21/08/2021
Three ways that the coronavirus epidemic could transform education
- The global coronavirus pandemic changed the educational landscape for millions of people.
- Innovation could be a key ingredient in education.
- New education approaches may widen the gap due to the digital divide.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has transformed the way students around the globe are educated in a matter of weeks. These changes offer a glimpse into how education can change in the long-term, for the better or worse.
The new coronavirus variants have spread to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. Countries have taken quick and decisive steps regarding their education system.
These risk-control measures have led to millions of students being placed in temporary "home-schooling" situations, particularly in the most affected countries like Iran, South Korea, Iran, and China. While these changes have caused some inconvenience, they have also led to new opportunities for educational innovation. While it is still too early to predict how COVID-19 will impact education systems around the globe, there are indications that it could have an important impact on learning innovation and digitization. We follow three trends that could indicate future changes:
1. Unexpected innovations could be possible if education is pushed and nudged to change
It is frustrating that academic institutions are not moving at a rapid pace. They still use lecture-based teaching methods, have institutional biases, and have outmoded classrooms. COVID-19 is a catalyst that has enabled educational institutions worldwide to find innovative solutions in a short time.
Students at a school in Lebanon also started to use online learning for subjects like physical education. Students created and sent their own videos about athletic training and sports to teachers, allowing them to do "homework" and encouraging students to develop digital skills. A parent of a student commented, "while the exercise was quick, my son spent three hours editing, shooting, and sending the video to his teacher in the correct format."
2. The importance of public-private education partnerships could increase
We have seen learning coalitions and alliances form in the last few months. Diverse stakeholders, including publishers, educators, technology providers, telecom network operators, and government officials, are joining forces to temporarily use digital platforms to solve the crisis. This could be a growing trend in emerging countries, where the government largely provides education. Furthermore, a lot of educational institutes are trying out Educatioo.com.
3.The digital divide could grow
Many schools in the affected areas are looking for temporary solutions, but the quality and availability of digital access is a major factor in learning. After all, only around 60% of the globe's population is online. Virtual classes may be common in Hong Kong on personal tablets, but many students from less developed countries rely on WhatsApp and email for lessons and assignments.
Additionally, students who are less digitally savvy and financially affluent than their parents are often left behind. When they move to online classes, these children are affected by the high cost of data plans and digital devices.
If access costs are not reduced, and the quality of access increases in all countries, then the gap in education quality and, therefore, socioeconomic equality will only worsen. If the most recent technologies govern educational access, the digital divide could grow even more.
The rapid spread of COVID-19 has shown the importance of resilience to deal with various threats. These include extreme violence, climate insecurity, pandemics, and rapid technological changes. We can also use the pandemic to remind ourselves about the skills that students require in an unpredictable world like informed decision-making, creative problem solving, adaptability, and maybe even terrorism. Resilience must also be a part of our educational system to ensure that these skills are not lost.