CNG - Bogotá Distance Learning Hub - Información del Plan de Aprendizaje a Distancia: Information About the Distance Learning Plan

INTRODUCTION TO CNG’S DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN (DLP) 2.0

The spread of the novel coronavirus around the world caused the rapid transition in schools to remote learning for students and teachers.

Please note that in March 2020, when initially confronted with the need to shift nimbly to Distance Learning, CNG moved forward quickly and decisively. As we look back upon this time, many have called it a time of Emergency Remote Teaching/Learning. During the course of the semester, CNG gathered survey data and other stakeholder perception feedback, which informed adjustments to the Distance Learning schedule over the course of the semester.

The three areas of opportunity and focus resulted from survey data as well as from other international schools:

1. Ensure sufficient synchronous time and a well-balanced schedule - Building leaders collaborated on how to ensure synchronous time is fully utilized, the schedule model is sustainable, and determine if modifications to existing synchronous time was needed to accommodate the specialized requests and/or needs by parents and students.
2. Provide new, fresh ways for two-way communication with all stakeholders to share successes, address challenges, and provide ongoing feedback to improve our distance learning model – Parents, students, and teachers provided important and creative feedback about the success of our Distance Learning program and the improvements needed. Through conversations within our virtual divisional principal coffee chats, electronic school-wide surveys, and virtual observations of classrooms, changes were made to the model and how it was implemented. 
3. Raise the bar by enhancing motivation and interest as well as igniting creativity and complexity for student engagement – CNG teachers quickly discovered that instructional practices used during the on-campus classroom experience required adaptation and new mindset while teaching in the virtual one. Sustaining student motivation & engagement was more challenging and many teachers sought new technology tools and professional training to bring their content to life along with creative ways to assess that learning.

Our leadership team utilized this data, along with feedback from other international schools around the world, to ensure CNG would be prepared with the best learning model possible. As we begin the 2020-21 school year in Distance Learning, we are no longer looking at this as Emergency Remote Teaching/Learning, but as a new paradigm for the most effective learning possible when classes cannot be 100% in person on campus.

CNG has now shifted our terminology to Distance Learning 2.0 to indicate the wide-ranging improvements that have occurred from our learning since March 2020, data that have been collected and shared learning from other international schools.

This revised document continues the overall approach and actions that CNG will take in the event of an extended campus closure due to political/social events or potential issues related to our school community’s health and safety. The information presented in this document does not provide specific emergency protocols; those measures are established in CNG’s Crisis Response Manual and would be communicated separately in the event of school closure. Rather, this document details the alternative means of education program delivery in the form of Distance Learning 2.0 in the event of a partial or full-campus closure.

The term, Distance Learning, describes the experience students will have when school remains in session but when students and staff are unable to physically attend school because of campus closure. While Distance Learning cannot replicate onsite learning, our teachers have the capability to deliver powerful instruction that allows students to meet expected standards in an online environment. The success of our Distance Learning Plan 2.0 requires a strong partnership, which combines careful planning by our dedicated faculty, appropriate student motivation and engagement, and strong parent support for this alternative mode of instruction. The result of such learning experiences will expand student academic progress and, equally important, attend to our students’ social and emotional well-being.

The primary purpose of this document outlines how CNG will continue to offer an effective educational program through Distance Learning in the event of school closure. Since the possibility exists that faculty and students could be outside of Colombia and in a multitude of time zones, this plan takes into account the base assumption of our school providing an Asynchronous Learning Environment.

We have designed our Distance Learning Plan 2.0 to address the following general scenario:

• Asynchronous learning to ensure the opportunity for all students to learn regardless on being in separate time zones;
• Limited and/or variable online access to technology and internet for some students; and,
• Extended flexible timeline for Distance Learning delivery for anywhere from a few days to multiple weeks.

Additionally, our Distance Learning Plan 2.0 will define the following:

• Implementation procedure to conduct school remotely until resumption of normal operations; details the expectations required of both teachers and families for the successful continuation of student learning and family communication;
• Building-level Plans that address developmentally appropriate and meaningful student learning experiences. Technology understood as something more than a delivery mechanism, enables collaboration, communication, and connection; and
• Due to physical distancing during the pandemic, students have felt socially isolated and are longing for connections. Teacher-student relationships remain key to student learning success.

SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS

We know that brick-and-mortar pedagogy does not transfer flawlessly to a digital environment. Therefore, CNG is offering ongoing professional learning opportunities to all faculty/staff through the Global Online Academy (GOA). As a result, CNG educators will continue to develop new ways to engage students while online and to facilitate learning that fosters curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. GOA emphasizes four components for the design of online learning:

1. Student Agency: stay on a schedule, build community through synchronous connections, and enhance communication; learners who have agency have one of the most important aspects for success.
2. Wayfinding: empower and engage students through personalized learning pathways.
3. Relationships:  develop online presence, build and maintain community, and plan for student support needs. For ideas on how to build virtually build relationships, visit 10 Practical Tips for Digital Learning (adapted from CharacterStrong).
4. Assessment: authentic performance, frequent formative assessments, and opportunities for feedback.

OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY OF SCHOOL CLOSURE

Circumstances will vary when CNG might close its campus and implement this DLP 2.0. For example, in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, a number of days might pass before conditions have stabilized and building safety has been verified to the point that the implementation of this DLP 2.0 would be appropriate. In emergencies such as viral pandemics, CNG school leaders and the Board of Directors may anticipate campus closure and designate a specific date when distance learning will begin.

The School Director will periodically send email updates to parents and faculty/staff appraising them of any pertinent information about when CNG might reopen for regular classes. As with the determination to close campus, any decision to reopen school for regular classes will be made with the full consultation of our Board of Directors.

If CNG decides to close campus and implement our Distance Learning Plan 2.0, the CNG Director will send an official email communication to both parents and faculty/staff to make the announcement and establish a timeline for initiation. An exact date will then be designated when distance learning will begin for CNG students. The days preceding this designated date may be classified as work days for CNG’s faculty and staff, who will be expected to be on duty, either physically on campus or remotely, depending on circumstances and safety conditions. Students will not ​attend school or be required to begin distance learning until the date designated by the CNG Director. In advance of DLP 2.0 implementation, each divisional Principal will prepare to share more specific information and guidelines with parents, while teachers will arrange to launch their classes on the designed Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Seesaw (PS) and Google Classroom (ES, MS, HS).

The following three graphics below highlight the key components of CNG’s DLP 2.0:

1. The Matrix for School Management provides members of the community with an understanding of the school’s determination of risk levels and the subsequent implications of those decisions on school operations;
2. The CNG Distance Learning Model 2.0 (English and Spanish) describes the overall framework for instructional delivery that teachers will use to continue to advance student learning; and
3. The Core Values and Key Characteristics for DL outlines the responsibilities of each stakeholder group to promote and ensure a high-quality learning environment.

CNG MATRIX FOR SCHOOL MANAGEMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

The decision regarding the opening of campus will be based on whether the school can open legally and safely in accordance with local government regulations and aligned with best practices and procedures in use at schools internationally.

CNG DISTANCE LEARNING MODEL (ENGLISH)

CNG DISTANCE LEARNING MODEL (SPANISH)

CORE VALUES AND KEY CHARACTERISTICS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

The following are our values for decision-making during Covid-19 lockdown whether we continue in distance learning mode or hybrid (students on campus and online):

1. Health, safety, and well-being of students, staff, and extended community.
2. High-quality learning programs that provide value-added education.
3. Commitment to fulfilling our contractual, professional, legal, and moral obligations.
4. Long-range financial stability and ongoing sustainability of programs and services.

CORE VALUES AND KEY CHARACTERISTICS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

SCHOOL-WIDE EXPECTATIONS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

CNG promotes establishing a safe, open, honest, and respectful virtual space by clearly communicating a defined set of expectations for behavior in the online environment. Synchronous and asynchronous learning are the key modalities of our Distance Learning (DL) 2.0 schedule which encompasses the virtual and hybrid scenarios. The chart below states our school wide expectations for these learning modalities aligned to CNG Core Values.

DIVISIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

• PS Distance Learning Expectations for Students and Parents - Aug 2020
• ES Distance Learning Expectations for Students and Parents – Aug 2020
• MS Distance Learning Norms & Expectations Graphic - August 2020 and MS Parent/Student Expectations Letter - Aug 2020
• HS Distance Learning Norms & Expectations are the ones in the chart above

CNG COMMITMENT TO CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROTECTION DURING DISTANCE LEARNING

Regardless of the learning model, CNG will ensure the safety and well-being of all children and adolescents. The school will continue to support all students during their learning as well as those potentially at risk. We are committed to the safeguarding of students during the utilization of a Distance Learning Model in the event of campus closure with the enforcement of the following online safety norms:

SMART Chart of Norms for Child and Adolescent Protection during Distance Learning 

• NEW: Annex 3: CNG Children & Adolescent Protection for Distance Learning & Hybrid Learning (English)
• NUEVO: Annex 3: Manual de Protección de Ninos y Jóvenes para el Aprendizaje a Distancia y el Aprendizaje Híbrido del CNG (Spanish)