Unions balk at real-time learning directive
The province wants to see more video teaching, but it’s not clear how local boards will make that happen
Local teachers’ union representatives are pushing back against a call from Ontario’s education minister for teachers to ramp up live video conferencing.
In a memo to school boards Friday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce and deputy education minister Nancy Naylor said, while the ministry had expected teachers would “embrace the use of synchronous learning during the school closure period, there has been an inconsistent uptake of this mode of learning.” The memo called on teachers to increase virtual instruction, which can include a whole-class, small group or one-on-one learning.
Jeff Sorensen, president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Elementary Teachers’ local, worries a focus on real-time classes will make learning prohibitive to some students.
“If you’re not able to log in at 9 a.m., therefore you’re not doing math this week,” Sorensen said.
Every child’s home situation is different and not all parents will be able to ensure their child is online at a set time, he said.
He’s also concerned about safety.
“Teachers are being asked to do this and to trust that students … won’t record them,” he said, noting some worry students will maliciously edit a recording. According to the public board’s privacy guidelines, “No one can take screenshots or use another device to record classroom activities without asking first.” It remains unclear how local school boards will follow
Lecce’s directive.
Pat Daly, chair of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, said the board will consult with employee groups and principals to discuss the issue of synchronous (realtime) learning. But that’s not to say real-time learning wasn’t already happening. “We have, previous to the current situation, supported both synchronous and asynchronous learning,” Daly said. “We left to the professional judgment of teachers … what best meets their students’ needs.”
The public board says teachers will “continue to plan and assign student work based on the guidelines provided in this memo, engage with students regularly, utilizing a range of ways (both asynchronous and synchronous where appropriate).”
Just as in a regular classroom, principals or vice-principals could have access to a teacher’s virtual learning environment to observe and offer support, said Shawn McKillop, HamiltonWentworth District School Board spokesperson, in an email. He said a letter was going out to families Monday evening, which sets out the board’s guidelines for privacy and security in virtual classroom settings, among other things.
Sergio Cacoilo, president of the Hamilton Secondary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, says Lecce is moving too fast and not consulting teachers.
“Stephen Lecce needs to step into a teacher’s shoes, listen to the noise from both sides, and slow down,” Cacoilo said. “On the surface, this is not a wellthought-out plan.”
He also has concerns about privacy issues related to online learning and said “many” students still don’t have access to computers.
Daly said all families who needed access to an electronic device, such as an iPad, were given one.
The Catholic board is also drafting guidelines on privacy in virtual classrooms for students and teachers. Guidelines may include using virtual backgrounds whenever possible and turn off video and microphones when they’re not needed.
Annie Kidder, executive director of People for Education, an advocacy group, says the education minister’s directive sounds an “alarm bell” for her.
“My alarm bell has to do with how problematic is it to think there is one way that can work for all families,” Kidder said.