Remote Learning: Key Messages

NASUWT POSITION STATEMENT

12 issues related to remote education. Evidence about the features of effective practice and provides advice on approaches to remote education that are consistent with NASUWT policy.

It also identifies actions that we believe governments, administrations and others should take in order to ensure that teachers and school leaders are supported to implement remote education effectively.

Remote and blending learning

NASUWT Position statement Remote Learning
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Remote Learning

NASUWT ADVICE

Professional Judgements

Teachers’ professional judgements should guide the approaches to assessment adopted in respect of remote learning.

Internal School Assessments

No internal school assessment activities related to qualifications or, where applicable, statutory assessments are necessary except when teachers judge that it would be helpful for activities that pupils have already

commenced to be completed.

Telephone calls

Under no circumstances is it appropriate for schools to insist that teachers or school leaders make telephone calls or hold one-to-one video conferences with children.

No safeguarding or child protection arrangements in place anywhere in the UK require teachers to make direct contact with pupils

Remote Learning

NASUWT ADVICE

Recording Verbal Feedback

Where schools have established online remote learning systems, teachers must not be required to attempt to reproduce in written form the verbal feedback that pupils would be given during typical classroom teaching.

Recording plans for Evaluation

There should be no requirement for teachers to record their plans for evaluation by others.

Data assessment

The use of summative assessment tracking systems, 'data drops' of assessment outcomes and the setting of assessment targets should be discontinued.

Remote Learning

NASUWT ADVICE

Recording online activities

There are no valid educational or personnel management justifications for recording online learning activities.

Arrangements must recognise the distinctive and considerable pressures experienced by teachers who are working from home.

Further advice

There is more detailed advice on the NASUWT website at https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/health-safety/coronavirusguidance/arrangements-for-remote-teaching-learning-support.html?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_camp

Problems

NASUWT members in England can get support, advice and information on employment-related issues by contacting the Member Support Advice Team. The team is available from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

Members in England only can call 03330 145550 free in any inclusive minute package from a landline or mobile phone. This line is for advice issues only.

Email: advice@mail.nasuwt.org.uk (members in England only)
General Enquiries: nasuwt@mail.nasuwt.org.uk

Learning experiences and the use of technology

There is no objection in principle to the use of online resources to support children’s learning if they are used in a way that is consistent with this advice.

However, schools should be mindful of the fact that many children and young people live in households with no or limited access to the internet or to the technology required to make use of online resources. Even in households with full internet access, the number of suitable online capable devices may be insufficient at any one time to meet the demands of home-working adults and children attempting to access educational materials or live learning sessions (livestreaming). Livestreaming involves sessions that take place online, in real time and involve direct interaction between teachers and pupils.

The NASUWT is aware that the livestreaming of lessons directly to pupils raises particular issues and concerns. Because of the particular issues in respect of data protection, safeguarding and ensuring that teachers are adequately protected, the Union advises caution in the use of such an approach. Consideration should always be given first to using an alternative remote learning approach before livestreaming is contemplated. It should be recognised that there is no expectation from any UK government or administration that livestreaming lessons will be used.

In all circumstances, it is unacceptable for schools to insist that teachers organise and deliver livestreamed sessions.

Teachers should consult the NASUWT checklist on the below if they are considering choosing to use livestreaming lessons as an approach or if issues in this respect arise in their school or college.

Schools may choose to augment their online provision by providing children with work in physical formats, such as worksheets or activities in textbooks. While this form of remote learning may be worthwhile, it is clear that teachers cannot be expected to review children’s work undertaken in this way, or to provide feedback on it, until those children have returned to school.

For these reasons, the nature of the activities set for children during this period is of critical importance. As access to online facilities may be limited for many children, it would be highly inequitable for online learning sessions to attempt to cover essential new curricular content. Instead, where such sessions are used, they should focus more on deepening and enriching pupils' existing knowledge and understanding. Free-to-access educational resources, such as those provided by the BBC, may be particularly helpful in this regard.

In their provision, schools should recognise that many children and others in their households will be experiencing significant stress and uncertainty at this time. Therefore, placing excessive burdens on pupils in terms of the amount of work they are expected to complete is profoundly unhelpful. Remote learning expectations of children should also recognise that the demands on parents and other adult members of children’s families at present may make it difficult for them to provide an environment conducive to extensive periods of home learning.

remote_learning_checklist.pdf
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