MOHAVE COUNTY – After powering through a year or more of remote and hybrid learning due to COVID, a significant share of traditional school districts are returning to familiar in-person models this school year. Even so, the advantages of online learning remain clear, particularly in the event of student quarantines.

To prevent COVID learning losses, ASU Prep Digital created a new offering called Learning Under Quarantine. Here’s how it works: ASU Prep Digital provides online instructors to teach students who miss in-person learning due to quarantine, providing a practical solution for schools that simply do not have the human or financial resources to operate dual in-person and online models. The innovative approach increases teaching and learning time simultaneously, while keeping students up to date with the school content and curriculum they have the potential to miss because of a COVID quarantine.

ASU Prep Digital is an online PreK-12 school, developed by Arizona State University, that combines easy-to-use technology with a strong curriculum, qualified educators, grade-specific and concurrent college courses, and customizable solutions. Each of these components blend to create one-of-a-kind formulas (or learning plans/models) that are customized to meet the needs of schools and students, helping them to succeed and advance academically. 

“We implemented the Learning Under Quarantine Model to assist schools’ reopening framework, so that quarantined students could continue learning, while also alleviating the burden on teachers and parents,” said Julie Young, Managing Director of ASU Preparatory Academy and ASU Prep Digital.

The Learning Under Quarantine model, which started this month, helps schools to engage with and teach students who must stay home from school due to a 10-14 day COVID quarantine policy.

Learning Under Quarantine is customized by grade level and extends far beyond packets sent home for students and their families to navigate independently. Quarantined students can expect daily, live, one-on-one or small group instruction, in addition to asynchronous learning activities. Thanks to communication between each participating school and ASU Prep Digital, all material is aligned to curriculum and content, allowing students to transition back into the classroom seamlessly.

The Learning Under Quarantine curriculum is heavily focused on math and English Language Arts — two areas where student performance is closely tracked, but also foundational subjects that are the basis for all other learning. While parental supervision is expected, particularly with the younger students who may need an initial introduction to basics like logging in, it is not the parent’s role to oversee the education; ASU Prep Digital’s educators are on deck to fill that role.

Young points out that the advantages are not strictly academic; continued engagement while out of the classroom helps students maintain social connections and interaction, which is severely limited during quarantine. Learning Under Quarantine also keeps students in the habit of learning and discovering new things, so they are better prepared to acclimate back into to the classroom.

“Ultimately, this innovative offering can help to prevent learning gaps and losses for students in schools across the country and globally that face similar challenges,” said Young. “Staying engaged and learning while in quarantine amounts to an easier, more successful transition back to the classroom.”