Global Education System The repercussions of a global pandemic are no surprise to anyone. It has led to the closure of all businesses, public spaces, and educational institutes, putting the entire world on hold. Although the lockdown aims to reduce the virus’s spread, it opens doors to many new challenges. People are striving to make ends meet, and businesses are on the verge of shutting down, while students suffer from academic losses.
The lockdowns in response to Covid-19 have interrupted conventional schooling. Students had to switch to virtual classrooms and adapt to new learning modes. Likewise, teachers had to learn new pedagogical concepts and tech-friendly ways of teaching in the digital world. Unfortunately, it has not been an effortless transition. Some students are not tech-savvy, while others lack self-discipline and motivation to study themselves.
However, one can’t ignore the flexibility, and convenience eLearning brings along. Parents no longer have the responsibility of driving their children to school, neither students have to dress up early morning. After all, they can attend classes from their room, kitchen, or any place with internet connectivity. Let us explain the impact of lockdown on the global education system from a broader perspective.
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1. PROMOTES FLEXIBILITY
With rising covid-19 cases, we don’t know when things will get back to normal. Therefore, it is time that everyone adapts to the new normal and start looking at the brighter side of things. Since lockdown is bringing education home, students can enjoy a flexible learning experience. It eliminates the hassle of changing into uniform, packing bags, and commuting to school. Similarly, students can tailor their study hours and proceed at a faster or slower pace.
Instead of letting this lockdown come between your academic goals, continue with online high school classes, and graduate timely. The eLearning opportunities are also allowing people to resume their education left behind due to personal and professional commitments. Employees are pursuing higher degrees online, and professionals take up online short courses to expand their skillset. Thus, one could say lockdowns are opening doors to new learning opportunities.
2. THE LACK OF INTERACTIONS
A traditional classroom environment fosters interactions between teachers and students. Instructors maintain eye contact with students, drawing students to understand the subject readily. They also cite real-world examples for student’s clarity by assessing their body language. Although teachers have limited control in virtual classes, they can still communicate effectively with students. In addition to exchanging audio messages, they foster interactions through fun group projects.
Students can download project-management tools where they would be working together with classmates and the teacher. Simultaneously, eLearning tools give access to educational gaming apps, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
3. SELF-DISCIPLINE & MOTIVATION
In the world of video games and Netflix, it is pretty distracting to study behind the screens. And in the virtual world, teachers can’t cater to every student and push them to study. Hence, children lack discipline and motivation to attend classes and self-study. At times, online learners fall behind the course material, which decreases their motivation levels. Instead of letting these overrule academic performance, students have to find ways to overcome these challenges.
Gradually, they will adopt a positive attitude towards virtual learning because this is a technology-driven world, after all. Moreover, teachers are also playing their role in motivating students. They offer learner autonomy, meaning students can learn at their pace. Likewise, more than results, instructors are grading students on their efforts and hard work.
4. DIGITAL ILLITERACY
Despite living in a tech-friendly world, not everyone has the knack for technology. As a result, many students and teachers are struggling with virtual eLearning tools. They encounter technical glitches – poor audio, noise disturbances, and inadequate presentation modes. Likewise, students are having a hard time listening to lectures and completing online assessments. These practices are raising questions on learning quality because the future of an entire generation is at stake.
In the 21st century, the Global education system mostly consists of Generation Z. They are the true digital natives and the most tech-savvy generation of workers. Sooner or later, these students will start swimming with the tides to ensure academic success. Besides this, educational institutes are also initiating training programs to assist teachers with online classes.
5. EMERGING EDUCATIONAL REFORMS
While private schools can offer eLearning, government institutes are suffering from the lockdown. Underprivileged students don’t have access to Wi-Fi or laptops to continue with education online. As a result, it is creating significant inequality gaps while pushing them into the poverty trap. Luckily, the government is stepping into this sector with educational reforms. After all, the underprivileged community needs to embrace digital technology.
Firstly, the focus is on providing free internet connectivity in rural areas and small towns. Governments are giving out tablets and laptops to facilitate online learning. Most importantly, these reforms offer bridge courses where talented students can train other students. They associate these programs with cash prizes and records to promote self-learning in students. Believe it or not, but these reforms can be quite successful in reducing lockdowns’ adverse impact.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Lockdowns all across the world have reshaped the educational sector. Despite the widespread move to online teaching, students’ progress is likely to deteriorate, but soon, they will learn the ropes. The emerging eLearning tools are creating a new learning experience and innovative teaching techniques. In addition to lectures, teachers can leverage digital media to promote better understandability. Even though virtual education has its share of challenges, the lockdown’s impact on education has been progressive and demanding.
