Students can complete online assignments from home on school-issued computers on e-learning days. When schools use up those additional days, they must arrange makeup days, which are normally added at the end of the school year and are frequently underutilized.
What is an eLearning Day, and how does it work?
In 2014, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) created the Virtual Option for Inclement Weather (also known as eLearning Days) as a response to schools that could provide high-quality instruction electronically in the event of severe weather that would otherwise force a school day to be canceled. The IDOE will grant a school the option to deliver virtual education to pupils and classify the day as a regular school day if it can fulfill numerous conditions. All activities on an eLearning Day must take place as if it were a regular school day, and all students must have access to any specific accommodations or supports that they may require.
However, upon deeper analysis, it becomes evident that establishing the infrastructure to execute e-learning days is difficult unless the district is already heavily invested in digital learning. In order for an e-learning day to be successful, the school/district must have a mechanism in place to manage students’ e-learning, such as a well-established learning management system (LMS).
Kids must have access to a computer, so unless the district has developed a one-to-one program or a “bring your own device” policy, the administration will have to figure out how to get students online. To provide meaningful learning opportunities in the digital world, teachers who engage with students in online and blended learning settings require considerable professional development. Schools and districts must also communicate effectively with students and parents about the policy in place so that everyone is on the same page about what is required to promote kids’ learning.
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