What Will the Post COVID-19 School Era Look Like?

The use of technology to help facilitate the learning process is not a new phenomenon. Advocates like Will Richardson, Marc Prensky, George Couros and Bruce Dixon have been spruiking the benefits for many years; and with varying degrees of success, the technology uptake in schools has grown.

However, with the forced lockdown of schools around the globe, the growth in the use of online web conferencing mediums (ie zoom, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams and even Skype) has suddenly thrust reluctant teachers into a new world of instruction. Talk about “Disruptive Innovation”.

The key question, post COVID-19, is what will the (eventual) return to school look like for our students? Will schools revert back to what they were previously doing? What have we learnt during this (continual) period of distance learning that can add value to the campus based schooling experience?

I would suggest that the forward thinking schools will adjust their approach to “doing” school!

Observing a static student schedule will change. I suspect that the use of timetables to direct students to move from one subject to the next based upon specified lesson minutes will change. Distance learning has taught us about the importance of time management. Building more independent learners, allowing students appropriate time to complete tasks and even allowing student choice in what they want to learn will become the norm.

The use of spaces will change. If we have learnt anything, the use of asynchronous learning platforms (eg Google Classroom) together with synchronous learning platforms (eg Google Meets) has provided efficient ways of reaching students. The traditional classroom space will need to be remodelled to allow the blending of online and face to face instruction.

How we assess students will change. The realisation that the recent evolution of the competitive standardised testing programs that have come to define success has arrived. Countries are abandoning these high stakes tests (eg NAPLAN – Australia, IGSEs – England, SATs – USA) and are putting the assessing of students back in the hands of the person best placed to make judgements on student learning… The Teacher.

School timing will change. The requirement to attend school will become more flexible. Given the “new” blended nature of learning, students will be able to be more discerning about their choice to attend school all day, every day. Lessons will be more tailored, learning more personalised. Teachers may provide an “office hours” approach, offer tutorial based instruction based on student need.

Curriculum will change. The shift to reducing content and creatively arranging lesson delivery to accommodate the shift to distance learning will see a rethink on what needs to be taught. Curriculum will morph into a more competency based approach. Much like the work of Mark Treadwell and Global Curriculum project.

Whatever the thinking is, when schools do reopen, it is an opportunity for us to provide a better education than the one we left.