Modern learning: connected, digitised and efficient

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian schools from K–12 to tertiary students experienced interruptions in every state and territory. In early May 2020, only 3% of children in Victorian Government schools were in attendance, while 88% of Australians were working from home.

In a matter of weeks, schools and universities had to find and implement viable alternatives to the traditional model of teaching in a physical classroom. It forced educational institutions and educators to test out online teaching as an option.

Despite the challenges, it reminded us that natural disasters and pandemics like COVID-19 can be a tipping point for the creation and rapid adoption of innovation.

In fact, last year, the Victorian Minister for Education, the Hon. James Merlino MP, called for permanent changes to the school system after some students performed better via remote learning, including those students who had previously been disengaged or distracted in classrooms and high-ability students who have had the freedom to learn at their own pace.

While most children and tertiary students are back in physical locations or learning in a hybrid environment, the pandemic offers opportunities to look at our education systems differently and see that there are insights to be gained, including re-evaluating what we know about creating the best conditions to enhance teaching and learning, regardless of context.

According to EPOS’s latest ‘Reimagining education with high-quality audio’ report, the benefits of hybrid learning include:

• Levelling the playing field: Education becomes more universal for some of the most vulnerable and marginalised population groups.
• Cost savings: Clear cost savings associated with hybrid learning are apparent, made possible by reducing reliance on physical resources and minimising travel time. This also means that students can learn at their own pace and are able to catch up or revisit a topic with ease.
• Development: Learning and collaborating online helps prepare students with the kind of organisational acumen, emotional intelligence and self-discipline needed for modern careers.
   

Openness: Two-thirds of students say they would welcome more education online post-pandemic.

Drawing on the different lessons from emergency and extended remote schooling provides the education community with a new lens for recognising opportunities amid the current crisis. And with ongoing evaluation, it’s likely that improved access to education and enhanced educational quality and equity is a possibility.

With this disruption likely to continue, governments and educators need to take classroom technology seriously: poor internet and/or Wi-Fi connections, insufficient hardware and a scarcity of system administrators to support teachers will set the education system up for failure.

For example, poor audio exacerbates learning fatigue and can have serious implications. Our research shows that 35% of those surveyed often feel frustration, irritation and annoyance due to bad audio, 25% experience moments of stress and 15% feel embarrassment or a lack of confidence.

Similarly, for teachers and other educators, poor audio could create many challenges if critical information is missed. The ability to hear multiple voices, recognise who is speaking and engage with reactions from the class are all crucial parts of teaching. Without good audio, teachers risk missing out on crucial information and consequently might provide a less-effective learning experience.

COVID-19 has raised a number of questions about how education might look in the future. The experience has not only opened our eyes to the challenges of remote learning, but also to a number of exciting possibilities, including how teaching and learning away from the classroom might play a bigger role in the education of our students.

Ultimately, understanding the necessary conditions that support inclusive, high-quality teaching and learning offers a chance to leverage what is already in place.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Rido