Copyright © 2020 Albuquerque Journal
How teachers and parents assess remote learning is a mixed bag, but two-thirds of educators don’t feel prepared to blend in-person and online learning, survey results show.
“Our teachers and our parents are split about how well it’s going,” said Richard Bowman, chief information and strategy officer for the district. “It’s going well for some … and it’s not going very well for others,” he added.
An Albuquerque Public Schools “parent check-in survey” with 16,812 responses found 54.4% of families thought remote learning was going well for their kids.
“What this also does mean is there is a significant number of parents who disagree,” Bowman said.
During a presentation to the Board of Education on Monday, he noted the response rate in this survey was greater than a previous survey on school reentry.
Meanwhile, 3,160 teachers who participated in their own survey were even more split on whether remote learning was going well for the students, with 50% agreeing.
A larger amount – about 60% – of teachers said remote learning is going well for the educators themselves. Just over half of teachers who replied agreed beginning-of-the-year trainings on remote teaching tools were useful.
However, only 32.6% said they felt prepared for hybrid learning.
“That is pretty far from a majority or a split,” Bowman said.
While the district extended remote learning through the first semester, hybrid is tentatively slated to begin in January, though it’s not clear what the state guidance and public health orders will be by January. Right now, the state is allowing elementary students back on campus if schools meet health and safety requirements.
“The parent and teacher surveys are the latest in a series of electronic surveys the district is using for feedback during the pandemic. Results help guide APS administrators and the Board of Education as they move forward with plans for teaching and learning,” the district wrote in an emailed announcement.
According to the district, the surveys were distributed in mid-September.
As for technology, the majority of parents said internet connectivity and speed at home works for remote learning, and devices APS handed out worked “with little to no issues.”
“About 20% of families indicated problems with their internet, and about a third with APS-issued devices,” the district wrote.
