Transitioning to remote learning: Lessons from supporting K‐12 teachers through a MOOC

Abstract

AbstractThe recent face‐to‐face school closures due to COVID‐19 pushed teachers to quickly move their instruction online and support their students remotely. Whilst there has been a considerable push for technology integration in schools in recent years, there has been little focus on how to prepare teachers to teach online given that traditional schooling is based on a face‐to‐face delivery. As a result, many educators do not have adequate resources and preparation to support high quality and thoughtful remote learning. One way to quickly build teacher capacity is through the use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) which can provide access to professional learning at scale. In this paper, we describe a mixed methods study from a MOOC designed to provide educators with knowledge on how to support their students and create a community of learners in remote learning contexts. Specifically, we share findings on teachers’ biggest challenges of teaching remotely, perceptions of the impact of MOOC on their ability to teach remotely, and MOOC participation data. We discuss implications of these findings on the design and delivery of MOOCs for teacher professional learning, in general, but also how to develop teacher competencies for effective remote instruction. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Online teaching and learning is challenging for teachers without sustained support There is not a one‐to‐one mapping of face‐to‐face pedagogical practices that translates to online teaching practices so learning to teach remotely and online is difficult What this paper adds Evidence that MOOCs that align with teacher needs can significantly impact educators’ perceptions of ability in teaching remotely Evidence that MOOCs that include just‐in‐time professional learning can significantly increase the participation rates Implications for practice and/or policy Use of MOOCs to support teacher learning