For the past few years, educators at the Greater Atlanta Christian School have had a backup plan to keep learning going during unexpected delays. The remote-access plan applied to both sides of the classroom equation, giving teachers a way to connect with students at home while also allowing students who couldn’t be in class a way to keep up with their progress and peers.
But like a spare tire or a backup generator, the Norcross school’s live distance-learning platforms weren’t meant to do long-haul duty. COVID-19 has changed that.
The ongoing pandemic prompted the recent purchase of additional, state-of-the-art technology that provides real-time teaching and collaboration for all students, no matter where they are physically located.
All kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms are being outfitted with directional microphones, interactive white boards and 55-inch monitors equipped with 4K cameras that provide sharp images and run Zoom with ease. The new systems also record lessons so students can refer to them over and over.
“This technology allows us to go well beyond what we offered during the shelter-in-place mandate,” said GAC President Scott Harsh.
For instructional lead teacher Derek Wilson, having online classes isn’t new: GAC’s Ethos School is an online platform designed to meet the needs of students who, for a variety of reasons, can’t be physically present in the classroom. But the addition of the latest technology that makes synchronous learning seamless is a leap forward.
“We have been running Ethos for three years,” said Wilson, who teaches philosophy, theology, AP Spanish and a course on the Bible. “On that platform, we’ve had about a 500% growth from 40 students to the mid-400s signed up for this coming year.”
When the shelter-in-place orders took effect in March, GAC students moved easily online, he said. “We were used to having ‘cyberdays’ for inclement weather, so students from kindergarten through 12th grade didn’t miss a moment when it wasn’t safe to meet face to face.
“And the feedback we got was amazing. Everyone liked the freedom, the extra family time and not having to drive in Atlanta traffic every day,” he added. So we asked, ‘Why can’t we build something like this to use all the time?’”
For fall, the new system will provide the same viable option for families who don’t feel safe returning to the campus, Wilson said. In any class, he expects to see a mix of face-to-face learners and others Zooming in.
“We’ll be live streaming all of our classes, and students will go by their schedules,” he said. “If they’re remote, they’ll click digitally on the door, and the teacher will greet them. Students can also Zoom in and be part of the classroom environment in every way – whether in small groups and working with peers, giving presentations or asking questions. They don’t have to miss an ounce of education.”
Information about Greater Atlanta Christian is online at greateratlantachristian.org.
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