Help learners make good choices. Remote learning has quickly become the standard for safer learning. As remote learning continues to accelerate, we need to look at the larger picture. We need to focus on the experience of learning and that of education.

What are students experiencing day to day in the classroom or on a video stream? How has the system adapted to help learners? How can we help schools, administrators, teachers, students, and families?

To really help we need to start developing a plan that includes resilient strategies. The strategies need to include enrollment, value propositions, technology, planning, parent, teacher, and student support.

What do we prioritize? The student. The learner and their experience.

Right now we are looking for miracles. Let’s prepare for a future that includes helping students make good choices. Consider integrating more experiences in deeper learning. Encourage student led initiatives, higher thinking, collaboration, and project based assignments. These experiences become the foundation for better learners.

The advice we give will help learners make the best choices. That advice may be a gap year for higher education students. It may include supplemental learning from outside sources. Outside learning helps balance the needs of schools, students, and state requirements.

As we shift our focus to the learning experience we need to embrace diverse methods of learning. We need to start looking at inclusive solutions from inside and outside the community.

But how do we get started?

We can start by observing and measuring the current learning experience. Then use the data to identify what is working, and what isn’t. Be very careful of biases. What peaks your curiosity? What doesn’t make sense? Use simple tests or experiments to identify patterns and areas that will have the greatest impact.

We have asked some of the brightest minds in education what’s next and they have answered the need for learner choice. So go help learners make good choices.