Board examines survey results for blended learning days

Snow days used to be snow days, but now snow days mean blended learning days for students within the Tri-City United School District. And the change has been met with mostly positive results and feedback.

"Thank goodness we have blended learning," said Teri Preisler of the newly implemented e-learning program that allows students to continue their education from home regardless of when she has to cancel school due to weather.

Preisler, the school district's superintendent, said that the school district has had four blended learning days so far and expects there to be more should weather conditions cause school closures.

In its first year as an option for students at Tri-City United, nobody knew what to expect or how the program would go. But, based on a survey taken by students, parents and educators, it appears to be a success.

Matt Flugum, k-12 curriculum coordinator, and Preisler presented the results of the survey to the Tri-City United School Board Monday night at their regular meeting.

Flugum said that more than 50 percent of parents were very satisfied with the blended learning days, while 42 percent of the students surveyed were satisfied with the program. When it came to staff, 81 educators were surveyed and they gave the program a 70 percent satisfaction rating.

Survey groups were asked to rate their satisfaction of the overall program, the quality of the learning curriculum and other factors. They were asked what positives they experienced, as well as what challenges they faced.

Flugum said that the top three positives for the 298 surveyed parents included that their children were able to continue learning, they wouldn't have to have make-up days later in the school year, and their children were able to choose learning activities for the day. The biggest challenge for the parents was task clarity and knowing if the assignment was being done how the teacher wanted it to be done.

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