Providing Technical Support for Remote Education
With schools across the nation closing due to coronavirus concerns, many districts are facing new challenges as they make the switch to remote learning.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is transforming life as we know it. Across industries, the novel coronavirus is disrupting business-as-usual practices — and the field of education is no exception. Specifically, making the switch from standard classroom-based learning to remote lessons has posed new challenges for students, teachers, and school districts alike.
In an effort to reduce the spread of the virus in spaces where large numbers of people congregate, states have closed public schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. While not all schools are able to support remote learning in response to school closures, many districts that do have the right technology and resources in place are working overtime to transition to online education.
Districts that are able to provide remote learning as an option can help offer continuity of education to their students, as well as add structure for parents adapting to their own changing work circumstances. However, doing so will undoubtedly present a fair share of pain points for districts accustomed to delivering in-person lessons. Fortunately, understanding those pain points and looking to third-party providers for support can help ease the transition to remote education.
The Challenges of Implementing Remote Learning
Fully embracing and implementing remote learning is a challenge under any circumstances, but it is even more so when the switch is sudden. With little time to prepare, districts have had to rapidly rework their plans for the semester and adapt to new limitations.
Some of the biggest challenges when it comes to remote education relate to the complex logistics of implementing such a program for so many individual educators and students. For one, districts must first address the potential lack of student access to devices and Internet connectivity — without which students will be unable to engage in digital learning. This may involve distributing hotspots to households in need, or finding creative access point solutions that respect social distancing guidelines.
From there, districts have to work through the process of rolling out digital lesson plans, which will involve immense technical coordination as well as consideration of how face-to-face lessons can be adapted to a screen. Beyond these big, more obvious issues, there are a large number of questions that school districts likely will not have thought about before the shutdown. For example, how will students — particularly young students who may not have their own emails — log in and access all the necessary accounts? Do teachers have a good space in which to create their digital lesson plans, such as a fully set up Google Classroom? Perhaps most importantly, how will IT teams deal with the influx of tickets as educators and students begin to rely on technology for their lesson plans?
In order for a digital education to operate smoothly, districts need to have a plan in place for the increased IT support demands that will arise due to the transition to remote learning. The success of remote education requires that technology functions as promised. More than ever before, it’s critical that IT support is available to address problems ranging from password resets to device connectivity issues.
A Trusted IT Partner for Remote Education
With schools expected to be closed through the end of the academic year, it is incredibly important that districts are able to provide support for their students and educators to facilitate remote learning. Considering the emphasis on technology in the current education landscape, a trusted partner can provide the perfect way for districts to keep up with new IT demands. Facing these increased IT challenges, many school districts are turning to Epiphany for support.
Epiphany is a 24/7 help desk that can help your district avoid long ticket backlogs. We offer always-on call support for teachers, administrators, parents, and students who are struggling to adapt to remote education. When call volumes spike and your district support becomes overwhelmed, just route a call to our experts. We’ll help ensure no one is ever put on hold.
What’s more, Epiphany experts are entirely onshore, technically proficient, and come from unique backgrounds in the K-12 education space. That means we understand your needs and can offer solutions with more understanding than most run-of-the-mill call center partners.
A trusted partner like Epiphany can help ensure your support team has the resources it needs, when they need it— allowing you to focus on your students and their education. Contact us to learn more.
