COVID-19 pandemic transformed education

Lilibeth B. Dizon

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world in ways unimaginable. As we look back on the past two years and the harsh repercussions of the pandemic that continue until today, it is apparent that one of the most impacted sectors was education. Neither the world nor educational institutions were prepared to embrace the shift to online platforms brought on at lightning speed.

Educational institutions worldwide promptly responded to the pandemic bygoing online. In record time, students moved from physical spaces that provided them with much-needed social interactions, to being seated behind a screen for hours on end.

How effective is online learning? For those who do have access to the right technology, there is evidence that learning online can be more effective in a number of ways. Some research shows that on average, students retain 2560%morematerialwhenlearningonlinecomparedtoonly8-10%inaclassroom. This is mostly due to the students being able to learn faster online; elearning requires 40-60% less time to learn than in a traditional classroom setting because students can learn at their own pace, going back and rereading, skipping, or accelerating through concepts as they choose. Online learning’s effectiveness is dependent on the following three conditions: Students having consistent access to the internet and computers. Teachers receiving the needed training to administer courses online. Platforms that provide personalized learning, to match the journey of each individual student.

Education change positively .Students learn, retain and apply information most effectively when they have received personalized education paths and when sufficient resources are made available to them. In typical classrooms, students that require more attention or support are tended to – however, with the pandemic, this was no longer the case.

Online tutoring platforms. This challenge was responded to with the rise of online tutoring platforms and digital learning Apps, to complement the journey of learning. Despite heightened disengagement levels due to the loss of social interactions (especially amongst younger children), students did learn new skills, such as time management and responsibility.

With reduced learning time, estimated at an approximate 2 to 5 hours of screen time, depending on the students’age, along with the loss of social connections, the development of the child, as a whole, has been impeded. We foresee numerous changes when life returns to ‘normal’post-crisis, with an abundance of summer activities, self-development courses and more personalized learning modules to enrich all facets of the students’learning journey.

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The author is a Teacher 1, Calangain ES Lubao West District