. Specific logistics for a hybrid model can vary greatly. Some schools might have a half-day of in-person instruction or divide it among segments of students. Others may run two days of in-person instruction and three at home.
IT Impact This situation is the most complex for IT. Leaders in IT must ensure that both the technology used for learning at home and in person is performing well. This could include addressing issues such as device access, overall network security, and troubleshooting.
Next Steps: Identify the technology requirements for both environments: school and home.
Find out what solutions are already available and map them to the different environments, noting any gaps in procedures or applications.