Around the world, 2020 will surely be remembered as the year of COVID-19, the year in which all our certainties were questioned and we realised how fragile we are. This pandemic has taken its toll on all of us in many ways, both in our personal lives as well as in our careers. Numerous businesses have struggled to survive, and many did so because they were quick to adapt to the new realities through multiple strategies. Most of these strategies included further and better use of technology. The education sector was not exempt from facing these new realities.

In January 2020, our school had started works on a long-term plan which would see the school focusing on the further use of ICT to enhance its student-centred pedagogy. During the weeks prior to the closure of all schools, San Andrea School had finalised the process of providing school e-mail addresses to all of its educators and students.

The management team at San Andrea School, together with its Virtual Learning Environments tech team, worked tirelessly throughout the last seven months with the sole aim of welcoming all its students and educators, while ensuring that all necessary precautions were in order to guarantee the safest environment possible, for all staff members and students alike.

Nothing was taken for granted and every detail was carefully analysed to ensure the various protocols issued by the health authorities were strictly adhered to. Moreover, various training sessions were held throughout summer for all educators to strengthen their digital literacy skills, in view of an improved student-centred pedagogy through a blended learning approach.

Live lessons

Apart from guaranteeing a safe environment, San Andrea is also focused on ensuring continuity to the education of each and every one of its students, while acknowledging the right of parents who opt to keep their children at home, or are in quarantine. In this respect, teachers are simultaneously delivering lessons to all students physically present in class, while transmitting them live to students at home. The school went through a major internet upgrade throughout summer, to withstand the increased Wi-Fi traffic being envisaged.

San Andrea is focused on ensuring continuity to the education of each and every one of its students

We also launched a two-way sound communication for groups of students. Teachers were already equipped with a Bluetooth headset to communicate with remote learners. Students attending school have been able to view their peers on Microsoft Teams projected via a wireless projector/smart-board equipped with an onboard wireless speaker system.

As lessons started to unfold, the need for a two-way communication between learn­ers in class and those at home was being felt. Teachers and learners alike felt there was something missing during discussion time.

Students and teachers in class. PVC curtains in all classes separate the students’ desks from the teacher.Students and teachers in class. PVC curtains in all classes separate the students’ desks from the teacher.

The Virtual Learning Environments tech team installed a small diaphragm condenser microphone in all classes. When required, at the teachers’ discretion, during discussion times or Microsoft Teams sessions, learners at home would be able to hear both teacher and students at school. Everyone present during that discussion time would be able to voice their opinion and hear clearly what the other party is saying.

One-to-one technology

In view of all the current and future needs of our students, San Andrea School has introduced a system of one-to-one technology in the classrooms. All educators have also been given a graphic pad to allow them to correct the students’ work, since this is all being done online.

The importance of one-to-one technology goes well beyond addressing the challenges encountered by this pandemic. Our aim is to focus on four main goals:

Students-centred pedagogy: This is being done in a myriad of ways, such as improving teacher-student interaction through the use of various educational tools, facilitating collaboration among students using applications such as quizzes, online activities and simulations in order to diversify learning strategies, as well as for alternative assessment methods and to enable all students to learn better at their own pace, since all classroom material can be made easily accessible. Regular screen breaks are provided to all learners.

Attitudes: We are seeking to foster a technology-enhanced/ -enabled learning environment to be embraced by the entire San Andrea School community as an attitude.

Environmentally friendly school: Through the use of tablets, the school is reducing the amount of printed material. Traditional handouts distributed by teachers have now been replaced by soft copies. In the longer-term, the school will also be working to introduce digital books.

School bag weight: A direct consequence of the digitalisation of various resources is that students now carry less books and other resources in their bags, hence making them lighter. At the same time, students also have to worry less about forgetting any items at home.

Vision of the future

UNESCO estimates about 24 million learners, from pre-primary to university level across the globe, are at risk of not returning to school this year following the disruptions due to COVID-19.

The UNESCO COVID-19 Education Response document recommends that policy responses should ensure improvement of curriculum readiness and introduce innovative approaches to teaching and learning.This includes the gradual integration of hybrid/blended learning programmes through a combination of distance and school-based learning and leveraging the potential of alternative modalities in order to address and meet the diverse and differential learning needs of learners. The above-mentioned actions, policies and the attitude towards technology-enabled education, are all part of San Andrea’s response, as outlined and recommended by UNESCO.

Our school will also delve into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. We will develop a common AI competency framework for teachers and learners. This framework can shed light on the integration of AI skills in school and institutional curricula, and could serve as a blueprint for other schools.

We are hopeful for what the future holds in our vision and we seek to have all our community and stakeholders embrace this shift. We feel confident that San Andrea School will yet again set itself as a trendsetter in education in Malta. Moreover, we feel that we can put Malta on the map with this long-term plan.

Stefania Bartolo, head, San Andrea School

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