Instructions to all primary and secondary schools for the organization of distance learning
Objavljeno: 13. ožujka 2020.Ministry of Science and Education Republic of Croatia, March 2020. For the Ministry: minister prof. Blaženka Divjak, PhD
On 11 March 2020, the Ministry of Science and Education (MZO) has directed all schools to prepare activities for organizing distance learning using information-communication technology. All primary and secondary schools have to establish channels of communication no later than Monday, March 16th, by 12:00, and distribute the appropriate equipment to students according to provided instructions, if they have not done so already.
Considering the fact that from Monday, 16 March 2020, there will be no classes in primary and secondary schools, we are starting with the implementation of distance learning.
Tomorrow, on Saturday, 14 March 2020, at 13.00, a virtual meeting between principals of all primary and secondary schools and Minister of Science and Education Blaženka Divjak will be held in the virtual classroom called „Principals of primary and secondary schools“. We ask all principals to be logged in between 13.00 and 14.00.
The rest of this document contains instructions for the delivery of educational content as well as for monitoring and support.
Delivery of educational content
The Ministry of Science and Education will cooperate with Croatian Radio Television in order to organize lectures for students of so-called class teaching on Channel3 (HRT 3), in accordance with curricula, on a daily basis. The programme called School on Channel 3 will be aired according to the following schedule:
The first day of broadcasting distance learning content called School on Channel 3 on Channel 3 (HRT 3) will be Monday, 16 March 2020.
For students participating in so-called subject learning in primary and secondary schools, a schedule will be determined for each day, and content for online learning will be prepared for basic subjects in the duration of four to five 45-minute class sessions per day. The content will include a video recording of the lecture, as well as additional work material. We encourage all teachers of subjects to prepare their own content in addition to the available basic package of content, or to organize cooperation within their own virtual classrooms. In addition, teachers of subjects whose subjects are not covered by the basic package can organize classes in the fifth or sixth 45-minute class session of the day. We invite teachers to publish their material on CARNET’s Meduza or Edutorij so other can use them.
Additionally, Sportska televizija (Sports channel) will broadcast educational content for socalled subject teaching between 8.00 and 14.00. Lectures will be held in duration of three to five 45-minute class sessions according to the schedule which will be available on web pages
of the Ministry, School for Life and CARNET. We ask schools to distribute this information on their web pages as well.
For all students online learning starts on Monday, 16 March 2020, according to schedule and shifts determined by the Ministry of Science and Education, which will be published on its website.
We are informing teachers that digital educational content (DOS) on CARNET’s website is also at their disposal and they can use it freely according to the provided schedule. We encourage teachers to use material from virtual classrooms, methodical handbooks and digital textbooks.
Monitoring and support
In „virtual classrooms“ from fifth to eight grade of primary school and from first to fourth grade of secondary school, class masters should, on a daily basis, remind students of the daily schedule and direct them to the content essential for realizing lectures during that particular day. Teachers of particular subjects need to give instructions regarding using material in textbooks as well as students’ individual work. It is useful for students to have clearly defined homework so that their work can be monitored.
The attendance of students will be monitored according to their activities in the „virtual classroom“.
Advisers working in Education and Teacher Training Agency and Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education will monitor the activities of teachers and provide them with necessary support.
Mentors in School for Life will continue to work on the production of new digital content and, when needed, provide support to teachers producing their own material, designing additional material and additional activities which are made individually by the students themselves.
We encourage teachers to provide students with continuous feedback by using different methods of evaluation such as learning and evaluation for learning. However, evaluation of acquired knowledge is not obligatory for the time being.
All notifications will be simultaneously announced on the websites of the Ministry of Science and Education, CARNET, School for Life, Education and Teacher Training Agency, Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education.
We ask all school principals to pay close attention to notifications in the virtual classroom for principals on Loomen.
Support to teachers of subjects (so-called subject teaching) will be provided in appropriate subject teaching virtual classrooms on Loomen which are used for the usual training for School for Life.
According to the opinion issued by the Government of the Republic of Croatia and Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters, employees should perform the aforementioned activities, as well as regular activities at their workplace in schools until further notice, at least until full functionality of the system for distance learning is established.
School principals also have to ensure accommodation of students from first to fourth grade of primary school, whose parents are not able to provide them with appropriate supervision at home. The students who are in schools also have to follow lectures broadcast on Channel 3 (HRT 3). There will be no classes organized for them in schools. They will follow the provided educational programme on television or they will participate in distance learning under the supervision of teachers.
Students who are provided with teaching assistants can continue to use their services in schools if the student is present in school, or at home if the student stays at home. However, in case the student stays at home, it is necessary to obtain approval from both the parent and the teaching assistant. The service can be used in the time frame which is needed for following distance learning, and no greater than the duration the student used to have the service provided in classes in school.
Additional notifications will be available tomorrow during the meeting with school principals in the virtual classroom.
