MIDLAND, Texas — As in-person learning resumes, could virtual learning be a thing of the past, or could we start to see it pop up more?
Nothing is set in stone, but it is an option that school districts are exploring down the road.
The first step is figuring out what education should look like in this day and age.
"I think there’s a lot to be learned about what exactly a 21st-century learner looks like. We know that it’s not all completely virtual, but we do know that virtual opportunities do present further learning opportunities," Katie Atkins, MISD Chief of Staff said.
The district wants input from the community on what that could look like.
"We will certainly continue to explore and involve our community and our teachers and our parents and our students in talking about what that looks like. There’s much more to it than what we experienced during the pandemic," Atkins said.
From aged devices to connectivity issues to staying on task, a virtual classroom has presented a learning opportunity for the district.
"I think there are opportunities to utilize some of our virtual opportunities, even some of the programs that we had in place before the pandemic but hadn’t utilized that to where it’s tailored specifically for the students' need," Atkins said.
While families have had to live with a lot of change in the past year, more change is unlikely in the immediate future.
"As far as a standalone virtual option, I think it’s too early to say. That might be years ahead. I don’t know. I can’t speak for our new [superintendent], but it’ll be interesting to see what her thoughts are on that," Atkins said.