With all schools shut around the globe due to the pandemic, the education settings changed dramatically which caused repercussions and doubts.
For many, embracing the new normal in education is a bit overwhelming. Some are even anxious about how this happening impacts education.
However, instead of spending our time thinking about how exigent the situation is, teachers take it as an opportunity and view the huge change as advantageous.
In this article, we will talk about how we can benefit from the way our education system has changed.
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As a teacher, I am one of the billions who are deeply challenged by this sudden shift. Notwithstanding, I still believe that the adoption of remote or distance learning still brings about monumental results. The way our education system has changed should be taken positively so we can be more productive in our strategies for educating students.
With approximately 1.277 billion learners who are directly affected by the global pandemic due to the sudden closures of schools worldwide, we can say that educators are facing an enormous change in the educational system.
It’s a good thing there are a lot of viable options that best support this indefinite change in education. In other words, we need to accept with great optimism that the COVID 19 outbreak has changed education forever and it’s for the better.
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The rise of distance learning delivery modality has become accessible and should be made equitable to all. Whereby, digital and eLearning platforms have increased in popularity and have been adopted by schools all over the world.
Billions of students are listening and performing with their online teacher behind screens. It’s the most impactful effect of the way our education system has changed.
Thus, homeschooling has become a glorious trend!
The Way Our Education System Has Changed
Here are some awesome reasons why the change in education is a good thing; hence, it’s for the better!
The global pandemic may have changed the traditional and the usual pattern of education, but our positive outlook about preparing the students for life is our best lifeline force to clip us to a safety line for a better future.
1. Digital platforms offer flexible teaching and learning schedules.
The revolution of online education created flexible learning schedules and accessibility to different learning platforms. Since the great transition happened, ways of learning have gone beyond what’s traditional.
In this light, the education sector in different countries in the world tapped their utmost credibility and resiliency in making resources freely available to all students regardless of status and socio-economic background.
Many online learning platforms offer free access to teachers and students. Hence, instructional delivery has been made possible. Indeed, the incorporation of technology in education years back has made teachers comfortable in adapting extensively to ‘live streaming and other strategies of online learning. It’s just not new to us.
Therefore, it’s quite easy to navigate its realm after all.
Thus, we need to leverage the advantages of online learning to make it accessible and equitable to all. Even before the pandemic, an educator like me was already well-adept in online teaching. So, what I need is to learn, relearn, and unlearn.
2. Technology makes us adapt to the future and modern setting of education.
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The present situation encourages us to get in the way of educating future generations. Also, technology has played a major role in the modernization of the education sector, including educators. Yes, the modern teacher has a new battle to be fought.
Likewise, the role of technology in education has changed dramatically now that most schools opted for a distance learning delivery modality.
Today, more than ever, technology has been accepted to cover a significant role in educating millions of students.
Moreover, technological inventions not only offer a mouse-click away access to information but also incredible training to learn life skills to make children more adaptive to what the future might hold.
Accordingly, the modern setting of education is clearly backed up by the different opportunities technology offers. Thus, improving all the learning skills all our students deserve even though they are still adjusting to the new normal setting in education.
3. Online collaborative work and efforts have been amplified.
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The present situation enhances collaboration between teachers and parents, teachers and students, and among students and teachers. This perfected cooperation improves interconnectivity and gauges the education sector to establish ways to make education accessible to all, especially those with socio-economic issues.
Another scale to consider seeing this magnificent collaboration is in the online learning arrangement. Just like in traditional face-to-face learning, students are allowed and encouraged to develop teamwork and collaboration.
Teachers can do this effortlessly through amazing online learning platforms where students can create and work through micro-groups.
Using the internet, students can intensify their connections and socialize with their peers in solving assignments and in working on their group projects. Also, in this scenario, teachers can provide real-time feedback and support.
Furthermore, the relationship between teachers and parents is strengthened as well. The trying times help educators and parents collaborate and make the chosen alternative of instructional delivery successful.
The education sector just has to always intensify its ways of giving students access to online learning opportunities. In the context of in-depth collaboration and interconnectivity, teachers’ sharing of best practices is deeply encouraged.
4. A teacher’s role in education is redefined.
Knowing that distance learning is explicitly different from face-to-face instruction, a teacher’s role in education is redefined. That is why a teacher like me has to attend training and webinars to enhance my adaptability to the big change in the teaching setup.
By being exposed to diverse modes of instructional delivery I am confident that the dramatic change in education is for the better. Dwelling on the challenges of this transition won’t help at all without that positive outlook that learning can still be facilitated no matter how distant it is.
5. More Conducive In-person Learning
Now that schools all over the world have shifted back to in-person learning, students are all excited to enjoy classroom learning. An educator like me used this as an opportunity to raise the game in education by increasing student engagement.
This just proves that the sudden shift in education doesn’t in any way affect high-quality education. The pandemic may have a devastating impact on student learning and the figures for dropouts may be disheartening, schools and educators all over the world are doing their best to sustain the momentum of high performance in the education systems.
Even though the school closures may have affected academic stability, the student’s interest to be in school to gain meaningful classroom learning experiences inspire me to increase student academic achievement.
Indeed, the valiant efforts made by students to study and teachers to teach under extremely challenging times, have been all worth it.
Conclusion
“Resilience is very different than being numb. Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. You fall. But, you keep going.” – Yasmin Mogahed
The sudden change in education due to the global pandemic may shed issues, but with our capacity to recover quickly and adaptive strategies, we can mitigate the impact of disruptions in education and carry on with our teaching goals.
As an educator, I foresee the incredible advantages of remote teaching and learning given our present condition. With our collaborative efforts, I believe that something wonderful is about to happen.
We might be doing things differently, but it isn’t a bad thing after all!
Our resilience and adaptability to what the new normal in education brings, in general, spells out success and a positive response to COVID 19.
Thus, embracing online and digital learning makes us more capable of developing alternative education opportunities for students. It’s a way of developing each school’s capacity to keep going and continue to provide students access to learning.
