Rationale ISTE Standard 11.

4: Collaborator
“First Grade Remote Learning Support Group” Facebook Group

Introduction to Standard 11.4:

• “Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to
improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.”
o In other words, educators work with both one another and with their
students to use technology as a resource, to share resources, and to use
these resources to learn and solve problems.
• Indicator 11.4(d):
o “Demonstrate cultural competency when communicating with students,
parents and colleagues and interact with them as co-collaborators in
student learning.”

Introduction of the Artifact:

• “First Grade Remote Learning Support Group” Facebook Group
o Distance learning became a reality much quicker than many of us were
expecting. An important component of effective distance learning is
teachers communicating with families to check in on how they are doing
at home and if they need assistance with any assignments, or if they have
questions they need answers to. In addition to weekly phone calls, the
first grade team set up a Facebook page parents could choose to join.
While all work is happening on paper due to lack of Wi-Fi at many homes
and the amount of families who do not own a computer or tablet, most of
our families have a phone with data that allows them to access places like
Facebook. Parents were sent home the name of the group and how to join
it, so participation was completely by choice. While setting the standard
that the group would remain a positive environment, families were
encouraged to ask questions or share text/photos of what their child(ren)
worked on. In addition, teachers shared read-aloud videos and other
resources families may want to use at home.

Rationale:
In a time of uncertainty, having a positive space to share resources, ask
questions, and engage with one another may provide comfort to families.
Meeting standard 11.4, the first grade team and I planned out the types of
resources we wanted to share, who would post videos and when, and how we
would manage the group if anything became out of hand or negative. We
collaborated to keep the environment positive and to share an appropriate
amount of resources. In addition, indicator 11.4d addresses cultural competency
when communicating using technology. By creating a Facebook page, we were
addressing and communicating with families of different backgrounds,
ethnicities, and structures, so it was important that the language we used, books
we read, and resources we shared were universally appropriate/relevant. For
example, when picking out books to read, it was important to steer clear of
books that suggest all families are structured traditionally. This could be
offensive to the grandmother who is the sole guardian of her grandchildren, or
the families who have adopted children that do not look like them. By working
as a team, and basing our decisions off of the needs that became apparent of the
participants in the Facebook group, we were able to maintain the positive
environment we hoped for.