The Distance Learning Playbook, Grades K-12: Teaching for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting

by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Hattie John

Effective teaching is effective teaching, no matter where it occurs

The pandemic teaching of mid-2020 was not really distance learning, but rather crisis teaching. But starting now, teachers have the opportunity to prepare for distance learning with purpose and intent--using what works best to accelerate students' learning all the while maintaining an indelible focus on equity.

Harnessing the insights and experience of renowned educators Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie, The Distance Learning Playbook applies the wisdom and evidence of VISIBLE LEARNING(R) research to understand what works best with distance learning. Spanning topics from teacher-student relationships, teacher credibility and clarity, instructional design, assessments, and grading, this comprehensive playbook details the research- and evidence-based strategies teachers can mobilize to deliver high- impact learning in an online, virtual, and distributed environment.

This powerful guide includes:

- Learning Intentions and Success Criteria for each module to track your own learning and model evidence-based teacher practices for meaningful learning

- A diversity of instructional approaches, including direct instruction, peer learning, and independent work that foster student self-regulation and move learning to deep and transfer levels

- Discussion of equity challenges associated with distance learning, along with examples of how teachers can work to ensure that equity gains that have been realized are not lost.

- Special guidance for teachers of young children who are learning from a distance

- Videos of the authors and teachers discussing a wide variety of distance learning topics

- Space to write and reflect on current practices and plan future instruction


The Distance Learning Playbook is the essential hands-on guide to preparing and delivering distance learning experiences that are truly effective and impactful.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction, Read For School

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 15, 2020

About the author

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is an educator and Professor of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College.

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Reviews

[Amanda Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically just an application of visible learning practices to distance learning without new research. However it gave me some ideas on how to support both teachers and students this school year.

[Erica Sage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this cover to cover, as opposed to pinpointing specific topics. I found it a good overview of some concepts to consider when approaching online teaching. However, it mostly felt like a first-year teacher handbook, with an emphasis on distant learning. The ideas were not very innovative, and any techniques offered weren't very well developed or explained--more just an overview of a technique. I think some of the templates might be helpful for some readers, but I will likely not use them. What I came away with was a feeling of... Okay, then, I guess I'm doing a pretty good job as it is if this is the current Bible of distant learning... But I wanted to come away with more inspiration and innovation.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book meshed John Hattie’s Visible Learning and effect size research with distance learning and provided frameworks that can help establish a rich distance learning environment for students. The authors provided realistic, thoughtful, and equitable remote learning structure and routines for maximum student engagement and teacher facilitation. Highly recommend!

[Christy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covid has taught us quite a bit about the things we have taken for granted. For teachers and administrators, we were happily working on teaching to standards and finding ways to navigate technology in the classroom and best practices for engaging students in the 21st century. Then Covid brought life to a halt. Well, schools didn’t stop. They just had to happen at home. Through a computer. Not really what most of us signed up for when we joined the ranks of teachers. It was during my second year of being an administrator when we were told to pack up, head home and prepare to educate students for a “few weeks.” A few weeks turned into months and now it’s been a couple of years of being online, hybrid or in masks. I needed to remember why I became a teacher so I could help lead my teachers. I needed to feel inspired again. While we aren’t distance learning anymore, the Distance Learning Playbook certainly helped me to remind myself of good instructional habits. While I didn’t need the distance learning sections, I found others to focus on good strategies for engagement and assessments. I love that the authors focus on explaining theory and sharing recent research. They move from theory and discussion to teachers who share their experiences and strategies in action. After these examples, the authors include reflections and charts to help a teacher plan for implementing the strategies in the classroom. I can’t wait to use some of this for some very necessary PD sessions for my teachers: three levels of engagement and authentic assessment in particular. While I know they are tired, I also know we can’t give up teaching. The students need us. My teachers need to be reminded that they do know what they’re doing. A little inspiration and a little reminder could help them feel refreshed and ready to teach in this very new world.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Frey and Fisher; their books are engaging, easy to follow, and provide what educators need. They provide just the right amount of information without overwhelming the reader (ie: busy teachers!).

With 9 modules, the book is thorough with its approach. I LOVE that the first module is about teacher self care. That speaks volumes - the authors understand what it means to teach today! They discuss stress management, trauma, work space, and having a commitment partner in this first module. We don't get to actual lesson plans until module 7. Again, this speaks volumes. First we focus on ourselves, followed by establishing classroom culture and norms and developing relationships with students After that we look at ways to be intentional and credible, providing clarity and engaging tasks. Frey and Fisher wrote The Formative Assessment Action Plan book so their module on feedback and assessment includes some information from that book, but they also explore other ideas. Oh, and every module/chapter ends with success criteria!

This is a book that works best if you purchase it so you can write in it. Chapters include spaces for reflective writing activities, notes to self, to-do lists, and applications to your classes. The appendix offers a planning template and distance learning log along with success criteria template. There are MANY videos (accessed by QR codes) throughout the book, and the authors provide a list of all of them at the beginning of the book.

I like the layout of this book with big margins that include quotations and pithy points pulled from the text along with good use of charts, color, and questions. This is a book that is not a one and done read. It's meant to be referenced and returned to frequently for support and guidance.

This book might be named The Distance Learning Playbook, but, as the authors explain, what this book offers works well in any setting. After all, good teaching is good teaching.

[Elizabeth Mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was picking out the book I wanted to read, I saw the title of this and thought “This is exactly what I need to learn!” The good news: I learned a lot of great skills for the classroom. There were some wonderful ideas, and the biggest idea I am taking away from it is how important it is to establish teacher-student relationships and be able to keep them while online. There were many QR codes as links to videos that had teachers discuss their most successful activities, and it brought to me many new ideas. I really liked learning about the Hattie model of Virtual Learning, although if that is not something you buy into, the book may lose some of its luster for you, since many good practices were based on those findings. Some critical points for me were that we can still use singing online, especially for the younger grades. I know there is a half second delay for group singing, but if a teacher is using a song on their own to bring the students into class, that will help with student connection. Another take-away is their use of “pop-up pedagogy”. Keep working with the classes by using Remind, emailing, using videos, and using voice recordings for feedback. All of these are good online tools that bring the students closer to you. The chapters were well thought out, and there was plenty of space for self reflection. The average news: it takes a lot of imagination for this book to have a lot of information about virtual teaching. I felt it might have been a book that was rushed to get published (the publishing date is 2021), so it was missing the depth of knowledge I was hoping for. Still, there were some excellent ideas, but they were general good practices, and not geared specifically for the online classroom I intend to be using. This may be because there are so many platforms that they need to be generic. There were several mentions of teachers popping in and out of “break-out rooms”, something that many schools do not allow. So, my bottom line is that it is a book worth reading. I would just wait for the second edition.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fisher, Frey, and Hattie seek to empower K-12 teachers of distance learners in an era of swift educational change. Rather than provide yet another overwhelming list of potential tech tools to use in the classroom, the authors reference Visible Learning research to advocate for quality instructional practices based on measurable student outcomes. You won’t find the magic bullet for stress-free distance learning here. Rather, you will be reminded to consider what works well in the face-to-face classroom and aided in reimagining its application in a virtual setting. Fisher et al. highlight the importance of social-emotional wellness for both teachers and students alike as the baseline for successful distance learning, as well as the importance of strong, collaborative relationships founded on teacher clarity, predictable routines, and co-constructed norms that result in a a safe and welcoming classroom environment where students are comfortable setting goals and taking risks to reach them. Furthermore, the authors share effective unit and lesson planning strategies with a focus on strong learning intentions (objectives) connected to success criteria related to learners in student-friendly language. Many of the highly effective strategies presented in this book echo other research on teaching English Language Learners, my area of continued learning. Predictable routines, quality learning objectives, accessibility, direct instruction, frequent feedback, student interaction and collaboration through relevant practice - these are practices that will greatly benefit not only ELLs, but all students. Although nothing presented in this book was truly groundbreaking, perhaps that’s the point. Best practices are best practices in the classroom or over a computer screen. We just need the confidence and determination to apply our past learning to a new context, that of distance learning.

Key takeaways that I will be considering this crazy academic year thanks to the discussion in this book include…

>Considering the “touchpoints” I have with each and every one of my students throughout the day especially now that we are hybrid and increasing the number of positive interactions
>Providing more immediate, targeted feedback and additional practice opportunities for students through the use of voice comments, screencast feedback, 1:1 sessions, and varied formative assessments.
>Shifting my attention from the tools themselves to the function or purpose they serve and which ones will best meet the needs of my learners. Sometimes less is more. Quality over quantity.

[Larry Jarocki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went through this one, slowly and deliberately. As with many other teachers, the spring of 2020 was a hot mess in my classroom, so I turned to three authors that I've come to rely on for good research applied in the service of making teaching more effective: Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie. That I was reading this book in July, only a few months after nationwide school closures, is a testament to their tenacity and vision. Having read this, I feel more able to ask the important questions about my teaching practice as I return to the (virtual) classroom in August. In other words, I found many questions here, but few answers. The format was more "here's what the research says (but not in specific virtual contexts), now figure out how you're going to apply it online." This heuristic process was helpful, but I was really looking for more guiding than probing. This leaves me with much to think about, but too little support in finding those answers. I'm glad I read it, but I was hoping it would do some of the heavy lifting for me, as their other books usually do. This migth work well for a department or grade-level discussion text, but I found it less useful as I read it alone.

[Jandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sad that we live in a world that needed this book. But I have learned a lot as a high school teacher during this pandemic, before I even read the book. Reading the book has opened my eyes to a few ideas that will work, even with my brand of students (special ed AND language learners). The QR links didn't work for me, but the text alone was enough. Though this book was assigned as a department exercise, I am glad to have read it. Now to go deal with parents armed with social media posts as "evidence" over my ongoing education and 17 years experience.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely useful for me, a veteran teacher, to enhance what I already am doing in these Pandemic Times, but it also has shown me some useful adaptations to my toolkit. It also does a wonderful job of addressing new mindsets and essential functions of a teacher in distance learning situations. Even though I am a high school teacher, I found the "younger" grade commentary to be eye-opening and instructive as well.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had had this book in March or over the summer to read. I finally got a chance to read it after having it since October. Now that I have taught virtually for close to a year (so sad that it’s been almost a year), I feel like I have my feet under me & my ducks are in a row. I am also very comfortable with technology.

I think this book would be more helpful to those floundering in virtual teaching.

[Miriam Plotinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published at the height of the pandemic, this book shares quick and actionable strategies for helping students when we cannot be near them in physical proximity. Timely and relevant at its time of publication, these strategies can still be easily applied to in-person settings with a little bit of adjustment.

[Beth Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timely, relevant, and functional. I just did a cursory read, watched only a couple of the videos. I will reread portions of this book and do the interactive reflections and self-assessments. I have already recreated the planning template in Google Docs and sketched out my units for the year. It is a good place to start for this new year.

[Joy Kirr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid teaching pedagogy. Good to get a refresher with ideas flowing for how to teach well online. My notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I...

[FunkMaster General · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

Thoughtful in places.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, practical ideas for all grade levels (elementary and secondary). I also attended the four one-hour online sessions, but I am so glad I purchased the book as a resource. Helped with some of the training this week.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This textbook would be as useful to a teacher who is looking to improve practice in the traditional classroom as it is for virtual learning. I don't think there was enough about virtual learning itself to have given it the title it has. It was about good teaching practices with some examples of how certain teachers employ them even in distance learning models. Don't expect to learn about any particular technologies, like Meet/Zoom, Google Classroom, Jamboards, Nearpod, etc. It's kept pretty general. A distance learning playbook? Not really.

However, it IS a good book about designing effective lessons; it's very specific when it comes to effective questioning strategies, participatory techniques, proper scaffolding, etc, which again, makes it relevant even in a traditional classroom.

I enjoyed the layout, the qr codes that directed you to videos of teachers sharing their ideas and practices, and it did help me to improve my teaching in general, but not my distance teaching. Fortunately, I'm elseswhere able to find technologies that will help me accomplish the skills and strategies of good teachers of which I was reminded in this book.

[Decluttering.The.Stuff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find anything new or inspiring about teaching distantly in this book. While strategies are supported by research, HOW TO is not included. This is NOT a PLAYBOOK - it is a rewrite of previous research.

The side video links were pointless. Having someone tell me they don't usually eat breakfast as part of their morning routine didn't help with planning how to distance teach full-time.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished. This had some worthwhile information— the problem at least in my experience, is time. I’m teaching 3 groups of in person and one distance group. I don’t have the time to give my distance learners. I completely fault my district and I know we are doing these students a disservice. I believe it’s because my district admins don’t want to provide this— they want students in seats so they want this to not go well.

[Lauie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource, want audio version!

I think this book has great advice that is relevant and useful to the classroom teacher as we make the changes we are having to undertake to serve our children and families. My only wish is for an audio copy!

[Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Distance Learning Playbook offers a trustworthy and steadfast resource in an era that is plagued by uncertainty. Overall, the book is well organized and offers easy to follow learning objectives, graphic organizers, and a plethora of additional online resources. As a brand new ENL teacher struggling with planning and servicing both remote and in person students, I found its suggestions extremely helpful in approaching my students. As we know, Language is a fundamental aspect of socialization between humans, and consequently, trust and positive relationships are essential to language acquisition. As the research indicates, positive teacher-student relationships yield better outcomes, despite the content area. Module 3 of The Distance Learning Playbook emphasizes the importance of a positive teacher-student relationship, specifically in today’s virtual classroom, and how to achieve it. I found its suggestions and reminders compelling; in order to teach effectively and build a quality relationship with all students, virtual or otherwise, I must inspire “TRUST” with my students. “Touchpoints” are an important tool of doing so, as they create meaningful learning opportunities, and are especially important to English Language Learners because of the paucity of such touchpoints from other aspects of their school or district. Teacher clarity is another essential component of instruction. According to the authors, a strong sense of clarity in my instruction, interaction, and even set-up of the classroom will facilitate greater accessibility for my students. This clarity is all too important for my ELLs, who already face more barriers and opportunities for confusion than the average student. I have found that, even when I consider instruction for my in-person students, The Distance Learning Playbook has reemphasized the fundamentals of good teaching, and illustrated how to adapt these fundamentals to a virtual platform. Fisher, Frey, & Hattie have done all of these things in a well organized, thoughtful, and accessible manner.

[Jean Schram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read every word; I did a heavy skim. The book applies the Visible Learning research to distance learning. There are nine chapters/modules, and there are companion videos, which seemed to me to already be dated, since things are changing the speed of light in education presently. Also, all of the videos are of adults, such as teachers talking about how they use technology or teachers giving examples of virtual direct instruction. There are no recordings of synchronous lessons with students. It probably would have been best to read this over the summer because teachers are already back in the thick of it now, and it is what it is. The advice in the book is well-organized and sound, but there's nothing that will move education forward; it just helps teachers do what they are already doing--but remotely instead of in the classroom. The most interesting part was in the last chapter when they said that Australia's students actually did better on tests after the country had to go online due to earthquakes in 2011 but then the students' test scores dropped after they had been back on campus for awhile. This was attributed to the teachers triaging instruction and tailoring learning to the skills that the students most needed during the time of remote instruction. I am teaching on campus, not online, and I have never taught online. (My school had paper packets last spring.) Some teachers who are teaching remotely are finding this book to be invaluable, so, if you are teaching online, it is worth checking out.
Here are the chapters/modules: 1. Take care of yourself. 2. The first days of school. 3. Teacher-student relationships from a distance. 4. Teacher credibility at a distance 5. Teacher clarity at a distance. 6. Engaging tasks. 7. Planning instructional units for distance learning. 8. Feedback, assessment, and grading. 9. Learning, distance or otherwise.
The authors also wrote versions of this book for parents, for school leaders, and for higher education.

[Lauren Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fisher, Frey, and Hattie provide many resources to easily implement the ideas shared in this text. For every theme presented, the reader is provided an opportunity to reflect upon how this event occurs in face-to-face settings and plan how they can occur in virtual and distance settings. “What we do matters, not the medium of doing it” (Fisher, Frey, & Hattie, 2020, p. 5). The activities provided support the idea that every teacher is unique and needs to find what works for their teaching style and their individual students. A variety of technology tools are shared, and backed up by research, to foster student engagement, create lesson plans, and provide a meaningful learning experience from a distance. I appreciated the ideas provided to design a considerate website for students and their families. I created a screen recording of where to find everything, and also developed a Frequently Asked Questions page based on the authors’ recommendation. Increasing touchpoints with all students provided a lot of great ideas that I have been regularly implementing throughout the start of this distance school year. For example, Fisher, Frey, and Hattie (2020) recommend, “make sure every live session includes whole group and small group discussions” (p. 60). Many of these types of ideas presented in the text, I have easily been implementing in my virtual classroom and keep in mind while I am lesson planning.

[Rebecca Wolff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Distance Learning Playbook is a snapshot of 2020 and what educators experienced back in March when our schools closed and we were forced to shift our instruction remotely. I truly appreciate the distinction between crisis teaching and remote teaching, and the authors remind us that our experience last spring was really one of trauma, and that we need to take care of our mental health, while not forgetting the fundamentals of teaching. The book helped me to clarify and remember my relationships with students and my focus on learning objectives and engagement. The reminder to focus on the functions of engagement, what I want to accomplish first, and then look for the technological tools that can support that function, was very helpful. I have been looking at a lot of the tools mentioned in the book, keeping in mind the authors’ idea not to overload my students with tech tools. Also, I liked how the book explains ways to adapt teaching methods that we already use to a remote format, like jig-saws, think alongs, and book clubs. The book has tools that can work for all grade levels, and there are short videos and worksheets that educators can easily access. Finally, although the overall instructional framework is not new, the focus on how to make it work in a pandemic-world was very useful.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This and the version created specifically for colleges and universities are both sensible, encompassing, and applicable to many of us educators creating and teaching new courses in online education. I've found both to be excellent not only for the straightforward text and information but also the numerous reflections which help me gauge my growth during this extraordinary year. Already, I have adapted some of these reflections for myself and others for my students as well. At one point, I have used or referred to numerous lessons. Almost immediately, we readers learn the term and characteristics for "compassion fatigue" without any judgment or contradictions. Educators: Do you remember your first lessons with mentors when you were a rookie teacher? Here you have similar approaches. I feel like a rookie all over again, and I am grateful for this remarkable, common-sense playbook during this paradigm-shifting time in education. I began this version (a print version) a while back. I have flipped through looking for specific lessons, have marked pages, adapted lessons, and reviewed over and again. It will take a while for me to fully become "fluent" in this online dialogue, but every effort I've tried from this has made me more confident as I participate.

[Kelly Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This focused on the importance of interaction in the classroom (my philosophy as it is in the regular classroom) and also how to implement it into the DL classroom.
It helped give myself and students grace in what this academic year in crisis would be. Through viewing the classroom community and building relationships as the most important it completely changed the energy of my classroom into being more positive and engaging. It definitely helped me shape how I was approaching my class and forming more discussions. It also helped me spread what I’ve learned to other teachers, since a lot of teachers weren’t focusing on interaction or community as much as just churning out information. I also liked that it mentioned to not let a crisis go to waste, it’s unfortunate that as a culture we are not embracing how to do this better to the point we are rushing everyone back into full schools before vaccinations.
I think once it’s not such a rush to create books for teachers (we were all thrown into this situation) there will be more research and even better strategies developed. FYI I noticed some typos and at least one of the QR codes didn’t work. Overall though this was very helpful to my distance learning methodology.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was published quickly as a lifeline to teachers who had to make the extreme pivot to remote teaching last spring. There were a few good ideas for amending instructional practices for online use, but mostly this book is a reminder that good teaching is good teaching, regardless of the format. There was nothing new in it. QR codes throughout the book provide video examples of teachers using different instructional strategies in online platforms. There is a dedicated section in each chapter specifically aimed at early childhood teachers, which was nice since our needs are different from those who teach older students. I did find some solid research to back up my current practices (in person and online) and gained a few good ideas for remote teaching in the future, if I have to do that again.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

My district provided us with these books in late December after we'd already been through 1/3 of the 20-21 school year using distance learning on at least some level and after an entire trimester of distance learning in the 19-20 school year.

More than 1/2 of this book is about setting up routines/procedures/schedules, but what we're asked to consider is out of the hands of many teachers as districts make the rules.

There's a lot of traditional Hattie stuff- lots with effect sizes, clarity, etc. so if you've read a lot of Hattie or had a bunch of training on visible learning there isn't a lot new there.

Probably good for those who are new to remote/virtual teaching, but not helpful for those who have been working though it for about a year. Additionally, it says K-12, but a lot of the examples aren't K-2 friendly.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more a book of common sense. Either you have the ability to engage your students or you do not. Many of the suggestions are suggestions you would have for any environment. The text has worksheets on how to establish a rapport or set up rules or routines. This is stuff that might be beneficial to a new teacher. I have been teaching for 35 years. It is not the establishment of the environment once I am there I worry about, it is the technology piece for an older teacher with limited technologhy skills that has been the problem. Once you run into technical glitches, that's when there is down time and stalling...even with the best laid plans. Engagement and on task behavior is something you always need to establish not matter what format your students are learning in.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in conjunction with attending the Camp Corwin Book Club sessions for this book. I have been an online teacher for 10 years and I most appreciated the emphasis on how the fundamentals of teaching and learning do not change just because the environment in which we are teaching and learning does. I also got a couple of new strategies I want to try in my own online classroom. Overall it was worth the read and the book clubs were a great place for drilling down into what specific strategies look like. I would recommend reading this with other teachers in your school so collaboration and discussion on how to implement can occur.