As the state moves into its 10th week of school closures, educators at the state’s vocational technical schools are getting creative with remote learning. Replicating hands-on learning with tools and machines like those used in vocational technical classrooms is nearly impossible, but vocational technical school educators keep students engaged with remote learning assignments students complete from home or within the community.

A recent article, “Shop Class, Over Zoom: How one career and technical high school is going remote” in The Atlantic, chronicled Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School in Danvers, MA. While a scheduled class trip to the coast was cancelled, students in the environmental science and technology program were instead tasked with completing a neighborhood litter survey where they “collected and analyzed trash that could hurt marine life if it travels from storm drains to waterways”.

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River is another example of the creative problem solving of vocational technical educators. The Herald News spotlighted Diman vocational educators who are utilizing videos to create content and lessons for students. For example, a plumbing teacher at Diman Vocational has gotten permission from a local builder, who is constructing three homes in the neighborhood, to video the stages of construction and turn the videos into lessons for his students.

MBAE applauds these and other educators that continue to think creatively about how to engage students in remote learning.