The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way the education sector operates across the world. According to The World Economic Forum, the disruption is giving educators time to rethink and in a world where knowledge is a mouse-click away, the role of the educator must change too.
While the timing remains subject to the ease and break of COVID-19, educational institutions are nonetheless looking ahead to reopening their doors and making the transition from remote learning back into the classroom in the not too distant future.
However, throughout the lockdown period, it has been imperative that educators are shifting and adapting to how we educate future generations. Despite many institutions rising to the challenge, this crisis has also highlighted weaknesses and inequalities in our current education system.
What’s next for education?
- Learners and educators will have access to a multitude of online educational content as well as being able to create more digital content.
- Educators will have access to a range of engaging digital tools and services allowing them to offer alternative blended learning approaches to learning and learners can choose the approach that best suits them.
- Educators can reduce the workload by using digital assessments that provide instant results and personalized feedback.
- Live video streaming and digital tools and services will allow learners to learn through online distance learning and the opportunity to collaborate with others beyond geographical measures.
- Educators will provide learners with access to a range of digital resources allowing any time and anywhere learning for them to then further build a level of digital skills which will be vital in today’s digital world.
We have learned how effective teaching online can be, and as we enter a new digital normal of a classroom size that is reduced to the usage of computers, laptops, tablets, or mobile, new strategies will now be implemented to reflect this shift. The traditional teacher-centered and in-person approaches are now more student-centered remote learning. Educational institutions and educators play a key vital role to provide remote learning provision and support for vulnerable and disadvantaged students.
If all learners are to benefit from an education enhanced by digital technology, action must be taken to bring the digital infrastructure of education establishments up to standard and achieve sustainability. Digital is allowing us to enrich the learning experience for all of the future generations and as the new generation is defined by technology, there is support from learners on this enhancement that will be part of their education.
