High-Quality Distance Learning in UAE and GCC Schools

When a school moves between in-person and online learning, not all the challenges are logistical. In fact, many are human. Students need continuity. Teachers need clarity and support. Families need confidence that each student is both making progress and feeling connected.  

This was the focus of the panel discussion, Delivering High-Quality Distance Learning Across UAE and GCC Schools, hosted by Conor Gately, International General Manager at Edmentum. View the full conversation here. 

The webinar brought together Joanna Pavel, Principal at Wales International School; Phil Redhead, Education Partner at EdV; Rory Galvin, Regional Learning Director at International Schools Partnership, and Remi Adekunle, Head of English at Repton Dubai. Together, these leaders from across the region addressed some important questions: 

• What does high-quality distance learning look like in practice?
• How can schools across the UAE/GCC region avoid common pitfalls?
• Beyond platforms and timetables, what does effective remote learning require? 

Settings Change, but the Focus on Learning is Consistent

One key takeaway from the discussion was that schools should not let terminology drive decision-making. Distance learning, remote learning, hybrid learning and online learning may describe where learning happens, but they do not define its quality. Students still need clear intentions, meaningful tasks, feedback, opportunities to practise, and a sense that they are moving forward. 

As Rory Galvin put it, “Learning is the word at the heart of what we’re trying to do here.” Regardless of where (or how) the learning is taking place, what's important is whether students are genuinely making progress. “Do they know more at the end? Can they do more? Have they improved? Do they know that they’ve gotten better at something?”

High-Quality Distance Learning Requires Adjustment

For Remy Adekunle, high-quality distance learning preserves the structure and purpose of a classroom experience, a challenge when online learning blurs those boundaries. Lessons may feel less defined, and time can feel less structured, but students need to understand that they are still progressing.

That requires adaptation. Teachers may need to adjust schemes of work, reduce screentime, build in collaboration, and be more intentional about how they communicate energy and warmth online. Adekunle highlighted the importance of teacher presence and how, in a digital environment, tone of voice, eye contact with the camera, gestures, and the way a teacher uses the screen all shape engagement and make the space feel purposeful and alive.

Balancing Time Between Live Teaching and Independent Learning

The panel also tackled one of the most pressing questions for schools: is there a formula for splitting time between teaching and independent learning? The answer isn’t that simple. Too much live instruction can lead to screen fatigue, but too much independent work can leave students feeling disconnected or unsure of what to do next.

Joanna Pavel offered a useful distinction: live time is for connection and clarity, and independent time is for thinking and practice. That balance works best when schools make distance learning more manageable by:

• Breaking tasks into smaller steps
• Making expectations clear for students and parents
• Ensuring independent work can realistically be completed independently
• Keeping systems simple and consistent
• Providing additional support through inclusion and pastoral teams
• Continuing to use assessment for learning to spot where students need help

It’s Okay if Distance Learning Looks a Little Different

A common mistake schools make is trying to replicate the in-person school day exactly. Phil Redhead described this as the “elephant in the room” during the early stages of remote learning, when some schools felt pressure to deliver six hours of live lessons online. “Trying to replicate it rather than embracing the complexity” is where schools can go wrong, he explained.

The better approach is to recognise that the learning environment is different. Schools do not always know what support students have, how many siblings are also learning online, or what pressures families are managing, and effective distance learning starts by acknowledging those complexities.

Small Design Choices Can Make a Major Difference

Pavel shared how her school created one consistent Google Meet button for students to access their learning. That simplicity can make a difference when some families are less confident than others with technology. Clear routines and straightforward instructions help families support learning without feeling overwhelmed. They also help students develop more independence.

Families Are Part of the Learning Environment

The discussion repeatedly returned to the role of families during periods of distance learning, with Redhead noting that schools with strong existing relationships with families are often better able to navigate disruption. Communication has to do more than share information. It must also help families understand the school’s approach, what is expected of them, and where they can go for help.

Adekunle’s school leveraged webinars to support both wellbeing and academic understanding. The first week focused more on pastoral care and navigating the school day, and the second focused on curriculum and academic expectations, providing deeper insight to families.

Protect Teacher’s Time and Wellbeing

The panel discussed how educators are teaching online while managing their own families, personal challenges, and responsibilities. “Be kind,” said Pavel. “We’re all human.” She urged leaders to protect teachers’ time, avoid unnecessary meetings, and be realistic about expectations, especially during transition periods when teachers need time to plan, adapt and recover. 

Adekunle added to that: “One of the pitfalls of leadership is thinking that, in order for me to be an effective leader, I must have the answers. And that’s not true.” What educators often need first is to be heard, and leaders who listen are better able to understand circumstances and make better decisions.

Returning to School Should be a Reset, not a Restart

As schools move back to in-person learning, the panel cautioned against assuming that everyone can simply pick up where they left off. Galvin said schools need to begin with learning habits, routines, and the social-emotional needs of students.

Students will return with very different experiences, and some will have had consistent support at home, but others may have struggled with things like access, time zones, or anxiety. “The gaps won’t just be academic gaps,” said Galvin. “There will be social emotional gaps.” That means schools need to move carefully to rebuild those relationships and routines before rushing through curriculum coverage.

Phil echoed this point: “Learning loss can be remedied. That’s something we’re really good at as teachers. Wellbeing and trauma are more complex, longer lasting and more serious and harder to fix.”

Use Technology to Identify Gaps and Support Teachers

Adaptive learning programmes and digital platforms can provide additional practice, feedback, and support when students do not have immediate help available at home, but the panel was clear that technology should support the learning design, not dictate it. “Focus less on the delivery model and focus more on the quality of the learning design,” said Galvin.

Teachers remain central. They understand the students, the context, and the signs that a learner may need support. Technology can help extend that support, but it can never replace the professional judgement and care of a teacher.

What Schools Can Take Forward

The panel agreed that every member of the learning community experiences disruption a little differently. That applies to students, parents, teachers and leaders, each bringing a different need for support. High-quality distance learning accounts for that and brings forth the conditions that make learning possible: trust, clarity, connection, empathy, and purposeful design.

For schools in UAE, GCC, and around the world, this guidance remains essential, regardless of the learning environment. Click here to view the full discussion. It is also available on YouTube here.