Online Learning During a Pandemic
When it was clear that COVID-19 would present an ongoing challenge to students, parents, faculty, and staff across the country, many schools transitioned to online learning. For most, this process wasn’t easy. Fortunately for Oregon Charter Academy’s faculty and students, we’ve been making the most of online learning for more than 15 years and have the required knowledge, tools, and technology at the ready. Here’s a closer look at how we’re delivering the same high-quality, future-focused education while a pandemic presents new challenges for educators and students.
Our Online Charter School’s Learning Platform
Oregon Charter Academy runs on Canvas, a cutting-edge learning management system that is utilized by schools, colleges, and universities across the country. This powerful platform is secure, reliable, and incredibly versatile, allowing us to meet the needs of diverse student populations. Instructors have access to a wide variety of tools for creating virtual classrooms tailored to specific courses. Just a few of these features include:
Video and audio classrooms
Chat rooms and forums for text-based discussions
Announcements for high-priority information
Centralized email through Canvas Conversations
Assignment submissions and management
Test administration
Centralized hub for resource links and downloads
Grading and teacher feedback
Class analytics and data
Canvas is easily accessible from any internet-connected device. To ensure continuous access to the curriculum, we provide a Chromebook for every enrolled student at no charge. That means as long as your child has access to a reliable internet connection, they can meet with teachers, join in group projects, and submit assignments.
The Benefits of Online Learning
If your family is new to online learning, you may have hesitations. Concerns about the success of online learning have been fueled throughout the pandemic by reports of the struggles traditional schools face when adapting in-person teaching to a virtual school format.
However, these difficulties are largely due to an understandable lack of preparation and experience. At Oregon Charter Academy, we utilize a wide range of accessible resources and a wealth of virtual curriculum development and teaching experience to keep your child’s education on track. Just a few reasons to consider online learning during the pandemic include:
Safety: Information about the safety of in-person schooling can be conflicted and hard to come by. Attending school online offers a safer alternative, especially for students with older or medically fragile family members.
Interactivity: Our staff prioritizes daily live interactions between students and teachers, and group work and peer activities are a core component of our curriculum. In fact, your student may have more opportunities for social engagement than could be offered at a temporarily remote or in-person school.
Flexibility: Students can attend classes and complete schoolwork wherever there’s an internet connection. At home, while visiting loved ones, or even in the car, it’s possible to take education anywhere with Canvas and Oregon Charter Academy.
Future-focused: We can’t know what the future will look like after the pandemic, but one thing is certain: virtual communication and collaboration will remain important. Our students gain valuable experience in online interaction, plus 21st-century skills like keyboarding, cloud word processing, and more.
Learn More About Remote Learning with Online Charter Schools
Whether you’re seeking safer educational options due to the pandemic or alternative learning solutions for students who’ve struggled to thrive in traditional environments, online learning offers the flexibility, academic rigor, and inclusivity you seek. To learn more about our online charter school and remote learning for your child, contact Oregon Charter Academy today.