RISKS AND CHALLENGES #1: Distance learning will reinforce teaching and learning approaches that we know do not work well. Jim: Many countries are shifting to distance learning approaches, whether through distributing physical packets of materials for students or through using technology to facilitate online learning. And there are real risks because many of these approaches can be very solitary and didactic when youre just asking students to sit and quietly watch videos, read documents online, or click through presentationsthats really dull. The worst form of learning is to sit passively and listen, and this may be the form that most students will receive during school closures. It serves no one well, especially those who are the furthest behind. #2: Educators will be overwhelmed and unsupported to do their jobs well. Vicki: Teachers had little or no notice about their schools closing and shifting to online learningthis can be challenging for anybody. Theyve shared that they are overwhelmed with all sorts of materials and products, and we are seeing educators begin to push back and request help filtering through all the resources to find those that are quality. At the same time, teachers are just like the rest of us in that they are experiencing this strange new world as mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They are trying to deal with their individual lives and take care of their kids and find new ways to make sure that learning continues. #3: The protection and safety of children will be harder to safeguard. Jim: In the U.K., we have stringent processes around checking who has access to children during school, in after-school clubs and sports. Schools have safeguard measures in place to ensure that predators toward children, such as pedophiles, cant access young people. Now, once you move to online learning in a home environment, you cant safeguard against this. People have to be mindful about the design of online learning so that bad individuals dont get to children outside of their home. #4: School closures will widen the equity gaps. Vicki: Over the last decade or so, progress has been made in the number of students who have access to devices and connectivity, making this move to online learning possible. At the same time, not every child has access to digital devices or internet connectivity at home, and we need to ensure those kids get access to learning resources as well. This means that learning resources need to be available on every kind of device and it means, for kids who dont have access, we still need to find a way to reach them. #5: Poor experiences with ed-tech during the pandemic will make it harder to get buy-in later for good use of ed-tech. Jim: We know that some students who use ed-tech during the pandemic will have a poor experience because theyre not used to it. Some people will say, During the virus we tried the ed-tech-enabled learning approaches, it was terrible, and look at my test scores. Yes, this will happen. Peoples test scores will be impacted. People will become unhappy because the mental health effects of being isolated will be profound. We must be prepared for that. Those poor experiences are really important to learn what does and doesnt work. OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE #1: Blended learning approaches will be tried, tested, and increasingly used. Jim: We know that the more engaging learning styles are ones that are more interactive, and that face-to-face learning is better than 100 percent online learning. We also know blended learning can draw on the best of both worlds and create a better learning experience than one hundred percent face-to-face learning. If, after having done 100 percent online at the end of this, I think its quite possible that we can then think about rebalancing the mix between face-to-face and online. Teachers will have started to innovate and experiment with these online tools and may want to continue online pedagogies

make a risk map and risk register as this is a risk assessment assignment