Ready or not, here 'I.T.' comes

For the past two months there has been a lot of discussion -- and quite a bit of money spent -- concerning the "video option" for the Avoyelles Parish School System. The option attracted over 2,100 of the district's anticipated 5,100 students.

If the full-time virtual option, and the part-time virtual school week for the rest of the students, proves as successful as district officials believe it will, there has been some talk -- perhaps half in jest, but maybe not -- of having a parishwide virtual K-12 school next year.

Of course, if performance scores bomb or there are too many technical bugs in the intra-parish virtual network, that possibility will quickly be forgotten.

Computers are often referred to as "information technology," or "IT" for short.

With the "hybrid school week" of having some virtual students and some on-campus students about to kick off on Aug. 26, it's time to think back to those happy playground years and say, "Ready or not, here IT comes."

Here is a more detailed look at the "virtual option."

TO ADDRESS FEARS

The online program was implemented primarily to address fears of parents who are uncomfortable sending their child to school during a time when the coronavirus is still apparently very active and contagious in the community.

Superintendent Blaine Dauzat said the parish's "spotty" internet service in some areas of the parish was the primary concern with developing a "virtual classroom" program to overcome another shutdown due to COVID or any other disaster.

The district received a $2 million "Strong Start" federal grant, which it used to develop its "virtual option."

The School Board purchased and has distributed computer devices for every child in the school district. The district-provided device will have a microphone and camera. Officials said it is not advisable for students to use a cell phone for online learning.

Ideally it would be best for students to be able to attend class in the comfort of their own home via their household internet provider.

Dauzat said a fact of life in Avoyelles is that many students either cannot afford to have internet in their homes or live in areas with poor or no internet service. For that reason, the School Board used some of its Strong Start grant to contract Detel Computer Solutions to install "access points" or "hotspots" throughout the parish to ensure that every student is no more than a short drive to a place where they can be in contact with their classroom teacher.

"Students will be able to report to an access point to download and upload materials weekly, should traveling to an access point on a daily basis be impractical," the district notes in its virtual option handbook.

The devices are only on loan to the students. They remain the property of the Avoyelles Parish School System and must be returned in good condition.

Students and parents should pay attention to care and maintenance instructions in the handbook they receive with the Chromebook.

WATCH NOW OR LATER

Dauzat has emphasized that children will not have to pull up a chair and sit in front of a computer screen for six or seven hours a day taking notes.

The virtual instruction includes live lessons via computer, which allows real-time interaction between the teacher and student. However, that lesson is also taped and available for students to watch -- or re-watch -- later in the day.

Except for the fact that the student is never in the same room with the teacher, the interaction between teacher and student is not that different.

District officials said most students will be familiar with the device because they have used Chromebooks in school.

The teacher provides the information, the student receives it, assignments are given and turned in for a grade.

Students and parents are told to quickly notify the school if there is a breakdown in the technology or internet system where they are. The School Board YouTube Channel is a resource for information and technology support in both online and printed formats.

Students must have access to Google Suite through a Chrome browser. Students will be given their Google account information from their school.

The school district accounts are filtered and monitored at all times.

While technology has been a blessing to education, the fact remains that a typewriter never "shut down" and wiped out several hours of work on a research paper.

The district has taken steps to protect students from such unfortunate events by giving them access to a Google Cloud Account to save their work.

USE THE 'CLOUD'

"Students should not save any work to the individual Chromebooks unless there is no access to the Google Cloud Account -- such as times when there is no Internet availability," the handbook advises. "It is important to note that Chromebooks will not be backed up by the district in cases of resetting and reimaging."

The handbook also notes that the district "makes no guarantee that the network will be up and running 100 percent of the time. In the rare cases that the network is down, the district will not be responsible for lost or missing data."

Students will not be penalized if their completed assignment cannot be accessed due to the network being down, which would affect all students and staff in the school.

Communication with the teacher will be via an email address assigned to the student.

If a student fails to complete an assignment and no reason was provided to the teacher, the student will get an "F" for the assignment. If there is a technology problem, the parent or student must call the school to report it as soon as possible.

Students will be notified of teachers' class and office hours so they can log in and meet with the teachers virtually to have their questions answered. Posted questions are to be answered with 24 hours during the school week.

Online assignments will be graded the same as those submitted in on-campus classes.

Parents and students are to pick up any materials from school that will be needed to complete online work.

Students caught cheating, such as submitting the same work as another student, could receive a zero. A teacher might allow partial credit if there was some work not copied. The handbook notes that all students involved in such an action could face the same consequences.

Students caught plagiarizing materials -- copy and paste information directly from a resource --could also receive a zero for that assignment.

'SIX COMMANDMENTS'

The "Six Commandments" of the online class are:
1. Read all of the material provided.
2. Use the links provided so assigned items can be completed.
3. Online work is just as important as in-person work.
4. Use links set up by teachers to ask questions during Google Meets.
5. Log in daily to check for assignments, posted items or to interact with peers.
6. Keep online interactions positive and constructive.

While the "virtual option" students may have some advantages at test time that their peers in the classroom don't, the school district has taken steps to ensure tests and quizzes "continue to challenge" the at-home students.

Teachers can use Google Forms for the test, which can block outside sites from being accessed while the test in process.

Teachers will ensure that students have enough time to complete the test because they may not be able to start over once the online test has begun.

As with any test, students should read the directions and be sure they understand the instructions before starting the test.

Unlike the classroom setting, there is alway that nagging possibility of a computer glitch. The rule in that instance is to take a screenshot of the problem and notify the teacher immediately.

Students should also make sure they have received and completed all assignments covering information being tested because they may have only one chance to submit the test.

For more details and questions, parents and students can refer to the handbook or contact the student's assigned school.