Row-by-Column, Plexiglass & Zoom, Oh My! A K-12 COVID-19 Storm / A Pilot

We are 21 years into the 21st century, and educational practices across North America were woefully unprepared to ‘flip switch’ online learning; at times no education occurred all, not or onsite. The COVID-19 pandemic disruptor storm peeled off layers of blindfolds time accrued in an instant. Issues included three areas. Area one—unpreparedness: digital illiteracy relative learning corresponding teaching models, equity issues pertaining internet access computer access, platforms that varied unreliable. two—inconsistent: (if any) guidelines on how teach onsite, those from a disease control group dictating six-foot distancing, masks, plexiglass, row-by-column with eyes facing forward (back 19th century didactic model), smaller class sizes. three-time/space continuum: combining loads, maintenance. This ‘alpha’ research study tried capture historic moment time. A Human-centered Research Design (HcRD) protocol techniques mitigate bias was used: (1) survey, (2) focused interviews, (3) crowd-sourced photographic content two countries—USA Canada as convenience sample. findings will reveal ‘just-in-time’ snap shot tactics used pre- current-, well ideas for post-pandemic—this research’s differentiator. played unprecedented havoc schools America, but there important learnings these, along some insights be shared.