Schools, colleges and university campuses provide students with an inclusive space where they can learn and grow together. Proximity with peers and fellow students has always been a dynamic aspect of the learning experience. This proximity and connectivity allow institutions to transform into cultural hubs. Students from all backgrounds and socio-income classes come together and influence one another under one institution.

However, in the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown, students have been denied these experiences. The COVID-19 outbreak has given birth to the uncertainty that has impacted every region and industry across the globe. The education industry is certainly no different when it comes to the negative impacts of the pandemic.

Since March, government officials and institutions were forced to close their doors and reinvent their learning processes. Schools and universities across the world have responded to the coronavirus pandemic by introducing distance learning models. Below, we will walk you through the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the education system.

Here, take a look:

1. Gripping Uncertainty

In recent months, our lives have transformed beyond beliefs, and students are combatting grave uncertainty. Schools canceled their events and trips, and international students advised to go back to home, and graduation ceremonies are taking place virtually. Countries across the world, including Italy, the US, UK, and China, have encouraged international students to return home to complete their education.

Experts believe that the novel coronavirus is still nowhere near contained, and this further aggravates the uncertainty. It is crucial to understand the threats posed by the COVID-19 outbreaks, and the readers urged to read more about this.

It is difficult to predict the long-term impact of the pandemic and the projected disruptions on the education system. Meanwhile, schools and universities are combatting the challenges by introducing online learning models.

2. Online Learning Models

Remote and online learning has been swiftly on the rise long before the ongoing pandemic. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has forced institutions across the world to embrace this technological evolution with greater enthusiasm.

Schools and universities across the world have adopted online learning models and courses to maintain student retention and academic learning. Academic programs have been changed and merged with tech-savvy tools to allow interactive virtual class environments. From elementary and secondary school students to university graduates and research-focused students, academic learning environments are transforming dramatically.

World-renowned universities, including Cambridge and Stanford University, have announced online classes for the rest of the year. Virtual classes have taken off all over the world, allowing students to continue their learning and overcome disruptions. Various virtual meeting platforms, such as Zoom and Google Classroom, have facilitated this transition.

Students and young professionals are also increasingly utilizing their time to gain marketable skills and knowledge for career advancement. Many students are unable to get enrolled this year, while millions of professionals have lost their jobs. In this dynamic age of digital learning, students are turning towards online platforms, such as Coursera, to gain valuable skills. Digital marketing, machine learning, web designing, and other IT courses have become increasingly popular.

3. Developments & Innovations

Earlier, remote learning was a small niche and a part of the broader ecosystem of academic learning and growth. However, today the entire ecosystem is dependent on remote learning tools and platforms to survive. Naturally, the remote learning infrastructure was not fully prepared for this burden so soon. It has given birth to a plethora of challenges as schools and universities struggle to integrate online learning into their teaching models.

While many established universities have a robust remote learning infrastructure and experience, this is a new territory for schools and their staff members. Smaller institutions are struggling to fulfill the increased demand for online learning. It has encouraged schools and universities to work towards developing IT infrastructure to support this endeavor.

Schools and higher education institutions are also training their staff to handle these virtual teaching tools and platforms expertly.

Many schools and universities are still struggling to respond to the challenges created by the novel coronavirus. While many have shut down their campuses and introduced online learning, many private institutions are unable to make this commitment. Given the economic slowdown, the education system, particularly private institutions, have suffered huge losses.

Many countries across the world have announced decisions to reopen schools and universities with strict preventive measures. At the same time, countless others are focused on developing their IT infrastructure to continue digital learning for the rest of the year.

Conclusion

Despite the gravity of the disaster and the resulting challenges, we live in an age of unprecedented innovation and technological evolution. Over the centuries, the education system has combatted a myriad of challenges in delivering quality education. And today, the global education system is much better equipped to eliminate the barriers created by the pandemic.

What do you think about the impact of coronavirus and the education system?

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