In response to the school closure caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, we have created an e-Learning Institute in order to be able to provide the same quality of education during periods of full or partial school closure. The aim of the institute is to conduct research and training in digital pedagogy and effective educational technology in order to enable our teachers to deliver a best-in-class online education when needed.

St Stephen’s students will benefit from this in many ways:

• Students enjoy a tailored, authentic, and meaningful online course designed by their teacher in full knowledge of their needs, interests, and existing skills.
• Successful online teaching requires very clearly defined learning outcomes, weekly plans, clear definitions of types of work and assignments, and clear expectations for teachers and students. In order to keep students engaged, teachers develop a rich variety of activities, including formative and summative written and oral assignments, quizzes, and discussions.
• E-assessment focuses on open-ended tasks, with questions that allow multiple answers which cannot be googled. This is a much more meaningful way of assessing students for 21st-century skills, and one increasingly adopted by the IBO and universities.
• Successful online course design leads to higher levels of student ownership and student-led learning, creating greater independence and scholarship, two key St Stephen’s values.
• By being taught online during some periods, St Stephen’s students develop digital skills that will be essential for them in future workplaces and beyond. They become highly literate in digital presentation skills and online forms of public speaking. Teachers assign collaborative projects and small group work, which develop time-management and collaborative skills. They are also a good way of avoiding feelings of isolation and replacing some of the community feeling typically experienced at St Stephen’s.
• When school closure is mandated, the school organizes a healthy mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes and carefully monitors engagement and time spent on computers. Asynchronous learning is flexible and independent, whereas synchronous sessions are opportunities to monitor progress and well-being.
• During periods of school closure, the students need more, not less, community support. The E-learning Institute is researching ways to develop a strong community network that replicates, as much as possible, the experience of being a residential or day student at St Stephen’s. This includes digital adviser meetings, Grade Level Meetings, virtual study halls, Wellness Center appointments, and online co-curricular offerings for students.

When we return to teaching face-to-face full time, students will be much more digitally literate and teachers will have a much greater methodological arsenal and will be able to design classes that are more effective and more diversified.

Facts about COVID-19 infection

The severity of COVID-19 infection ranges from mild to severe. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control include the following Symptoms, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

• Fever
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain and aches
• Headache
• Sore throat, nasal congestion, diarrhea
• New loss of taste or smell

Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing hospital treatment. Around 1 out of every 5 people who get COVID-19 become seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart and lung problems, diabetes, or cancer, are at higher risk of developing a serious illness. However, anyone can catch COVID-19 and become seriously ill. Even people with very mild symptoms of COVID-19 can transmit the virus. People of all ages who experience fever, cough, and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

Is there a cure or a vaccine?

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection. Clinical trials for a vaccine and effective treatment solutions are underway in many countries, but at the moment, the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus.