Uncertainty, fear and hope: Reflecting during COVID-19 Pandemic’s Educational Condition

Rosalinda R. Catalig

The COVID-19 Pandemic has a far-reaching and sudden impact on numerous zones of life; work, family, leisure, and such. These changes have influenced instructive forms of educational processes in both formal and informal learning situations. Some institutions; schools, colleges, and universities ceased on-site educating and moved to an alternative learning style causing a shock of pedagogical transition in the distinctive forms of education. With this immediate shift away from the classroom in many areas of the globe, some are wondering whether the implementation of remote learning will continue to be prolonged post-pandemic, and how impactful the shift would be in many factors. Since the E-learning option was the only preferred solution, how many students have access to electricity, computers, and connectivity if there's only about 66% of the world’s population has access to the internet? In most countries, access is not universal so what kind of technologies do we use to ensure that we reach the last person in the queue? Additionally, the inequality that institutions need to combat is massively growing, the challenge of harnessing technology for teaching and learning, and finally, the psychological impact and the anxieties resulting from the uncertainty about the future of the students with resources of continuous learning. Looking at the industry and its entirety illustrates plenty of fear given the challenges that most of us are not well-prepared because none of us saw this one coming. For days, weeks, and months of learning in a virtual world, not only the students had to adjust to the so-called “new normal” but the challenges have been felt and faced by the educators as well. The access to theory rather than practice, social isolation, time management, motivation, and other limited certain disciplines are some of the challenges experienced during this pandemic that are bound to be well-explored and transformed into opportunities.