LU’s alumni keep kids learning during the pandemic
Alline Ayala
Digital Graphics 1 and Gateway to Technology/Engineering 1
Hudson Bend Middle School
Lake Travis ISD, Austin, Texas
Alline Ayala’s school went on spring break March 11 and then extended the break another two weeks, giving teachers time to plan lessons and prepare for an online learning experience. The district coordinated all curriculum through Schoology. All assignments were consistent for every subject in every grade, assigned the same day with the same due date. Teachers were then asked to offer “office hours” for students to attend via Google meet.
“A few schools and educators began reaching out to me mid to late February asking for help on designing their emergency plans for teaching and learning,” said Ayala. “Knowing that I had the preparation and knowledge to be able to support them was very helpful in my own journey to make sense of this situation. Contributing to their efforts and giving back to a profession that has given me so much has been an integral part of my own self-care process.
Teachers in Ayala’s school and the entire district have worked together utilizing their strengths. Those with more experience with online learning have taken the lead on the structures for lesson creation and instruction, and others with skills in video making have created videos for the rest of the teams to use.
Ayala, who received her doctorate in global educational leadership from Lamar University in 2018, said the doctoral research she conducted, titled, “Perceived motivations of educators applying and volunteering in Edtech ambassador programs within McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory,” applies to the current pandemic situation.
“The doctorate program prepared me to be open to the unexpected and trust the process, and that has really been helpful in navigating the uncertainty of the times,” said Ayala. “During the program I participated in research around online learning, teacher PLNs, micro-credentialing with badges and Achievement Motivation. My understanding of these has deeply shaped the way I am approaching the process of teaching and learning with my students during this crisis.”
“The doctorate program prepared me to be open to the unexpected and trust the process, and that has really been helpful in navigating the uncertainty of the times,”
She has valued her experience as an online learner because she can appreciate what her students are now going through. “Much of what is published is modeled from my experience as an online learner. Our multi-week project started with an ‘introduction’ similar to a course syllabus, in which we share what the topics and tasks are for each week. I have also modeled much of my feedback strategies to those I used to receive from my professors (clear, specific, actionable). I feel much more confident about myself when in front of the camera and can manage the calls well with muting others and presenting screens.”
Ayala created the presentation, “Supporting Continuity of Teaching and Learning During an Emergency: Conversation Guide and Quick Start Recommendations” for other teachers and districts.