64336The Firefly remote learning platformClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKThe COVID-19 crisis has had a significant impact on schools nationally, which are facing unprecedented lengths of shutdown, creating a clear need for innovation, agility and technology-driven solutions to enable effective adaptation to vastly different ways of delivering teaching and learning. Given uncertain and potentially extended closure timescales, this is critical to ensure students are not disadvantaged or left behind, and parents and teachers are empowered with the tools necessary to deliver learning continuity. As a globally leading educational technology provider, Firefly Learning is extremely well placed to assist schools during this time, with our existing virtual learning platform providing critical technological tools to assist schools, teachers, and students as they transition to entirely new methods of remote, blended learning, and the vastly different teaching pedagogies this requires. In addition to supporting our current customer base, we are currently providing our existing learning platform to new schools for free during this time of crisis. The Firefly platform already represents the forefront of current technology with respect to connecting schools and homes. However, given the unprecedented nature of the current situation, further development and innovation is needed to tailor and adapt the platform and service ecosystem to effectively support a fully remote, blended learning environment, whilst also beginning to address the infrastructure and resource challenges inherent in scaling platform use to handle unprecedented demand, and ultimately extending reach to all schools currently in need. Through this project, we will collaborate with up to 30 new schools, delivering free supply of our learning continuity platform, and providing assistance with integration and customisation. Additionally, we will provide training and consultancy advice for teachers on pedagogy and best-practice for enabling effective distance learning. In parallel, we will collaborate with them through a 3-month programme of iterative, agile development (over the coming term), seeking to adapt and tailor the platform to best facilitate distance learning - providing core functionality enhancements to enable effective learning continuity, parental support and visibility, school insight and critical teaching tools. In an environment where fully remote education has never been mainstreamed, these requirements are not yet fully understood. Therefore, whilst prioritising rapid delivery and enhancement during this time of need, our project will further identify longer-term development priorities for advanced facilitation of distance learning, and infrastructure improvements necessary to achieve stable, affordable and accessible technology solutions for all students. EXTENSION FOR IMPACT: Our team of former teachers and leaders will extend their programme of engagement with schools to support them as they adapt to hybrid learning, where at any one time some of their students and staff may be physically in the classroom and others self-isolating but maintaining learning continuity online. Webinars proved highly successful means of sharing established good practice from client schools during the first phase of the project, so we will both repeat proven approaches for new audiences and extend both the content base and channel, increasing focus on engaging parents (a crucial partner in home-based learning) and adding on-demand podcasts to help those whose face-to-face teaching schedules may other preclude attendance at live events. We will also improve the effectiveness and satisfaction from our planning and training sessions by exploring new techniques to combat fatigue with virtual sessions and help teachers learn at their own pace. By focusing on helping schools make the most of our newly-adapted platform at a time of crisis we will not only improve outcomes for students, but we believe more schools will see the long-term value of the technology.