by XanEdu Inc. | Jun 18, 2020 | K-12, News
ANN ARBOR, MI (June 18, 2020) — XanEdu, a custom publishing company working with the K-12 and higher education markets, today released a new resource for school, district, and state leaders as they prepare for a school year likely to take place — at least partially — online. Titled “Managing Uncertainty: Serving All Learners as the 2020-21 School Year Approaches,” the briefing contains actionable course material creation and distribution best practices, as well as insights drawn directly from city, state, and school responses to COVID-19.
“Right now K-12 leaders are looking ahead to a new school year where the only certainty is that students, parents, and teachers will experience never-before-seen challenges created by COVID-19. To be successful in this uncertain future, they need flexible resources that enable all students to continue learning, even when classrooms are closed,” said Brett Costello, Chief Operating Officer at XanEdu. “Schools across the country have successfully leaned on print course materials over the past three months, and we’re excited to share some of what they’ve learned in this briefing.”
To help support district and state-level leaders as they plan for the fall, the briefing contains four best practices for production and distribution plans that provide students with accessible, equitable learning opportunities. Drawing upon XanEdu’s course material creation and delivery expertise, the briefing recommendations include:
- Plan on Print: Print materials can ensure equity by providing students with access to learning resources when broadband internet is not universally available or reliable.
- Consider Non-Local Options: Leaders should consider printers beyond their local printers to ensure fast, affordable printing and distribution.
- Identify Content Expertise: By partnering with providers who have a deep understanding of content licensing, educators can quickly determine what content is available and licensed so that it can be distributed quickly and affordably while avoiding potential costly copyright mistakes.
- Allow for Adjustments: Instructional materials must be customizable to reflect students’ uneven learning situations and settings while classrooms are closed.
To provide examples for education leaders to draw from, the report also includes case studies showing how Detroit Public Schools, Baltimore City Public Schools, National Heritage Academies, and the Texas Education Agency used print course materials to provide all students with learning resources while schools are closed. The case studies also include quotes and perspectives from school leaders, providing an opportunity for readers to hear directly from their peers.
The briefing is available now, at no cost, from XanEdu—download Managing Uncertainty: Serving All Learners as the 2020-21 School Year Approaches
About XanEdu: XanEdu has been a leader in the development of innovative solutions for creating, delivering and customizing course materials and training materials since 1999. Over 1,200 education institutions per year work with XanEdu to help educators and learners save money, improve efficiency, collaborate, engage more with content, and improve learning outcomes. More than 1 million students per year access XanEdu course materials on iPad and Android tablets, via a cloud-based reader, and in print. XanEdu is a privately held company headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI.