The question isn’t “How do I teach this?” But “How can they learn it?”
| Jane Bozarth |
We started the year as we would any other, our bosoms filled with hope and our hearts with aspiration of reaching for the stars. However things took a sudden turn when news broke out of a fast growing pandemic that was stronger than any other virus we have known. The whole world (at least most countries) was thrown into disarray, countries were rapidly closing their borders to keep their people safe, businesses were forced to halt any and all activity, colleges and schools were ordered to be closed until further notice, individual freedoms were restricted, even basic ones like taking as walk in the park or visiting family. About three months in now, we are slowly regaining some of those missed freedoms, however until a vaccine is found the state of things is not going to return to what it was. As a result we have seen many industries working towards a new norm via online platforms. Education groups were quick to respond in a similar fashion by providing online learning options to their current students as well as new recruits. The wheels of the web are certainly turning a lot faster now.
When these measures were first introduced there were serious doubts of its efficacy. Were these educational institutions prepared for a complete platform change without compromising the quality of education provided? Further more, will it result in reduced fees and thus affordable education for many? Understanding that the college experience is not only for academic development but also social interaction, soft skill development and adulthood transitioning, have these institution figured out how to incorporate these components into the e-learning experience?
We must now pull together to question the current state of things and how this new norm might affect us individually while being mindful of how it affects us as a nation as well. To quote Erasmus, “The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth.” Here we would like to point to the use of the word ‘proper’ - it is not simply about about providing education but also ensuring that the education provided is holistic in nature. As such we are forced to question whether an e-learning environment is capable of living up to this required standard.
I am certain that many of you may have had similar questions running through your mind. As such we have decided to talk to a few people in the industry and do some research as to the pros and cons of e-learning. Stay tuned as we put out a summary by the end of this week.
Our team at Missing Link Consultancy is ready to support you through this journey of self-understanding and to help you access the information you need in order to make the decisions you need to make. To get in touch with us, drop us an e-mail at info@missinglinkconsultancy.com or check out our services to find out more.
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