Education in a post-covid world

Without a doubt, the past 3 months have been a challenge for everyone. No matter what field you work in, your life undoubtedly changed on March 23 when Boris Johnson announced the UK was to be locked down. Just three months ago, a world where we’d be spending months at home, banned from seeing even our closest friends and only venturing out for crucial supplies seemed unimaginable. However, while the lockdown has not been the most pleasant experience, it has brought about positive new behaviors that will change how we operate for years to come. In particular, education is one field that stands to benefit greatly.

Since the pandemic seized the nation, schooling has shifted online and students have found new ways of learning without the traditional resources they had just 3 months ago. Parents, deterred by the prospect of homeschooling their children, have also shown a willingness to try new technologies that will absolve them of their teaching duties. And teachers, many of whom had never dreamt of teaching their classes via webcam, are rather enjoying the idea of teaching from the comfort of their own homes.

As the co-founder of a recently launched edtech startup that connects students with tutors on-demand, I have been fortunate enough to experience some of these more positive, exciting outcomes of the pandemic, a few of which are highlighted below.

A new, tech-focused mindset

Over the past months, forced social distancing measures have meant that parents, students and teachers have all changed their attitudes towards technology and education: whereas online learning might have been a concept only favored by the most technologically savvy educators, the pandemic has forced even those who might traditionally be considered laggards to shift their teaching online. Similarly, parents who would have never considered online tutoring have been forced to witness the benefits and convenience of getting their children remote help. All of a sudden, routine activities that only a few months ago might have seemed unthinkable to many are becoming the norm.

Diminished importance of schools

The pandemic’s acceleration of the shift from offline to online learning has also diminished the need for physical schools. While this might not seem beneficial on the surface, it is perhaps one of the most important factors to making education more accessible and reducing poverty across the world. The ability for students to learn online eliminates the need for students to travel to an actual school, a critical obstacle to many students trying to learn. In the U.K. alone, a recent report by SchoolDash found that there was a significant overlap between places in England with slow public transport and places with struggling secondary schools. In developing countries, where students must routinely travel miles to school, online learning will have even wider reaching benefits. Online learning will mean that students can finally learn wherever, whenever they wish.

A more personalized learning ecosystem

The pandemic has also given rise to a far more personalized learning experience. Lesson recordings and online videos mean students can rewind lectures, recap topics and ask teachers questions on their own accord, all from the comfort of their own rooms. Learning in a far more independent manner also means students don’t feel self-conscious about struggling with a question whilst their classmates plough on, allowing them to focus on what they don’t understand. Online learning encourages each student to learn at their own pace.

Overall, while the recent pandemic has definitely been a global tragedy, it can be thanked for accelerating the transition of education from offline to online and bringing about positive change to a field that is still yet to benefit from the technological advances that have transformed other sectors. However, while the advent of online learning has obvious benefits, one must remember that only 60% of the world’s population are currently online, meaning students who do not have internet access risk being left behind in the short-term. Nonetheless, the long-term outlook is undoubtedly positive and, in a world where internet access becomes more prevalent, the above changes will only be amplified. A world where any student can access world-class teaching from their smartphone is now in sight.

EasyA connects students with expert tutors on-demand. Our innovative app allows students to snap a photo of their question and get 1:1 help right away! Sign up now to see the future of education.

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