6 Education & schooling


15 FEBRUARY 2021 FAMILY VALUES — AN ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE IN


Te Covid-19 crisis has reshaped our education systems for the foreseeable future, but possibly in the long term too — albeit in ways we can’t necessarily predict. We’ve asked education experts what the positive takeaways may be for younger children, teens and young adults.


What we took for granted While online teaching has been shown to have limitations for young children — sometimes requiring almost constant supervision by a parent or carer — Dr Daryn Egan- Simon, senior lecturer in education at the University of Chester, sees cause for optimism. “Relationships between home


and school may very well have been strengthened with parents/ guardians becoming more involved in their child’s learning,” he says. Hopefully the pandemic has provided a platform that will ensure all children and parents feel part of their school community and see education as a collective endeavour. “Te situation also provides an


GETTY Change that sticks


We take a look at how the pandemic might change the way we learn and teach in the future. Words: Rhonda Carrier


opportunity to reflect on how we learn. Educational norms, such as spending five days a week in a classroom, might need re-thinking. While most children and young people miss school for the social aspect, many will have also enjoyed the blended approach to learning and increased independence.”


Greater accessibility Online learning can never provide what Professor Kendrick Oliver, head of history at the University of Southampton, calls the ‘rich communication’ of expressing oneself in a physical space filled with human energy. Yet many


university students have pointed out constructive changes the pandemic has brought about, including live Q&A sessions by lecturers and the ability to refer back to pre-recorded lectures — a practice that also frees up staff to spend more time interacting with students. Universities will be keen to


capitalise on the outlay in digital transformation by continuing to offer a blend of online and offline offerings — something already shown to be successful by Te Open University since 1969 and by other institutions including the University of East Anglia. Both have demonstrated how remote learning can make higher education more accessible to lower-income students.


Community and mental wellbeing Covid-19’s greatest educational legacy may be the way it’s brought pre-existing issues into focus: the growing mental health crisis among children and young people, and problems with recruiting and retaining teachers. With a coalition of child experts calling for an urgent enquiry into the long-term impact of lockdowns and school closures on a generation’s development and mental health, these issues are more pressing than ever. As Chivonne Preston, CEO of the


UK’s Mindfulness in Schools Project, says: “In lockdown, we’re more aware than ever that it’s the relationship we have with ourselves and others that sustains us. It’s now an urgent priority to ensure all schools can access evidence-based mindfulness training to reduce levels of stress and anxiety and to improve self- regulation and resilience for both pupils and teachers.”


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