COVID-19-Related Remote Learning and The Use of Personal Mobile Devices

As of fall 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to have significant economic, medical, social, and educational impacts. Shifts to remote operations and learning have meant changes for businesses, families, and children. When COVID-19 hit, nearly all US schools closed their doors and moved to a remote learning model. At the time, in the spring of 2020, this move was expected to last weeks. Weeks turned into months with schools remaining closed to in-person learning through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

Today, as US schools plan for the 2020-2021 academic year, remote learning is the new nationwide norm for nearly every school. At the heart of this issue is technology. When students are at home, they need access to the school curriculum, teachers, and classroom activities. Teachers and other staff need remote access to school networks as well. Remote education cannot be effective if all students, teachers, and other staff do not have access to information through secure, functioning mobile devices.