Databases of district learning plans

Specific research opportunities and challenges will vary widely across districts and schools, depending on the details of their reopening plans as well as how their distance learning went in the spring of 2020. To better understand and prepare for school-based research during the 2020-21 school year, researchers may benefit from exploring public databases that reflect how districts across the country addressed the spring closures and how they are planning to handle extended social distancing requirements. The Center on Reinventing Public Education has gathered a database of 80-100 districts and their publicly posted learning plans for the upcoming months. Reviewing and contributing to databases like this could help provide additional context for how schools and districts are addressing current challenges and how research might fit into the learning environment for the coming year.

Public curriculum resources

During the closures in the spring of 2020, many districts created and published distance learning resources on their websites or on other public platforms like YouTube. For districts who lacked a centralized learning management system or otherwise established online resources, making materials publicly available increased access for their students. As districts and schools have more time to plan for distance learning in the coming school year, materials may or may not continue to be posted publicly on their websites. However, researchers who are interested in analyzing curricular resources used in distance learning may find the publicly available materials to be helpful.

Body of research and resources related to COVID and education

Below are some articles and databases that informed our thinking and that may be helpful to fellow researchers. As the K-12 response to COVID-19 evolves, our team will continue to collect and update resources we find useful in this outline.

Please browse our list and suggest other sources.

While we think these tools may be helpful resources for navigating the current research climate, MenloEDU does not endorse or evaluate these resources in any way.

K-12 Research and Databases Related to COVID-19

COVID-19 Research Knowledge Base
This document includes data and information related to what has happened since school closures began, what is currently happening in K-12 education, and what the reopening plans are moving forward.

Center on Reinventing Public Education COVID-19 Databases and Resources
CRPE has a database of 80-100 districts and their publicly posted plans regarding spring distance learning as well as summer and fall learning. Reviewing this database could be helpful in determining what research opportunities and challenges may be in place for the summer and next school year. The blog on CRPE’s website also includes a number of articles related to school remote learning and current issues in K-12 education.

The Evidence Project at the Center on Reinventing Public Education
CRPE is working to bring researchers together to share knowledge around K-12 education research regarding the response to the pandemic. Resources are currently limited, but the website includes a list of surveys and polls that have already been administered, which could give researchers data or ideas for conducting their own research.

State-by-State Map of Where Schools are Open
Edweek is gathering links to states’ reopening plans for the fall as they become available. This may help provide researchers with helpful context as they consider how or if to partner with schools this year.

Closing the K-12 Digital Divide in the Age of Distance Learning
This report from Common Sense and BCG shows that nearly 30% of K-12 students “lack adequate internet or devices to sustain effective distance learning at home.” Without access to the internet, students cannot engage in distance learning, which will continue to be a challenge as remote learning will likely play a significant role in schools’ plans for the fall. The report outlines the challenges as well as potential solutions, and funding, to address the digital divide.

How Schools Can Help Children Recover from COVID School Closures
In this letter, education researchers outline seven recommendations for how schools can address some of the challenges created by closures. The recommendations and embedded citations may also be helpful for researchers as they consider how to work with schools this year.

TNTP COVID-19 School Response Toolkit
This toolkit includes resources for education leaders, teachers, families, and students, including many suggestions and tools for how to transition in-person activities to a virtual setting.

MIT Teaching Systems Lab COVID-19 Resources for Educators
The MIT Teaching Systems Lab has three reports focused on school closures and remote learning: What’s Lost, What’s Left, What’s Next includes themes from interviews with 40 teachers during the closures; Imagining September includes design elements for re-opening schools; and Remote Learning Guidance from State Education Agencies during COVID-19 includes recommendations for state education agencies.

DPSCD Distance Learning Packets and Distance Learning Lesson Videos
Detroit Public Schools Community District is one example of a district that publicly posted their lesson materials and lesson videos during distance learning. Similar resources from other districts and schools may be available on their websites or on sites like YouTube.

Resources for Remote/Virtual Research

Doing Fieldwork in a Pandemic
This crowdsourced document by and for social researchers includes resources and ideas for how to conduct research online and how to adapt face-to-face research to a digital format.

No Participant Left Behind: Conducting Science During COVID-19
While online participation in studies offers the opportunity for researchers to continue their work during a pandemic, the authors caution researchers to consider how a shift to online participation might affect the diversity of their sample group. Not everyone has internet access, and the closure of public spaces like libraries has only exacerbated the digital divide. While the authors don’t suggest that online testing should stop, they recommend that researchers collect demographic data when possible to increase transparency and consider providing temporary internet access to underrepresented groups when possible.

Best Foot Forward: Video Observation Toolkit
From Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research, this toolkit includes guidance for how to use video observations in classrooms. While the focus is primarily the use of videos for professional development, many of the recommendations could relate to research by video, including issues related to considering privacy and establishing a safe and trusting environment with teachers.

A Guide to Using Asynchronous Remote Communities (ARC) for Researching Distributed Populations
This article includes examples of remote group-based research methods conducted through a Facebook group. Some of the methods and lessons learned could inform remote research with school communities, especially parents and teachers.

Engaging Teenagers in Asynchronous Online Groups to Design for Stress Management
This article discusses a study in which researchers used Slack to connect with teenagers asynchronously. The strategies and lessons learned could provide insights for conducting remote research with students.

Thinking Beyond Zoom: Using Asynchronous Video to Maintain Connection and Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This article focuses on how to use asynchronous video to engage college students in online learning, but some of the asynchronous strategies could also be adapted for engaging with K-12 stakeholders in a research partnership.

Children Helping Science
Run by six researchers, this site gathers links to online research studies that children and parents can participate in. Researchers could consider submitting their studies to this site if their studies meet the requirements. As with in-person studies, an ethics approval (e.g., IRB number) must be acquired

Online Resources to Find Research Participants
This article includes a number of ideas for finding research participants online, including participant recruitment services, crowdsourcing strategies, and social media platforms. While none of these resources are specific to K-12 students, they may provide ideas for connecting with educators or parents.

Considerations for Using Social Media in Research
When utilizing social media platforms, researchers should attend to best practices and IRB requirements from their institutions. This document from the University of Rochester offers some points for consideration when using social media to recruit and engage with research participants.