Schooling In The Publish-COVID Period: 5 Tendencies To Know
Education trends in the post-COVID era
The COVID-19 crisis is having a major impact on the global education sector. And while the pandemic is slowly subsiding and things turn out to be “normal” again, it cannot be denied that the effects of the virus on modern lifestyles will be felt in the years to come. While both online and face-to-face teaching have their advantages and disadvantages, both students and teachers need to adapt to the demands of the new normal and realize that education could be a little different than it used to be.
Teachers, students and schools need to watch the new trends to prepare for the future of learning. While teachers need to refine their methodologies to create a more engaging online environment for their students, students need to take advantage of the technologies available and utilize additional learning resources.
Let’s put this into perspective and take a look at 5 current trends shaping education in the post-COVID era:
1. Learning can take place online anywhere
Even before the pandemic, many places where learning could take place (museums, libraries, local events and lectures) had started digitizing their processes and bringing the learning experience online. Today it is undeniable that learning can take place almost anywhere online, but aside from news portals, social media and forums, it’s important to recognize the formal and accredited learning spaces that have ventured into the online world [1].
As education continues through online space academic institutions, students should begin to explore these interactive and highly engaging learning environments such as virtual tours and lectures, virtual museums and libraries, and more. This is also a great opportunity for teachers to organize class trips and tours in digital space to engage students while complying with COVID prevention measures.
2. Technical training for teachers becomes a priority
Speaking of teachers, it’s important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic [2] has brought many new challenges into her life. One of these challenges is the problem of accessing and using the right technology to deliver engaging, effective, and collaborative presentations. For younger generations of students who are actually digital natives and are naturally tech-savvy people who know how to take online courses and attend lectures, this is less of a problem.
However, this can be a major challenge for older teachers, so an emphasis should be placed on making technology accessible to older generations. If teachers want to deliver quality digital to their students, they need to learn to properly use various technologies and even some advanced technologies like VR and AR to create a more engaging classroom for everyone.
3. Use of additional learning platforms
As for students, there’s no denying that the COVID-19 crisis has forced them to be more creative in their learning styles and the resources they use. Given the lack of face-to-face interaction or the ability to share notes with peers in person, students are now using additional online learning platforms to complement their learning.
For example, this is already a notable trend in Australia, where students preparing for their high school exams can compare their notes with previous HSC study notes from other students to better prepare for their exams. But of course this does not only happen in Australia, because online learning platforms are becoming increasingly popular in all regions of the world where students want to supplement their learning material from reputable sources.
4. Incorporate socialization into the online classroom
One of the biggest challenges for educators in the post-COVID world is mimicking the kind of engagement and socialization that the physical classroom offers students. Given that schools are designed not only to teach but also to shape children into successful young adults, it is important not to lose this important part of education while teaching online.
One way to do this is to use immersive learning [3] with advanced technologies. The other option is to focus on collaborative learning experiences and optimize online classrooms as interactive workshops that children can participate in. Of course, it is important to use both technology and advanced teaching skills to create such an immersive online space.
5. Blended learning as the future of education
Even if online learning is going nowhere, that doesn’t mean it will become the dominant form of education. On the contrary, schools around the world are reopening their doors and students are filling the physical classrooms. What will prevail, however, is the mixed form of learning [4] where teachers conduct classes both online and offline. In the first days after the pandemic, and perhaps in the years to come, we will use online and offline learning together to minimize the risk of infection and make education accessible to high-risk groups.
Over to you
Education will change forever after the pandemic and it is important that schools, teachers and students adapt quickly. Knowing these trends and capitalizing on the opportunities they present will help everyone contribute to better education and better academic outcomes.
References:
[1] The pandemic has pushed universities online. The change was long overdue
[2] Education system after COVID-19: eLearning vs. classroom-based learning
[3] What is immersive learning? – Preparing for a post-pandemic world
[4] What is blended learning?
