How is digital learning going? We asked you Osceola

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Through digital learning, students can their teachers live or on-demand anytime through the Microsoft Teams, which the School District of Osceola County is using to educate its 70,000 students.

Teams features a chat function, video meetings and file storage, and it’s the crux of the district’s digital learning platform that was quickly developed when schools closed last month to stop the spread of COVID-19.

It’s the alternative method to teaching that is currently mandatory. But we wanted to ask parents how the system was going so far, so we engaged them on our Facebook page.  

We posted: DIGITAL LEARNING: Hey Osceola County! We want to know how digital learning is going for you and your children because of the coronavirus closing schools. Describe your experience so far. The responses will be used for an article, so tell us your stories!

And here were some of your responses:

 

•Horrible. Our poor teachers are working so hard being available and accommodating, but honestly the sites do not work properly. The whole platform is confusing. I have 4 kids all in elementary, they can not understand how to get to classes or how the chats work. Way too many steps to get to classes and turn in assignments. They are confused on how to get the work even to load. Very sad times.

• We have had a delightful time. I have a high schooler and an elementary schooler. Both children's teachers have been in constant communication, very helpful, and an appropriate amount of work. This has been delightful.

It is very time consuming. I had to get them all organized and had to teach them to be independent. It takes a lot of time out of the day to help them. In my personal opinion, they should of gave the parents and older kids a webinex on how use the portal system before they went live. Day one we were all thrown in fire. With little guidance! The teachers are doing there best and with the reminder app they answer back quickly. I have to now leave work at 5 p.m. to help them all.

Mater Palms (Academy) have done an amazing job... I couldn’t be more happier with the whole staff... They have made this transition easy and are right on top of everything... From kindergarten to the middle school they have done amazing. 

•Beyond frustrating! Way too much work. Takes literally all day. (My kid moves fast and is a gifted student). Assignments are not 2 1/2-3 hours as they said. And yes, I have my kids prioritize their work by due date, then by points they are worth. 

• Now that we got past the first week of learning how things work, it’s going well. My third grader needs the most help navigating things but we seem to have it down and he’s getting better on his own. My ninth grader is doing great on his own. Getting lots of work, but nothing he can’t get done without procrastinating. Teachers and Administrators are doing a great job communicating from all three schools!

*It is exhausting and frustrating. My middle schooler got the packet today and she is already less stressed. My second grader needs me to basically teach him the work. He has been a straight A student this year and he is struggling now. I'm having to print most of the work and type his responses in. The whole thing is very challenging and overwhelming for us. I do appreciate the teacher and her help through this and the middle school for letting us get the packet today.

• It’s going fabulous, I keep hearing lots of negative experiences, however in our end no issues with Teams or any programs we use through Osceola county schools most of these programs were already being used long before. My children are familiar with them and it makes things very smooth.  Special shout out to all Chestnut Elementary teachers and staff ! They are great with communication and providing parents the resources and help needed.We are a whole week ahead!

*Exhausting, time consuming, aggravating, expensive (I've had to print all material for my kids). Extremely difficult for essential full time working parents. Shout out to the teachers who are doing amazing with the crappy deck they have been dealt.

•Are there flaws? Yes. But it's new for everyone. Globally Teams wasn't ready for everyone to use it. Anytime we can access or submit work we make the teacher aware. This is uncharted territory but with what is going on it's the best option. Teacher support has been great.

•My fourth grader is fine, except the math wont load ever. My kindergartener is time consuming and I have to literally teach, the packet came with lesson plans. Thankfully we have very helpful teachers, but it's not fun.

The expectation was 2 1/2 to 3 hours daily. This system is so much more time consuming then that especially with having more then one child. Having to go back and forth between files to find a passage to do the actual work is not friendly at all and confusing most of the time and extremely frustrating. Us parents are expected to play teacher to material we haven’t seen or even practiced in years. The teachers are available to video chat but depending on ones Internet strength it is not always effective.

•While it's going well for my high school daughter, my older daughter is a student at oTECH in cosmetology. It's challenging to learn a hands on career in a virtual environment.

•Frustrating for my high schooler. Kids learn differently and adjust to it. He is overwhelmed.

•It’s important to note that some charter schools began their distance learning one week ahead of public schools and that their approach has been different. But overall, everyone in education is doing their best with unchartered territory. Like anything else that’s new, there is a learning curve but it will get better.

*I have two kids in first and fourth grade. The first week had a huge learning curve. This week is so much smoother. We don't do more than 2 hours a day per kid.

•I have a middle schooler and high schooler and they hate this, but not really a choice, so trying to make the best out of it!

Its a pain to have to deal with my kids work everyday but to be honest, my kids are getting better grades then when in school!

*It is time-consuming. I have had to postpone my job to assist my daughter.

*Very frustrating! Either there system isn't working or my Internet goes down!