Despite interest in online learning for meeting student needs at scale, existing research finds relatively low levels of engagement in most forms of virtual learning, especially among economically disadvantaged students. This is concerning as the Covid-19 pandemic forced a dramatic increase in remote learning among students and educators who did not specifically opt into the model. We study an early innovative effort to virtually serve such K-12 students and teachers and to capitalize on the unique advantages of distance learning to promote educational equity amid the pandemic. This five-week, largely synchronous, summer program served nearly 12,000 rising 4th–9th graders, mostly low-income students of color. To expand access to excellent educators, “mentor teachers,” selected based on merit, provided PD and videos of themselves teaching daily lessons to “partner teachers” across the country. We interviewed a representative sample of teachers and analyzed educator, parent, and student surveys. Our study adds to the existing online learning literature by illustrating that it is possible to virtually engage a more generalizable set of students and teachers than have previously been studied and to use technology to extend the reach of talented teachers. Strategies for online engagement that scholars have identified when studying more specialized groups pre-pandemic appear relevant with a more generalizable population, such as the inclusion of meaningful content and a synchronous delivery format. Consistent with prior research, teachers appreciate receiving adaptable curricular materials and differentiated PD. Findings have implications for future uses of online learning, during periods of disruption and more typical times.

尽管人们对大规模满足学生需求的在线学习感兴趣，但现有研究发现，大多数形式的虚拟学习的参与度相对较低，尤其是在经济困难的学生中。这令人担忧，因为 Covid-19 大流行迫使没有特别选择该模型的学生和教育工作者大幅增加远程学习。我们研究了一项早期的创新努力，以虚拟方式为此类 K-12 学生和教师服务，并利用远程学习的独特优势在大流行期间促进教育公平。这个为期五周、基本同步的暑期课程为近 12,000 名 4 至 9 年级学生提供服务，其中大部分是低收入有色人种学生。为了扩大获得优秀教育工作者的机会，根据成绩选择“导师教师”，向全国的“合作教师”提供了自己每天教课的 PD 和视频。我们采访了具有代表性的教师样本，并分析了教育工作者、家长和学生的调查。我们的研究补充了现有的在线学习文献，说明可以虚拟地吸引比以前研究过的更普遍的学生和教师，并使用技术来扩大有才华的教师的范围。学者们在研究大流行前更专业的群体时确定的在线参与策略似乎与更普遍的人群相关，例如包含有意义的内容和同步交付格式。与先前的研究一致，教师喜欢接受适应性强的课程材料和差异化的 PD。