Not Just Remote Learning: What Scenarios for Organizing the Educational Process Were Proposed to Schools During Air Raids

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine recommends that schools determine several scenarios for organizing education in advance, depending on the security situation, including in-person, blended, and distance-learning formats. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science, as reported by UNN. 

The conditions under which schools organize the educational process differ significantly depending on the security situation, the characteristics of the area, and the capacity of a particular institution. Therefore, there cannot be a single model that works equally well for all schools. Each educational institution must determine the learning format taking into account its own conditions and capabilities, the availability and capacity of a shelter, infrastructure, and readiness to organize distance learning. At the same time, the school must approve possible scenarios and an algorithm for switching between them in advance, depending on changes in the security situation. To help schools organize this process, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has developed methodological recommendations on organizing the educational process in general secondary education institutions under martial law 

The document contains common approaches that schools can use to assess their own capacity and prepare several scenarios for organizing the educational process in advance, depending on changes in the security situation. 

Organization of the educational process

The founder or an authorized body must ensure the necessary conditions for organizing the educational process and assess the institution's capacity. The school principal organizes the educational process, determines the basic and alternative models, and approves a practical algorithm for switching between them.

Such an algorithm must be prepared in advance. It must take into account scenarios involving changes in the security situation, prolonged alerts, problems with electricity or communications, as well as other circumstances that may affect the possibility of studying in person.

The school must assess its own capacity. The first step is to determine whether it can ensure safe and uninterrupted in-person education, including assessing:

• the capacity and capabilities of the shelter;
• the number of students and staff the school can safely accommodate;
• the possibility of staying in the shelter for an extended period;
• the availability of electricity, heating, water, and other necessary utilities;
• backup power sources;
• access to the internet and communications;
• the readiness of teachers and students for distance learning;
• the possibility of organizing education using other educational spaces in the community.

At the same time, the total number of people simultaneously present at the school cannot exceed the shelter's capacity. If the shelter is used not only for staying during an alert but also as a learning space, the school must also take into account the actual number of equipped learning places.

Several learning scenarios

Based on its assessment of its own capacity, the school determines a basic learning model and alternative scenarios between which it can switch depending on the security situation.

Possible models include:

In-person learning with a transition to the shelter during an alert. This is the optimal model for situations when alerts are short or infrequent. After the all-clear is given, students and teachers can return to classes.

In-person learning using the shelter as an educational space. If alerts are frequent or prolonged, the shelter can be prepared for continuing education, with places for students, a teacher's workstation, lighting, power supply, and, where possible, internet access.

A combination of in-person and distance learning. If the school cannot safely accommodate all students at the same time, education can be organized on a rotating basis—for different groups on different days, weeks, shifts, or according to another schedule.

Distance learning. This format is used if students cannot safely travel to or stay at the school, or if the security situation requires it.

"At the same time, the transition to another format should not happen spontaneously. The school determines in advance the conditions under which the transition takes place, who makes the decision, how the schedule changes, how teachers work, and how communication with students and parents is conducted. Where possible, lessons should begin immediately in safe locations," the Ministry of Education and Science reported.  

As noted by the Ministry of Education and Science, an air raid alert does not mean the automatic suspension of the educational process. If staying in a shelter is safe and the necessary conditions are available there, learning may continue in forms appropriate to the situation. This may include continuing the lesson, independent work, reading, consultations, completing project or research assignments, reviewing material, or other pedagogically appropriate activities. 

At the same time, if alerts become systematic or last for a total of more than two hours during the school day for several consecutive days, the school is advised to switch to a pre-prepared model of learning in a shelter or to a remote format.

The school must also determine how to work with different subjects. Not all learning activities can be transferred to a shelter or online with equal ease. Therefore, when planning, the school must decide which classes require direct interaction between the teacher and students, special equipment, laboratories, or workshops; which can be held in a shelter; and which learning outcomes can be achieved through independent, project-based, or research work. If some students do not have safe conditions or the technical ability to study remotely at home, the school may organize safe learning areas or groups for them.

At the same time, during a single lesson, one teacher should not simultaneously conduct an in-person class for some students and a synchronous online class for others. Instead, during the day or week, different groups may study in different formats according to the schedule established by the school.

We remind you 

In Kyiv, ahead of the start of the new school year and amid prolonged air raid alerts caused by the ongoing attacks by the Russian Federation on the capital region, including with jet-powered drones, different learning formats were prepared depending on the security situation.