In March 2020, the entire world faced a global pandemic causing a worldwide shutdown. This standstill included the closing of all brick-and-mortar schools. Students were faced with the challenge of learning remotely for one year and a half. Educators were forced to teach using technology that they were not formally trained to use. In addition, educators were charged with the expectations of preparing students to achieve academic success despite the many obstacles posed due to the COVID-19 crisis. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore how learning and teaching have changed due to the Covid-19 crisis. The researcher utilized an interview protocol to investigate and discover what new and resourceful ways will be necessary to implement educational practices from how they are currently implemented and transform them into a post- pandemic new approach to practice. The objective of the research was to understand how the future of education will be shaped by understanding the shared experiences of school leaders and examining which approaches worked, which were meaningful, and those that were not as successful in supporting the shift to the new normal of education. The researcher interviewed 12 school administrators including principals and assistant principals working in elementary, middle, and high schools, who serve school districts within the Northeastern Region of the United States. The findings that emerged from this study revealed that post-pandemic teaching and learning have taken on a new dynamic. One finding highlighted students are in need of additional Social and Emotional practices and supports. Students are returning to the school building with many social-emotional traumas. In fact, much assistance is needed to support the entire school community socially and emotionally. Another finding showed that due to the tremendous amount of learning loss experienced, students are returning to school with many academic deficiencies. In fact, many are approximately two levels lower than their actual grade level. Many students now require specialized interventions and individualized instruction to be academically successful.

Modern technology has infiltrated many facets of society, including educational environments. Through the use of virtual learning, educational systems can become more efficient at teaching the student population and break down cost and distance barriers to reach populations that traditionally could not afford a good education. Virtual Reality in Education: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice is an essential reference source on the uses of virtual reality in K-12 and higher education classrooms with a focus on pedagogical and instructional outcomes and strategies. Highlighting a range of pertinent topics such as immersive virtual learning environments, virtual laboratories, and distance education, this publication is an ideal reference source for pre-service and in-service teachers, school administrators, principles, higher education faculty, K-12 instructors, policymakers, and researchers interested in virtual reality incorporation in the classroom.

A practical blueprint to rebuilding an education system that is no longer working for its students In From Reopen to Reinvent, distinguished education strategist Michael B. Horn delivers a provocative and eye-opening call to action for the overthrow of an education system that is not working well for any of its students. Grounded in what educators should build in its place to address the challenges that stem from widespread unmet learning needs, the book walks readers through the design of a better path forward. Using time-tested leadership and innovation frameworks like Jobs to Be Done, “Begin with the End,” tools of cooperation, threat-rigidity, and discovery-driven planning, From Reopen to Reinvent offers a prescriptive and holistic approach to the purpose of schooling, the importance of focusing on mastery for each student, and the ideal use of technology. It also provides readers with: A set of processes and ideals that schools should implement to deal with the challenges they presently face A way to transform threats into opportunities using threat-rigidity research A discussion of how the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that schools are not as flexible and equitable as we need them to be Perfect for K-12 educators and parents and school board members involved in the school community, From Reopen to Reinvent is also an essential resource for professionals working in education-related non-profits and state education agencies.

A timely guide to online teaching strategies from bestselling author Doug Lemov and the Teach Like a Champion team School closures in response to the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic resulted in an immediate and universal pivot to online teaching. More than 3.7 million teachers in the U.S. were suddenly asked to teach in an entirely new setting with little preparation and no advance notice. This has caused an unprecedented threat to children's education, giving rise to an urgent need for resources and guidance. The New Normal is a just-in-time response to educators’ call for help. Teaching expert Doug Lemov and his colleagues spent weeks studying videos of online teaching and they now provide educators in the midst of this transition with a clear guide to engaging and educating their students online. Although the transition to online education is happening more abruptly than anyone anticipated, technology-supported teaching may be here to stay. This guide explores the challenges involved in online teaching and guides educators and administrators to identify and understand best practices. It is a valuable tool to help you and your students succeed in synchronous and asynchronous settings this school year and beyond. Learn strategies for engaging students more fully online Find new techniques to assess student progress from afar Discover tools for building online classroom culture, combating online distractions, and more Watch videos of teachers building rigor and relationships during online instruction The New Normal features real-world examples you can apply and adapt right away in your own online classroom to allow you to survive and thrive online.

Technology has developed at a tremendous rate since the turn of the century, but educational practice has not kept pace. Traditional teaching practices still predominate in many educational settings, and educators are often intimidated by new technology. However, as tragic as the COVID-19 pandemic has been, it has caused many people to rethink education and opportunities provided by new technologies for effective teaching and learning. How can educational communities of practice be reimagined to support a growth mindset for learning? This volume explores innovative visions for 21st century learning. The content explores the experiences of teachers with new technology, presents research studies that highlight effective strategies and technologies, and shares lessons learned from a unique researcher-practitioner mentoring model. Educational approaches that worked well, challenges that were difficult to overcome, and potential benefits of effective technology integration will encourage readers to reimagine education and implement practices that can strengthen the future of online education.

How do schools reopen safely during a pandemic? How can they make informed decisions that will allow students to begin learning again at levels surpassing pre-pandemic status? What will designs of post-pandemic schools look like? What key roles will technology play in these schools? What measures will allow students and staff to feel safe again, even with an invisible enemy still lurking? Answers to these critical questions can be found in this desperately needed resourceful book!

This handbook showcases extraordinary educational responses in exceptional times. The scholarly text discusses valuable innovations for teaching and learning in times of COVID-19 and beyond. It examines effective teaching models and methods, technology innovations and enhancements, strategies for engagement of learners, unique approaches to teacher education and leadership, and important mental health and counseling models and supports. The unique solutions here implement and adapt effective digital technologies to support learners and teachers in critical times – for example, to name but a few: Florida State University’s Innovation Hub and interdisciplinary project-based approach; remote synchronous delivery (RSD) and blended learning approaches used in Yorkville University’s Bachelor of Interior Design, General Studies, and Business programs; University of California’s strategies for making resources affordable to students; resilient online assessment measures recommended from Qatar University; strategies in teacher education from the University of Toronto/OISE to develop equity in the classroom; simulation use in health care education; gamification strategies; innovations in online second language learning and software for new Canadian immigrants and refugees; effective RSD and online delivery of directing and acting courses by the Toronto Film School, Canada; academic literacy teaching in Colombia; inventive international programs between Japan and Taiwan, Japan and the USA, and Italy and the USA; and, imaginative teaching and assessment methods developed for online Kindergarten – Post-Secondary learners and teachers. Authors share unique global perspectives from a network of educators and researchers from more than thirty locations, schools, and post-secondary institutions worldwide. Educators, administrators, policymakers, and instructional designers will draw insights and guidelines from this text to sustain education during and beyond the COVID-19 era.