JOHNSON CO. (WSIL) -- Right now educators in rural areas have an increased task when it comes to remote learning, because while the idea of putting everything online sounds like a solution, in practice, there are still hurdles to overcome.
One community in southern Illinois is working to bridge the gap between students and their lack of internet at home.
"Being a rural district we're seeing a lot of, a lot of issues with students not having internet access," said Vienna High School principal John Giffin. In a school district that covers 300 square miles, he said connectivity is still a big issue. "Even cellphone signals in some of our areas; some of those are sporadic signals."
To make Remote Learning work more effectively for more students, Johnson County schools are bringing WiFi hot spots to internet dead zones. The district already equipped eight of its buses with WiFi so students could do homework to-and-from school that for some is a 45-minute ride.
"But now we're going to park those buses at strategic locations throughout our school district," said Giffin.
Starting Saturday, the school will park four of their buses at locations listed below, with future locations still under consideration for their remaining WiFi-equipped buses.
WiFi Bus Locations
Rural schools are not alone in needing to provide access to internet, said Herrin High School principal Jeff Johnson.
"The vast majority of the students do have access, it's just that, a small handful (don't, and) we're trying to figure out a way to reach them," said Johnson. And for the school's students completely off-line, teachers printing and mailing them coursework packets.
Herrin and Johnson County schools have also increased the reach of their buildings' WiFi to allow students access in their parking lots. Both districts also have devices students are allowed to sign out and take home.
And while moving everything online sounds good in theory, in practice, Johnson said it doesn't replace the classroom.
"Yeah the students are getting their lessons online, but they're not getting the instruction they would be getting in the classroom," he said. "I don't think you can ever replace that interaction that takes place between a teacher and a student, I think it's vital to their education."
