scholarly journals K-12 School Teaching Posture Correlates with COVID-19 Disease Outcomes in Ohio

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheyenne Ehman ◽  
Yixuan Luo ◽  
Zi Yang ◽  
Ziyan Zhu ◽  
Sara Donovan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Districts ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Disease Model ◽  
Critical Question ◽  
Fall Semester ◽  
Disease Outcomes ◽  
School Teaching ◽  
Public Policy Decisions ◽  
K 12

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most US K-12 schools shutdown and millions of students began remote learning. By September 2020, little guidance had been provided to school districts to inform fall teaching. This indecision led to a variety of teaching postures within a given state. In this report we examine Ohio school districts in-depth, to address whether on-premises teaching impacted COVID-19 disease outcomes in that community. We observed that counties with on-premises teaching had more cumulative deaths at the end of fall semester than counties with predominantly online teaching. To provide a measure of disease progression, we developed an observational disease model and examined multiple possible confounders, such as population size, mobility, and demographics. Examination of micropolitan counties revealed that the progression of COVID-19 disease was faster during the fall semester in counties with predominantly on-premises teaching. The relationship between increased disease prevalence in counties with on-premises teaching was not related to deaths at the start of the fall semester, population size, or the mobility within that county. This research addresses the critical question whether on-premises schooling can impact the spread of epidemic and pandemic viruses and will help inform future public policy decisions on school openings.

Transitioning to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: differences in access and participation among students in disadvantaged school districts

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-270
Author(s):  
Amy J. Catalano ◽  
Bruce Torff ◽  
Kevin S. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
K 12

PurposeThe novel coronavirus, COVID-19, which emerged in 2019 and quickly spread to the United States, resulted in widespread closure of PreK-12 schools and universities and a rapid transition to online learning. There are concerns about how students in high-needs school districts will engage with online learning, given the limited access many disadvantaged students have to Internet and computers. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to determine teacher perceptions of students' access and participation to online learning, as well as concerns about educational outcomes among different groups of learners.Design/methodology/approachThe authors surveyed 300 K-12 teachers in NY state about the tools and accommodations they employed in their online teaching, whether their students were participating in the online learning and the reasons for their lack of participation.FindingsRespondents reported that nearly 30% of all of their students were not regularly completing their assignments. Students in high-needs districts were significantly more likely to not complete their work. Teachers reported being very concerned about their students' educational outcomes, particularly students with disabilities (SWDs) and English language learners (ELLs). Respondents also provided suggestions for improving educational access to online learning in the future.Originality/valueNo published research has yet examined student compliance in online learning during an emergency and, in particular, during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic and months-long stay-at-home orders.

Under the law: Masking reality

2021 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 64-65
Author(s):  
Robert Kim
Keyword(s):  
School Districts ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Vaccination Status ◽  
Legal Decisions ◽  
Legal Questions ◽  
The Law ◽  
Centers For Disease Control ◽  
K 12

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that students, staff, and visitors at K-12 schools wear masks indoors, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, led numerous states to issue mask mandates for some or all K-12 schools. Most of the remaining states have decided to allow school districts to do whatever they want around masks, but a few banned local mask mandates. These developments invite a number of legal questions about the legality of mask mandates (and bans on those mandates). Robert Kim reviews the legal decisions issued thus far related to mask requirements.

K-12 Teachers’ Online Teaching Intention: Factors of Teacher Demography and Platform Function

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Liu ◽  
Liyuan Wei ◽  
Yayun Liu ◽  
Peiyu Wang ◽  
Tianjiao Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
K 12

Assessment and Management of Mercury-Catalyzed Polyurethane Gym Floors: 10 Lessons from 10 New Jersey School Districts

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Lynch ◽  
Elissa Favata ◽  
Michael Gochfeld ◽  
Richard Lynch
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Mercury Vapor ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Air Monitoring ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Floor Coverings ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Effective Assessment ◽  
Assessment Strategies

Objective: Mercury catalyzed polyurethane (MCPU) floors installed in K-12 gymnasiums may release mercury vapor presenting possible mercury exposure to teachers and students. Varied approaches to sampling, air monitoring, ventilation, evacuation of gyms and/or removal of the floor coverings have occurred. As many gyms are being converted to classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic, effective assessment and management of these floors is essential. Methods: Mercury assessment strategies for 10 New Jersey schools with MCPU floors were reviewed to assist school districts with decisions for management in-place or removal. Results: Bulk mercury levels do not predict airborne mercury levels. Mercury generation rates ranged between 0.02 to 0.17 μg/ft2/ hour. Hazards encountered during removal are substantial. Conclusions: Decisions to manage or remove mercury catalyzed rubber-like gym floor should be based upon a rigorous multi-factor assessment. Mercury exposures often can be managed via HVAC, added ventilation, temperature, and maintenance controls. A statewide registry of MCPU floors should be considered. Removal of MCPU floors should be professionally monitored to protect teachers, staff, and students.

Teaching students out of harm’s way

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-302
Author(s):  
Esther Charlotte Moon
Keyword(s):  
Technology Integration ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Digital Citizenship ◽  
Digital Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Instructional Content ◽  
Device Integration ◽  
The Usa ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how changes in K-12 educational delivery methods in the USA impacts students as 1:1 device programs become a required tool for learning. This change produces gaps in knowledge and understanding of the digital environment and exposes minors to risk. Mandatory technology integration by school districts places the ethical responsibility on school districts to prepare students to use the digital environment to mitigate risk. Design/methodology/approach The author’s literature review focused on the impact of personal device integration in education on students. The author surveyed teachers in the district on what they perceived as risk to students accessing the digital environment and what they believe creates value in digital citizenship instructional content. The author also gathered information while serving on the school district technology steering committee and digital citizenship working group. Findings Mandatory 1:1 device programs used for learning provide unlimited access to the digital environment. This technology integration creates digital knowledge gaps in understanding among students and exposes them to risk or dangers such as loss of privacy, psychological harms and engaging in or being a victim of illegal online activities. School districts are responsible for providing a remedy to close this gap and mitigate risk by developing learning content resources for teachers. Social implications As 1:1 device programs continue to grow in school districts in the USA, it is essential for students to learn to apply protocols and understand norms of the digital world. Providing a digital citizenship curriculum in a format such as a Google Site will offer educators access to instructional content that teaches students to apply protocols, understand norms of the internet and social media and foster critical thinking to analyze power structures, biases and recognize manipulation online. Student must learn how to apply rules that challenge assumptions behind the digital content they see, and they must be able to identify and resolve digital practices and behaviors that are problematic, so they are prepared to participate in a digital society. Originality/value This perspective may be relevant to school districts contemplating personal device integration, providing insight into how 1:1 device use impacts students and develops an ethical position for creating digital citizenship resources for teachers.

scholarly journals Actualizing hope and joy in K-12 curricula through Daisaku Ikeda’s human education

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-34
Author(s):  
Nai-Cheng Kuo ◽  
◽  
Amy Wood ◽  
Kyra Williams ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Districts ◽  
Lesson Design ◽  
Global Citizens ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Local Contexts ◽  
Human Education ◽  
Children's Stories ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

Abstract Purpose: Our study aims to create a framework grounded in Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophy of education for educators and researchers to implement and evaluate human education in the classroom. Research Methodology: We first synthesized the eighteen chapters by scholars involved in Ikeda studies, published in the book entitled: Hope and Joy in Education: Engaging Daisaku Ikeda across Curriculum and Context to discover the main themes in Ikeda’s human education. Based on these themes, we selected six children’s stories developed by Ikeda to design lessons. We then conducted surveys with ten K-12 teachers across disciplines and school districts to explore their perspectives toward humanity and their feedback on our lesson design. Results: Our finding indicates that creating hope and joy in education is inseparable from human revolution, value creation, happiness, the greater self, global citizens, as well as life and death. In addition, the participant’s responses to the survey questions help educators and researchers understand what K-12 teachers look for in order to implement lessons on humanity more efficiently and effectively. Limitations: By no means would we consider our lesson design exemplary or applicable in all different contexts. Instead, we consider these lessons a starting point to continue exploring a better way to teach humanity in school. Contribution: Seeing examples of lesson plans on humanity and learning from K-12 teachers’ perspectives provide an aspect for educators and researchers to use, extend, or expand the present study to bring hope and joy to students in their local contexts.

scholarly journals Cloud Computing and K-12 School IT Infrastructure in Western Canada: From Challenges to Opportunities

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Peter Holowka
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Transformation Model ◽  
School Level ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
It Infrastructure ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Computing Infrastructure

This paper is based on the findings of an exhaustive study of all 75 large K-12 districts in Canada's three western-most provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.  This study encompassed over 1.1 million students and a geographical area of 2,258,483 square kilometers.  Facilitating teaching and learning activities for so many students across such a large territory, with diverse provincial regulations, is an impressive feat achieved by the information technology leaders of the K-12 school districts.  Multiple case study analysis, followed by correlation analysis, were used to explore the nature of IT infrastructure and cloud computing use in Western Canada.  A data transformation model mixed methods triangulation design methodology was used.  This paper discusses the strategies used in Western Canada to deliver educational technology resources through to students, teachers, parents, and district staff.  The findings of this study are that cloud computing is the primary IT infrastructure in Western Canadian K-12 education.  All school districts in the three provinces studied use cloud computing for some aspects of their infrastructure.  In instances where cloud computing infrastructure is not used, school-level LAN and server infrastructure is used.  In addition to being an alternative to cloud computing, the rare instances of school-level server use are either to supplement or complement a district’s centralized cloud computing infrastructure, with cloud computing infrastructure existing in parallel.

The K-12 Online Teaching Dynamic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott E. Van Vooren
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
K 12

Funding Structures and State Capacity for School Improvement under the Every Student Succeeds Act: Case Studies of Five States

2021 ◽  
pp. e20210005
Author(s):  
Hailey Karcher ◽  
David S. Knight
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
School Districts ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Title I ◽  
Local Autonomy ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Improvement Strategies ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Every Student Succeeds Act

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal government allocates 7% of Title I funds, about $1 billion per year, for school improvement. States have substantial autonomy in allocating these funds, including which schools are identified for federal school improvement, what improvement strategies are used, and whether external intermediaries are involved. A growing area of research explores the private, often for-profit school improvement industry, but few studies track the finance and policy structures that funnel public funds to external K–12 intermediaries. In this study, we draw on document analysis and interview data to explore school improvement practices and finance policies in five case study states. We find that states use varied methods for identifying schools for improvement, and also vary in the extent to which they provide local autonomy to school districts. Some states, such as Texas and Tennessee, incentivize schools to adopt particular strategies or encourage partnering with an external intermediary. Texas provides a list of vetted external intermediaries they expect districts to work with (and support financially). Other states, such as California and New York, provide more state-led school improvement strategies through regional offices and give districts greater local autonomy. Findings point to possible benefits of local autonomy, while highlighting potential challenges associated with unregulated market-based reforms in education.

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