The Covid-19 Pandemic Empowers Distance Education on the Global Level

OECD | May 04, 2020

  • COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing mega-experiment in distant learning demonstrates that no country has been properly prepared for such a challenge.

  • To address the educational crisis, the most inspiring actions have been taken by individual teachers in both rich and poor countries.

  • Within national and international communities, some enthusiastic teachers recorded tutorials on how to use interactive platforms for online education.


With the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing mega-experiment in distant learning demonstrates that no country has been properly prepared for such a challenge. Schools and universities in both developing and developed countries struggle with the complexity of providing equitable access to education. Owing to a dearth of international leadership in education suggesting “best practices” and “countries as educational models,” self-organized local communities of teachers and educators at the grassroots level are stepping up.

To address the educational crisis, the most inspiring actions have been taken by individual teachers in both rich and poor countries. Many teachers across the globe have taken the initiative to switch to a distant education mode with whatever tools and competencies they had. Teachers enthusiastically have come into the forefront of emergency teaching and learning with strong sense of self-reflection and self-management.

Learn more: WITH A RISE IN E-LEARNING, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT A LONG-LASTING CHANGE IN EDUCATION
 

“Results of our survey, “This pandemic has shown that the world needs new partnerships in education to ensure more equitable educational provision”.

~ UNESCO’s


Within national and international communities, some enthusiastic teachers recorded tutorials on how to use interactive platforms for online education; others created lesson plans and methodologies, and shared them with each other. Yet others became involved in brainstorming policy options of how to reach out to students in remote villages without internet connectivity, or discussed educational solutions for minority populations or students with special education needs. Many of them initiated partnerships with local charities to help socially disadvantaged students receive internet access, laptops, or mobile phones. Some enthusiastic teachers got involved in designing and developing programs for nation-wide TV lesson broadcasts.

Global Education Coalition reflects the necessity of collaboration among multiple partners, including grassroots movements and civil society actors, multilateral organizations, private educational companies.

~ OECD’s


This experience showed vividly that when educators were given freedom and autonomy, they came up with context-appropriate solutions; when existing hierarchies lost their power, albeit temporarily, teachers improvised, thus becoming the agents of change. Most important, such actions have strengthened local capacities, which will be more sustainable in the future. We demand so much from teachers, but often forget to trust them .


It is not an easy path, though. Switching to online modes of teaching has not been stress-free for teachers and it has taken its toll on the mental well-being of educators. Moreover, initiatives at the grassroots level are also filled with risks, disappointments, and frustrations, but they are democratic in nature, empower educators, and have lasting effects.


Learn more: ONLINE EDUCATION COMPANY COURSERA OFFERS UNEMPLOYED WORKERS THOUSANDS OF FREE COURSES.
 

Spotlight

Upgrade your learning experience! We've enhanced our digital grade book offering. Our brand new e-books, utilising Learning Platform technology powered by MatchMySound, are the ultimate practise tool, allowing you to master your instrument and prepare for your graded music exam like never before.

Spotlight

Upgrade your learning experience! We've enhanced our digital grade book offering. Our brand new e-books, utilising Learning Platform technology powered by MatchMySound, are the ultimate practise tool, allowing you to master your instrument and prepare for your graded music exam like never before.

Related News

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

NovoEd Makes Inclusion in the Global List of Top Learning Systems

NovoEd | January 10, 2023

NovoEd, the leading social and collective learning platform for deep capability building, recently announced about the nomination for The Craig Weiss Group's 2023 Learning System Awards. NovoEd's exceptional user interface and experience, extensive data, and focus on cohort-based learning have helped propel it into the top ten Learning Systems of 2023. This announcement caps off a memorable year marked by multiple industry honors. The 2023 Learning System Awards assessment were based on an analysis of 1,000 systems from all over the world, to determine The top 20 were selected based on criteria like UI/UX for learners and administrators, functionality, metrics, content curation, third-party content/course providers, training and support, and mobile capabilities. Peers regard Craig Weiss as the most influential individual in the world for learning systems and among the top three for e-learning. For the past five years, the Awards have assisted exceptional participants in gaining worldwide recognition. Craig Weiss, CEO and Lead Analyst of The Craig Weiss Group and FindAnLMS, said, “Our methodology for analyzing the capabilities and unique functionalities of a multitude of learning systems is driven by getting to know these vendors and their products firsthand." He also said, "NovoEd's platform offers the fullest cohort-based learning experience in the industry. If you are seeking a cohort-based learning system for your learners, this is the dominant player.” (Source: Cision) "Our team has continued its investments in product innovation and partner solutions this year to equip our clients with a capability-building platform that drives organizational alignment at scale," said NovoEd Chief Marketing Officer Christina Yu. (Source: Cision) About NovoEd Founded in 2012 at Stanford's Social Algorithms Lab, NovoEd is a capability-building platform that harnesses social and collaborative learning to accelerate performance readiness at scale. It uses cohort-based experiences to draw upon the knowledge of a group while still putting the learner at the center of the discussion.

Read More

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

360training Acquires AdvanceOnline, Expanding its Online Training Footprint

360training | December 30, 2022

360training, one of the top online regulated training providers for environmental, health, and safety, has recently announced the acquisition of a web-based training solution provider, AdvanceOnline. With this acquisition, 360training expands their OSHA Online Outreach program and adds DOT transportation safety training programs, such as CMV Driver and CMV Motor Carrier Management, to their comprehensive library. AdvanceOnline provides excellent online training. They were among the first to be accepted for awarding official DOL OSHA course completion cards under the OSHA Outreach Program. AdvanceOnline, which has over 120 courses in its portfolio, is a welcome addition to the 360training family of organizations. AdvanceOnline offers outstanding e-Learning and video-based content to assist businesses in meeting federal health and safety laws, including OSHA Outreach titles such as OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour construction, and OSHA 10-Hour General. They are one of the very few companies with OSHA authorization to deliver these courses, along with providing NYC (New York City) Site-Safety Training. 360training is committed to accelerated expansion in order to fulfill its goal of providing superior training solutions in regulated markets. Because the two companies have similar ambitions, the acquisition of AdvanceOnline fits with the mission. About 360training 360training.com, Inc. has been providing online regulatory-approved training to individuals and businesses since 1997, facilitating a secure, healthy environment for their communities. Over 11 million training plans have been provided through 360training, AgentCampus, Meditec, VanEd, OSHA.com, OSHAcampus, TIPS, and Learn2Serve. About AdvanceOnline AdvanceOnline Solutions, based in Houston, Texas, provides professional and educational environmental health and safety services to enterprises, institutions, and government agencies in the transportation, construction, manufacturing, utility, and energy industries. With over 75 years of combined experience in consulting, safety training development, and delivery, their team, creates high-quality, affordable web-based and classroom training for students and organizations to maintain and surpass compliance with government, company, and industry-defined safety standards and criteria.

Read More

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

ViewSonic Unveils Hybrid Learning Innovations with Stunning 105" 5K Interactive Display at BETT 2023

ViewSonic | March 20, 2023

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, is launching a range of comprehensive education technology (EdTech) solutions, with the new addition to ViewSonic's revolutionary 5K 105" ViewBoard interactive display. In terms of software, highlights include ViewSonic's rich digital learning tools from the myViewBoard software suite, and the UNIVERSE by ViewSonic—a 3D virtual campus for online learning. The solutions will be exhibited in in-class, online, and hybrid learning scenarios at the BETT Show 2023 (British Educational Training and Technology Show) in London from 29 to 31, March. "ViewSonic is dedicated to offering innovative visual solutions from hardware, software, service, to digital content. We will continue to implement our Ecosystem as a Service (EaaS) strategy and work with partners across the industry to create a digital education ecosystem that is truly transformative," said Clifford Chen, General Manager of the Presentation Group at ViewSonic. "At ViewSonic, we believe that technology can expand what's possible in classrooms. The digital transition is the key to the future of education, which is why we've designed a range of advanced solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into learning environments of all kinds." As a leading EdTech solutions provider, ViewSonic's ViewBoard interactive displays and myViewBoard software suites are being adopted by educational institutions around the world. Ranging in size from 24" to 105", the company's ViewBoard is one of the most popular interactive displays in the world[1]; in Q4 of 2022, ViewSonic was ranked first in the global interactive display market, while the beginning of 2023 saw the myViewBoard ecosystem swell to over 8 million users. ViewSonic's display at BETT 2023 will offer attendees the ability to experience a range of EdTech solutions across different scenarios: Taking In-class Learning with Digital Content into the Future A teacher will use ViewSonic's ViewBoard IFP8652 4K display and the company's whiteboarding software to showcase how diverse pre-made digital lesson content from ViewSonic Originals, an online resource exclusively designed for interactive displays, can be used to create engaging learning experiences in the classroom. While more and more educational institutions are digitizing, ViewSonic Originals makes planning and running lessons easier by offering thousands of pieces of content within a user-friendly database. The company's latest environmental sensor, Sensor Box, will show how educational institutions can harness technology to optimize conditions such as air quality, humidity, temperature, and automatically switch displays on and off, allowing schools to adhere to the UK Green Building Council guidelines. Additionally, demonstrations of myViewBoard Manager Advanced software will provide insights into how IT departments can remotely manage an entire school's displays—including multimedia broadcasting, permission management, and addressing technical issues, all of which avoid interrupting classes and allow students to focus on learning. A New "UNIVERSE" in Online Learning Recognized by two distinguished EdTech Awards recently, ViewSonic's innovative UNIVERSE virtual learning platform opens up new opportunities in online learning. Attendees at BETT 2023 will be able to experience how UNIVERSE allows participants to engage in interactive classrooms with new 3D educational content and create unique learning spaces. The platform addresses some of the key challenges faced during online learning by increasing student engagement, encouraging collaboration, and fostering a sense of belonging among students. Going Hybrid in with Advanced Audiovisuals To show how higher education can be advanced using hybrid setups to ensure the best learning outcome, ViewSonic will be displaying the 5K 105" ViewBoard IFP105S, which features a 21:9 ratio display and multi-touch capabilities. Attendees will be able to see how students in-class and in other locations can collaborate simultaneously with a breeze. Further, the series is flawlessly complemented by ViewSonic's new Live Mosaic View feature for their latest VB-CAM-201-2. Powered by AI technology, Live Mosaic View can provide close-ups of participants and readjust the view based on each attendee's activity, ensuring that attendees and speakers are automatically framed and focused, offering a more immersive experience for hybrid meetings. [1] Source: FutureSource. Rankings include all markets except for China. About ViewSonic Founded in California, ViewSonic is a leading global provider of visual solutions and conducts business in over 100 countries worldwide. As an innovator and visionary, ViewSonic is committed to providing comprehensive hardware and software solutions that include monitors, projectors, pen displays, commercial displays, All-in-One LED displays, ViewBoard interactive displays, and myViewBoard software ecosystem. With over 35 years of expertise in visual displays, ViewSonic has established a strong position for delivering innovative and reliable solutions for education, enterprise, consumer, and professional markets and helping customers "See the Difference."

Read More