BEFORE THE GLOBAL pandemic started, I did not think anything could break my heart as thoroughly as watching my daughter struggle with remote kindergarten.
In the grand scheme of things, not being able to operate Google Meet is a privileged problem to have. After all, my daughter has a quiet room, reliable internet, active adult support, and her own electronic device. Still, it's a nightmare. One of us has to babysit her on the computer, as she can’t manage Google Meet, writing on her whiteboard, and studying the class material by herself. There’s always one poorly lit, hyperactive student who never mutes. And when her teacher calls on her, my daughter goes white and flips her Chromebook face-down. It’s been an adjustment.
But remote schooling isn’t going anywhere. In a survey administered by the Rand Corporation last December, a public policy research organization, about two out of 10 US school districts out of 375 will consider adopting, will adopt, or have adopted virtual learning as part of their respective district portfolio in the upcoming years due to parent demand. It allows some parents to better protect children from institutional racism, lets high-energy kids escape distractions, and gives families some leeway when it comes to commutes and sick days.
Keeping structural inequity in mind, is it possible to improve some of the technical aspects of the online learning experience? Just as Zoom became hero software for the work-from-home masses, a growing number of companies are building the next generation of the remote schoolhouse. These new software tools for online learning include features that offer better controls for teachers, make unique considerations for students of different age groups, and cut some slack to the kids who need it the most.
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