Effects of Remote Learning on Practitioner Integration

The widespread inclusion of experts and practitioners in educational settings to teach and collaboratively learn can help alleviate a multitude of systemic problems. A new, inclusive path to teach youth the skills needed to utilise the problem solving approach named computational thinking is explored in this case study. During 2020 remote learning became ubiquitous and after a successful face to face workshop the consequences of a virtual environment were evaluated. This publication answers three questions based on an action research approach: What effect has remote learning on practitioner integration? What learning outcomes does a flipped classroom approach lead to? What lessons can be learned for a post-social-distancing world? Data was gathered during an expert driven virtual workshop, in an Austrian technical school with predominantly male students aged 17 to 18 (K-12). Analysis revealed the benefits of remote expert integration as relatively little overhead can establish practical knowledge and differentiated perspectives in an almost uninterrupted virtual workflow. The integration of practitioners should be made possible within virtual environments to minimise distraction and overhead if applicable. Despite its clear benefits a blended environment with additional face to face settings led to more interaction and excitement from the learners. Easy access to experts and practitioners is key to offer young people the tools necessary to face the challenges of the future.