Online instruction has become an easy target to blame for learning loss
during the pandemic. But in fact, it is a rich resource that can
strengthen current classroom teaching, and also prepare schools to
weather future school closings. In Online By Choice, Stephanie Moore
and Michael Barbour argue persuasively that online learning is a
precious source of resilience and flexibility for schools now and going
forward--an important feature of a robust ecosystem along with
face-to-face and blended instruction--and that failing to incorporate
online is strategically impoverished.
Choosing online instruction is very different from rushing to remote
learning in an emergency manner, however, and doing it well involves a
myriad of decisions. These authors provide essential guidance and tools
for teachers and school leaders as they select, design, and implement
online education solutions, including the "handshakes" needed to align
instructional needs with school or district-level infrastructure and
supports.