COVID-19 has thrown a monkey wrench in education. The unprecedented shutdown of schools all over the United States has truly shown all layers of society how important schools are for a well-functioning civic culture. The cost of extended school closing is not only measured in economic terms but also how the heavy emotional strain affects home life and communities.
Schools moved quickly to offer online learning so that the world could keep spinning to a certain extent so to speak. Technology and internet access have been unequal before Coronavirus and the rapid move towards remote learning has unmercifully unveiled this inequality. Yes, some school districts were able to provide devices for remote learning but not all therefore also uncloaking an inequality between various school districts. However, moving forward, remote learning platforms and new technology have come into our homes quickly, like an uninvited guest for many, and these new challenges will need to be conquered to level the playing field for all.
Besides being a remote learning portal, technology can have further benefits for the classroom of tomorrow from K to 12. Here are some examples:
- Students can creatively use new technology to present researched subjects. For ex., a student could create a YouTube video, record a podcast or write a blog post to apply storytelling
- Students can learn collaborative tools like Google Docs or Trello for example. This skill is now high in-demand in the workplace
- New technology can make learning more accessible for students with disabilities
- Instructors can have instant responses to customize an individual student’s learning needs by using learning applications like iClicker. This will also keep students more engaged
Of course, online remote education cannot be the sole portal for learning. Some learning environments like a dissections class, a school orchestra, or a physical education class would be quite challenging to duplicate in a remote environment. Moreover, humans needs social interaction to learn and grow. We are after all social beings. Some would argue that a hybrid education is here to stay and will be the new normal. When a “new normal” is introduced quickly, especially due to unforeseen events, it can also produce certain unforeseen innovations that can have positive effects for all. However we continue to march forward, we cannot belittle the importance of building resilience so we can continue to provide the best education possible and overcome the digital divide. COVID-19 could very well become **VID-35 in the future. I hope we have learned from COVID-19 by then if that would be the case.
If you are interested in how 4Elements Digital can help your digital marketing endeavors, if any, let us know. Drop us a line here. If you like the blogs on this site, leave a comment. We are eager to get some conversations going. For now, stay safe out there, and let’s hope that our kids are getting a safe education whether in K through 12 or in higher learning institutions. Cheers!
