What are the options for re-opening schools?

As a result of COVID-19, schools all around the world have been forced to close to minimize the spread of the virus. This has left many educators struggling to provide the same experiences and engagement with students that there was before. Now, many students are working remotely at least part-time which means that learning using technology platforms is one of the only ways to educate them currently. This has never been seen before so many governments, along with many companies and educators, are trying to figure out new technological tools that will be beneficial for the education of students while they are having to work remotely.

In terms of governments allowing schools to re-open, this will vary across different communities as the number of COVID-19 cases are monitored. Many teachers are struggling to adapt to the changes that have occurred following the pandemic and it is putting immense amounts of stress on them as well as the students. However, they are doing a great job at still making sure they are connecting with their students through technology and providing the best education they can under the circumstances.

Below is an image of a decision tree for re-opening schools in which there are three scenarios. Each scenario has its own pros and cons, but in Microsoft’s discussions with leaders they concluded that continuing distance learning only (Scenario 1) is…