In this session CLC’s Sarah Horrocks meets with Jane Courtney, Education Specialist and Gemma Wilson-Clark, Chief of Education from UNICEF Jordan to discuss Learning Bridges: a national blended learning program that links textbooks to technology, school to home, and concepts to practical learning. Learning Bridges has enabled half a million children to continue to learn during COVID-19 related school closures. Developed by the Ministry of Education with UNICEF technical support, Learning Bridges provides students in grades 4 to 9 with a weekly printed and digital activity pack linked to the core subjects. Printed materials come with QR codes that link to online resources, which include audio content for children with poor literacy or visual impairments. Learning Bridges has introduced cross curricula learning and allowed teachers to innovate during school closures. Learning Bridges will continue to be used by teachers as a blended resource to recover and accelerate children’s learning once schools reopen.
The digital element of Learning Bridges used Padlet as a platform for sharing resources in a range of formats. To learn more about Padlet and how it might support blended learning activities in your school, check out our Padlet tutorial.
0:05 Introduction from Sarah Horrocks
02:03 Jane Courtney explains the background behind the development of the Learning Bridges programme
06:55 Jane explains the curricular scope and pedagogical approach of Learning Bridges and how content was created and shared with families.
11:06 In this section you can scan the QR codes to see examples of the Padlet boards created for the project.
11:28 The materials for the Learning Bridges project were distributed in a number of ways, which Jane explains in this section.
12:54 A second interactive section in which you can scan a QR code to see an example of the materials the teachers received during the project.
13:56 An overview of the scope of what was achieved.
14:30 Learning Bridges exhibitions; pupils share their learning from the project and we see some examples of their work, showing how the project was designed to be as inclusive as possible.
17:33 How parents were engaged in the project.
20:02 How teachers developed and innovated the project.
21:30 How teachers were trained to deliver the project.
22:47 A third interactive section, this time sharing examples of good practice from schools.
24:11 More examples of innovations from teachers and schools.
25:05 How Learning Bridges Champions supported the project.
27:29 Gemma provides some statistics demonstrating the impact of the programme.
32:44 Gemma discusses the future of the project; its sustainability and legacy.
Q&A session
35:47 How did the activities differ from a traditional worksheet?
36:52 How can NGOs implements the Learning Bridges model or get involved in the project?
38:03 Why was Padlet chosen as the digital platform?
39:50 How did you link with the government’s Darsak platform, and did this help support professional development (for in service and pre-service teachers)?
42:35 How have you catered for vulnerable children and those with lower digital access?
46:06 Jane explains the team’s plans to support a higher level of personalisation for older children during the next phase of the project
47:37 Can you give any examples of formative assessment used in the programme?
49:03 What changes do you anticipate in the future of education as a result of this programme?
