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It was an "I remember when moment." You know the one I'm talking about: I remember when we got the news that…

It was a Friday, Friday the 13th to be exact, when I got the news that from this moment forward, I would be fully remote until further notice. The same day we heard the news that our children would be home from school and my spouse, a 4th-grade teacher, would be home as well. This was the moment when chaos took the reins — at least it felt that way for a time, and it still seems surreal some days.

Everything changed. We no longer just run into the grocery store for a quick item. Now we wait in lines outside, six feet apart and wearing masks. We're video chatting with our loved ones, group chatting with our neighbors and occasionally shouting across the street to say hello.

But aside from all that, everything changed in the world of education. And I'd venture to say that most of our districts were not prepared for this.

remote student

At WWT, we sell solutions. Not only can we help find the right overall tool for educators to use, but we can also train them to be successful and ease these burdens they never saw coming.

Full remote learning

Our teachers and students were thrust into this "full remote learning" world and likely didn't fully comprehend what that meant.

  • Many students didn't have devices.
  • Some students had no access to the Internet.
  • Teachers were forced to quickly figure out technology that was foreign to them.
  • There is a need to completely transform how the class would be conducted/presented.

Everything was different, and most of them weren't prepared.

There are so many things on the minds of educators right now, and it's hard to even know what to prioritize. Administrators are trying to determine how to best meet the needs of students, parents and teachers, and virtual meeting platform learning might seem like a no-brainer. But amid all the changes, education around how to use these new tools can make a huge impact and ease some of the discomforts this generation of educators are feeling.

remote teacher

"Research has shown that well-designed and prepared training activities in a training program will result in job training satisfaction (JTS), which then influences employee's work-related attitudes such as job satisfaction (JS). This will further affect their intentions of turnover and job performance."

— Job Training, Job Satisfaction, and Job Performance By Wen-Rou Huang Sep 18, 2019

How WWT Adoption Services can help

WWT's Adoption Services can help. We work quickly with our customers to identify pain points and put a plan in place incorporating organizational change management strategies to ensure their end-users feel well supported with the process and training. Educate yourself on the Adoption Services offerings we have available to support your needs with Google Suite, Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams and more. 

Case Study: Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls

Hawthorn is the only public all-girls charter school providing middle and high school girls with a high quality, college preparatory education with a particular focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math). WWT has worked with Hawthorn on multiple occasions, and the effects of the global pandemic presented an opportunity. 

The teachers were struggling. On a personal level, they had to deal with the fears and uncertainty the rest of the world was experiencing, but they were insecure on a professional level as well. They had never taught this way before — maybe even never experienced a virtual meeting. There were so many new things to learn and no time for self-training.

Better together

This is what we do. Adoption Services works every day to teach and train on how to use collaboration tools. We knew we could help, so we got to work. We met with the administration and faculty of Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls to listen to their pain points. Some of which included:

  • Platform consolidation (Zoom, Google Hangout, Google classroom).
  • Login/access to meeting platforms.
  • Basic meeting management (Sharing content, muting etc.).
  • How to deliver curriculum virtually vs. in-person.

In addition, teachers are expected to know these platforms so well that they can guide their students and parents through the same challenges they were facing. Then pile on the fact that once they know how to operate these new tools, they will need to completely revamp how they deliver their curriculum, hand out, receive and grade assignments. 

After some technology and use case discovery sessions with Hawthorn team members, WWT Adoption Services was able to provide some needed support. 

  • 3 virtual training sessions
  • 1 teacher training on Google Classroom & Google Suite
  • 1 teacher training on Hosting Zoom Meetings & Best Practices
  • 1 student/parent training on Zoom Tips & Tricks + Remote Learning Survival Tips
  • 10 Quick Reference Guides (Zoom, Google Classroom, Google Suite)

The blended approach of training and reference material built confidence and support for not only educators but students and parents alike, who are all needed for a successful remote learning experience!

"WWT has not only been a supporter but a cheerleader of Hawthorn since opening. The thought partnership, care and problem-solving we have received has been invaluable. The partnership has been very collaborative which in turn has grown our teachers and students capacity with technology." 

—Daphne Robinson, Head of School, Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls

Engage WWT Adoption Services

Learn more about how WWT Adoption Services can help you  or email us directly at adoption.services@wwt.com.