- The pandemic has changed how education is delivered in Ontario. Educators have had to pivot quickly to online learning. And some educators are teaching in a hybrid classroom with a combination of in-person learning and students learning from home over video or through online classroom platforms. Students, parents, and educators are reporting high levels of anxiety and isolation. While some students learn successfully online, others have difficulty engaging in online learning. So, what has the pandemic taught us about the place of online learning in Ontario education? I would say that as a general rule, the more mature the learner, the greater the likelihood that they will build and become part of a fully online learning community, with adults reporting the greatest success with online learning, followed by high school or secondary level students. Elementary students, especially primary and pre-primary students, are reporting the highest levels of disengagement. Students who require special education supports are also experiencing great difficulty engaging online. Elementary and secondary students, in general, report that they find it difficult to focus or make meaningful connections to the classroom. Elementary and secondary students, in general, report that they find it difficult to focus or make meaningful connections to the classroom. As a principal, it was common for me to enter an online classroom and find many students with their cameras off. Teachers were talking, but were not receiving feedback. This made assessment for learning very challenging. It also highlighted the need for students to understand the importance of reflection or metacognition in learning. Teachers who facilitated assessment for and as learning, including exit cards, virtual check-ins, and self-assessment tools, had much better success at engaging students online in learning. Collaborative learning is important. Learning needs to include opportunities to be social and learn together. Facilitating small group instruction and group work are key. Accountable talk, including sentence starters and norms for learning, are important. And they will create the conditions for successful breakout rooms. To create a fully online learning community, teachers need to have a basic facility with online classrooms, video conferencing, and formative assessment tools. They also need to gauge students in culturally relevant lessons, wherein students are challenged to advocate for a cause. Teachers transitioning to online learning need to have a good understanding of how to nurture a fully online learning community. They need to be exceptionally organized, understand online sites, platforms, and resources. Most importantly, teachers who teach online need to use formative assessment, and they need to have a deep understanding that the primary purpose of assessment is to inform teaching. As such, assessment is ongoing and is used to pivot or change their lessons to meet each student's learning needs. Ensuring student wellbeing, including their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical wellbeing is key. More than ever, students need to engage in real-world problem-solving. And they need to be engaged, both with each other and their community. Students need to make real-world connections to their learning and to be engaged in problem-solving. Great instruction remains interactive, a combination of different resources in different formats, including video, text, small group instruction, group work, full class instruction, as well as discussion. Learning is social, and online, the learning needs to be co-constructed. Teachers need to reach out regularly to students, as well as being responsive to students when they reach out to them.