COVID-19 School Closure Experiences in rural Alaska and reimagining the Roles of Education and Teachers

Authors

Ute Kaden, University of Alaska FairbanksFollow
Karen Martin, Denali Borough School DistrictFollow

Keywords

COVID-19 school closure, rural education, online teaching, K-12 schools, Alaska

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and education moved online in the spring of 2020. With in-person classes canceled, the normal structure of school for K-12 students, teacher candidates, and their mentors disappeared. School districts scrambled to provide technology, develop schedules, and modify grading policies. Teacher preparation programs had to quickly determine acceptable student-teaching experiences and how candidates could demonstrate teaching competency. In this essay, we reflect on how stakeholders in parts of rural Alaska experienced the rapid transition to online instruction. We also share our vision for an education that includes a digital future without reinforcement of previous inequalities. Strengthening teacher education, providing meaningful professional development, and recognizing and valuing educators as the professionals they are is more necessary now than ever.

DOI

10.15760/nwjte.2020.15.2.11

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/34122

Recommended Citation

Kaden, Ute and Martin, Karen (2020) "COVID-19 School Closure Experiences in rural Alaska and reimagining the Roles of Education and Teachers," Northwest Journal of Teacher Education: Vol. 15 : Iss. 2 , Article 11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15760/nwjte.2020.15.2.11