Education in the Wake of a Pandemic: A Surprising Reality

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Many countries have adopted distance learning strategies, whether through the distribution of physical materials to students or the use of technology to promote online learning. Because of the rapid pace of school closures and the shift to distant learning, there has been little time for planning or contemplation on both potential risks to avoid and potential possibilities to seize.

There are genuine dangers because many of these methods may be quite lonely and didactic when students are asked to sit quietly and watch videos, read documents online, or click through presentations. The poorest type of learning is to sit and listen passively, which is likely what most pupils have experienced during school closures. It benefits no one, particularly those who are the furthest behind.

Teachers were given little or no notice that their schools were closing and transitioning to remote learning, which may be difficult for anyone. They've expressed their frustration with the abundance of materials and goods available, and we're seeing teachers push back and ask for assistance in sorting through all of the options to identify the best ones. Teachers, on the other hand, are just like the rest of us, living in this strange new world as mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They are attempting to balance their personal lives, care for their children, and find new ways to ensure that learning continues.

Over the last decade or so, the number of students with access to devices and internet has increased, allowing for this shift to online learning. Nonetheless, not every child has access to digital gadgets or reliable internet at home, and we must ensure that those children have access to learning tools as well.

We know that some students who used blended learning during the pandemic struggled because they were unfamiliar with it. Students' exam results were affected, and they were dissatisfied since the mental health repercussions of isolation were severe.

Despite the risks and obstacles, I believe that by cooperating and working together, we will emerge stronger from this crisis. One of the most essential things teachers can do right now is to take inspiration from what others are doing: build online communities, share the load, and make things a little simpler. We'd be remiss if we didn't leave with a stronger sense of empathy for one another. I believe it is an opportunity for the educational industry to come together, form relationships across countries and continents, and actually share what works globally.

We don't need to calculate stress levels right now to realize that we're all experiencing it. We'll get through this together, and we'll all be changed forever. Let us take the lessons we've learned from this crisis and use them to create new ways to work together to improve the well-being of our country's children, youth, and families.