Telecoms has been the saving grace of education throughout the COVID-19 crisis. There has been lots of talk about how the pandemic has affected traditional education in schools, colleges and universities – but not enough attention has been devoted to the vital role technology and getting online has played in preventing students from having to go without education at all.
As concerns over health and safety surrounding coronavirus spread, schools, universities and other learning spaces shut down and immediately the question was raised of how education would go forward during these challenging times. Thanks to the availability of technological advancements, although students have had to socially distance, they haven’t needed to distance themselves from education altogether.
A hub of learning
Amid the coronavirus crisis, the education sector has been able to continue because of technological advancements and the internet. Technology has played a great role in introducing online initiatives for students to meet the need of the hour. From online lessons to interactive sessions over video call, the pandemic has seen the classroom move from a physical entity to a hub of learning. Staying connected has a whole new level of importance for educating this generation through the current situation.
From installing new cloud servers to schools forming unique partnerships with resources such as BBC BiteSize Daily, the possibilities of digital technology and the internet in education go beyond a quick fix for coronavirus. Not only is e-learning providing salvation to students in this time, it is actually helping them learn better. Research shows on average, students retain 25 – 60% more information when they learn online – compared to only 8 – 10% in a classroom.
Online initiatives have proven priceless during these months, but teachers and professors have also learnt new skills, becoming more proficient in how to teach online. Now they know how to engage remotely through modern technology, the uptake of e- learning will likely continue to grow.
Time for change
The idea of learning from an entirely digital perspective seemed alien not long ago, but as it has become the only viable option during the pandemic, and the education sector has started to see the benefit of getting online. This may be the perfect opportunity for educational institutions to launch more permanent online initiatives to help push education forward into the future.
As devastating as a crisis like this can be in so many ways, it can also become a hotbed for innovation and technological change. This may be the push education needs to think outside of the box and become future proofed. As keen as students and teachers may be to go back to school, education can begin to overcome the constraints of having to physically be in a classroom. It seems likely teaching and learning will combine online and face-to-face engagement with a new hybrid model of education.
The end of the lockdown is unlikely to spell the end of online education or the vital role of the internet and telecoms in teaching. The strong connection between technology and learning that has been established will continue to develop going forward. The integration of information technology will be further accelerated and become an integral part of education, allowing it to move forward with the agility and nimbleness to better prepare students for the 21st century.
At Commhoist we provide end-to-end mobile telecoms logistics across the UK. We believe students need to stay connected to better their education during the pandemic and we are supporting networks with the subsequent increased demand, both now and for the future of education. Contact us to find out more.
