The devastating effects of the pandemic have been well publicized. Unfortunately, disruption occurred not only in the supply chain and consumer buying habits, but in every setting. Indeed, Kovid has had a huge impact in terms of bringing about a significant change in education.
Many experts believe that these changes in education are here to stay. However, these changes do not spell doom and gloom for K-12 schools, trade schools and higher education institutions.
quite the contrary. Education has not gone through a sudden, evolutionary development for many decades. Change in education may, in fact, be a little overdue. Yes, some aspects of education have improved due to new technologies. And yet, the basic model of learning has not yet observed seismic motion.
After more than a year of teachers, administrators and students sharing knowledge innovatively – and remotely – a different learning path has emerged. Listed below are some of the most significant upheavals that are helping to reshape both private and public school systems.
Grades are becoming less important than practical assessments.
GPA hasn’t completely gone the way of the dinosaurs. Even so, many people still view GPA as an accurate measure of learning. But, as noted in research by Canvas’ maker, Instructables, less than a third of teachers felt that the tests reflected knowledge gains. Instead, 76% of them preferred to use the initial assessment to assess progress.
It garners excellent marks from many researchers away from viewing students as “A-students” or “failures”. When handled correctly, formative assessments can remove the “high-stakes” grading that causes so much anxiety among many students. Formal assessments can also be used in conjunction with more traditional test vehicles when appropriate.
College courses are aligned with the career trends.
For a long time, many have argued that colleges and universities need to future-proof their curriculum by offering more relevant courses, certificates and degrees. Finally, after the pandemic, it has started to happen more frequently on campuses across the country.
case in point? Interactive Gaming.
According to Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Entertainment, the interactive entertainment industry is being taken seriously as a career path. When Pitchford started making interactive video games years ago, he admitted he had to learn on his own. At the time, the video gaming industry was not considered relevant in the field of higher education.
Today, Pitchford is happy to see that everything has changed for the brightest programmers and creatives to come. As he explained to college students interested in the entertainment professions, “Now, there are entire university programs dedicated to this craft, which means the next crop of entertainers is more than ever to develop and design amazing games.” will be more equipped.”
Hybrid learning is enjoying its moment.
Although Zoom fatigue became a real issue during the pandemic, not all students saw online learning as a negative. For many people, being able to attend classes online kept them safe while giving them access to essential information. Additionally, online learners had a greater choice of schools where they wanted to learn. This was especially true for post-secondary courses, degrees and certificates.
Even as many K-12 and higher education schools have returned to in-person learning, they have remained open to online learning and adopted a hybrid approach.
For example, many teachers now record classes so that absent students can view them later. Some offer live-streaming capabilities to students who may not be in the classroom. Keep in mind that many schools upgraded their technologies during Covid to incorporate web cameras into learning spaces. As a result, they are eager to continue using those technologies and get the highest returns from those investments.
Colleges and universities are moving toward making test-optional applications the norm.
For decades, students had to take standardized tests like the SAT and ACT to apply to colleges. Then the SAT and ACT canceled the test as the pandemic broke out in the country.
None of the tests meant that countless high school seniors were left without a critical assessment piece. In response, higher education institutions – including some in the Ivy League – went test-optional.
The decision to look at college applicants from a different perspective was a natural response to a problem. As it turns out, it gained popularity and pushed for colleges. As a result, many institutions have made themselves test-optional for the foreseeable future.
Parents are more engaged in the education of their children than ever before.
When children started learning from desktops, laptops and tablets, their parents were often with them. Undoubtedly, working moms and dads were trying to be there for their kids during their school days.