Learning will evolve
The COVID-19 pandemic is everywhere and will continue to have a disruptive effect on societies, individuals, businesses, governments, etc.. Life after COVID-19 will not be the same. Society & societal behaviors will change. And, learning as an institution will not be an exception to this phenomenon. So, learning will evolve in COVID-19.
Learners, those imparting learning, learning materials, formal & informal learning methods, administrators, use of technology & technology itself, etc. are impacted in COVID-19. So, learning will evolve in COVID-19. And, this evolution will be for the betterment of the institution of learning. Because of this, societies will mostly benefit and societal behavior will evolve.
“Learning is a social activity, an engine of creativity & innovation, and influences productivity in society. And, learning is not confined to the formal education sector but includes informal learning opportunities such as discussion groups, book groups, open-source forums, people gathering around common interests & problems, etc.”
According to Prof. Richard Elmore*
I have shared some thoughts on aspects of learning that could evolve in COVID-19.
- That online education will get an impetus as an activity is evident. But, the key challenge for teachers & administrators from the traditional education sector is keeping the students engaged. And not fall in the trap of practicing teaching techniques of the physical environment. In general, the ecosystem of online learning will innovate, be widely acceptable, grow and mature.
- Teachers from the formal education sector will have to undertake a highly evolutionary journey in COVID-19. The subjects of psychology & digital technologies (effective use of) will likely become part of the curriculum in teacher training courses. Good teachers are the bulwark of global education systems. Teachers will visualize (more) their increased positive influence on society in COVID-19.
- Learners, formal & informal, will be majorly affected in COVID-19. Parents, teachers & administrators of formal educational institutions will have to play a proactive role to ensure retained interest of learners, in particular the younger students. Technology will be used to continue informal learning practices. And, one will see growth in online book groups, discussion forums with a common interest, etc.
- Formal educational institutions will likely undergo quality stress as well as in some cases survival stress in COVID-19. The ecosystem within such institutions including HR, IT, administrators together with workplace policies & organizational processes will be challenged for review. I believe the stress & challenges will make them more enduring and for the overall betterment of learning.
- Communication as soft skills will improvise. There will increased focus on visual communication techniques amongst others. Language, as a barrier to learn, might further diminish.
- COVID-19 is driving the rapid adoption of digital technologies in different ways across industry sectors and our homes. And, therefore, learning will greatly benefit due to more investments in R&D and innovation of technologies in multiple areas be it to improve access to or learning software, etc.
- While ‘Edutech’ companies have been around for some time, investments in start-ups with innovative solutions will increase. There will be a focus on learning platforms that facilitate increased engagement from learners.
- Innovative learning materials, in addition to digitization, will emerge. Hereto, the focus will be on the increased engagement of learners.
- The fields of psychology and behavioral sciences will be of more interest not only to the learning sector but also to governments and businesses. This increased interest will result in the exploration of not only new dimensions but also a deeper look into the existing dimensions within these subjects. And, learning will be one major beneficiary.
An aspect that worries me is the increased digital divide in learning. The digital divide could be both on account of affordability as well as interest. This digital divide might force a reduction of the active participation of the less-privileged in our societies. A ‘learned’ population is the foundation of any society’s prosperity. Governments, businesses, non-profits, and the ecosystem of learning must ensure participation from across all the strata of society.
I make no claim of being an insider of the learning sector. But, I am a passive & informal learner. And, I take an interest in the developments. The above thoughts are based on my observations.
I welcome your views!
*I can make limited claims to being a lifelong learner. But, my horizons about the institution of learning broadened on taking the Leaders of Learning course by Prof. Richard Elmore. I am hopeful that life will present an opportunity for me to serve the institution of learning in some form.