As of now, the world is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the virus spread not only limited people’s interactions but also slowed down the economy a lot. One of the most affected sectors is formal education, but somehow, there is still a silver lining that can be seized, which is “online learning”.
Pandemic’s Effects
The pandemic urged governments to impose strict limitations on their citizens’ movements in 2020 as a method of preventing the spread. Almost all experienced a period wherein none, except for the frontliners and those needing to be hospitalized, were allowed to step outside their homes. This happened almost instantaneously, leaving all sectors with very little time to prepare.
With manpower drastically reduced, the economy of most countries had almost halted. The only sector that was still alive, and one might say ‘booming’, is the digital industry sector. People staying at home relied solely on online services, from information to groceries and entertainment. This provided also platforms for schools to continue their operations.
Impact On Education
Schools may be closed but education has to continue. The restrictions brought by the pandemic have enabled educational institutions to utilize technology to its full extent in bringing learning to students at the comfort of their homes. This includes video conferencing, animated lessons, and activities utilizing digital tools.
The challenge is getting more difficult as the learning level increases. High school level learning needs to be more creative in order to compensate for the lack of personal interaction. Laboratory works and extra-curricular activities are among those that need to be compensated or even be sacrificed.
Future
The reason for online schooling’s challenges is the lack of preparedness. This affects the quality of the lessons delivered and also students who don’t have good access to the internet have to make difficult decisions. However, this pandemic may be the perfect opportunity for formal schooling to transition towards online learning and create more improvements as soon as possible.