“That ICPA Qld lobbies the Department of Education (DoE) to provide all schools of Distance Education (SDEs) access to paper-based learning materials to ensure that a child’s individual learning needs can be met, without reliance on screens, enabling the teacher and home tutor to deliver age-appropriate pedagogies.”
Without independent learning materials to support curriculum learning, distance education will be solely reliant on screen-based delivery. Screen based learning has not been studied enough to understand the long-term impacts on a child’s development and such is a concern for those reliant on it. Families and educators should be able to choose to move away from screens for delivery of lessons to suit the child’s learning style or developmental stage. Screen based learning is not suitable for all children, at all stages throughout their educational lives. We ask that the Department show their commitment to educating children of diverse needs, in diverse environments, by funding more than one delivery method of curriculum.
Case Study 1
A student enrolled in Prep at a School of Distance Education, spends one and a half hours each day in an online classroom. This time is broken up into 30-minute lessons on Literacy, Reading and the remaining 30 minutes devoted to curriculum, Maths or English on alternate days. The remainder of their school day is spent with the Home Tutor teaching the other required subjects such as Math or English, (whatever was not covered on air) Science and HPE. This teaching is only possible with the assistance of the ILM’s that provide a clear structure, wording, and worksheets for each lesson. The teacher directs the Home Tutor on what lessons need to be taught and asks for certain parts of these lessons to be submitted so they can check for understanding.
Case Study 2
A year five student enrolled at a School of Distance Education is struggling with a math concept during the online lesson. The student is distracted by the classroom conversation and needs extra time and quiet to support learning the new concept. The Home Tutor and teacher decide that the best option for this student would be to work through the lesson Off Air to avoid distraction and take time to practice the concept at the students own pace. With the assistance of the ILM’s the Home Tutor has access to the full lesson in written format, access to the lesson guide which includes answers, allowing the home tutor to provide a complete lesson to the student in the same way a teacher aid would in a face-to-face classroom.
