motivational speech about value of education amidst pandemic

• Effective Teaching Strategies

Raising Student Motivation During the Pandemic

• October 19, 2020
• Shruti Nagpal, PhD

In spring 2020, faculty across the country stood up to the challenging task of not only transitioning and adapting to online modes of instruction but also multi-tasking through learning new technology, advising, having online office hours, attending official meetings, responding to students who would request Zoom meetings outside of office hours, and much more. Everyone came together with one underlying motive—students’ benefit. Now, as we look forward, we need to make decisions based on a long-term perspective. Faculty need to walk a tightrope of keeping students motivated while not letting their own morale down. Student motivation will be a major concern, irrespective of which study model is adopted: online, blended, hybrid, or a myriad variation. For simplicity, I have clubbed all variants of remote/online learning modes and termed them as Pandemic learning modes . This article delves into approaches for constructive student engagement that can help raise student motivation.

The Boomerang Principle

I believe teaching is based on the “Boomerang principle,” which implies what one gives, one gets in return.  One may also ideologically relate it to Newton’s scientific law in which every action has an equal and opposite reaction. But the point to be made here is that the more effort that is spent to motivate students to keep students constructively engaged, the better the chances are for students to reciprocate, to get involved, and to progress. And this does not end here. Continuous student involvement and engagement adds fuel to teacher motivation, which completes the circle. In order to live and practice this Boomerang principle, there has to be mutual trust, mutual admiration, and mutual motivation.

In the current pandemic scenario where teachers must deal with pandemic learning modes, student motivation is of paramount importance. I would like to borrow from Maryellen Weimer’s [3] synthesis of Paul Pintrich’s [2] meta-analysis on motivation and how these principles can be further adapted in various pandemic learning modes to raise student motivation.

1. Adaptive self-efficacy and competence perceptions motivate students.  

Weimer’s simple translation: “If students believe they can do it, they are motivated to try. The first implication for teachers involves the feedback they provide students. It needs to be accurate… If students are trying, any progress, even very small amounts of it should be noted.”

“A second implication for teachers involves the difficulty of the task. It needs to be challenging but something that can be accomplished.”

Designing tasks that are challenging for accomplished students while not overwhelming other students is already a tightrope to walk under regular circumstances, and even more so with pandemic learning modes. Teachers not only have to select tasks judiciously while designing tasks but also need to be aware of the middle-path threshold. Designing anything below this will serve as a demotivating factor for students who are above grade level. Designing anything above this will be too challenging and again serve as a demotivating factor for students who are below or near average grade level. This is where technology and visual tools come into play. Bundling up tasks with online technology aids will help students below the grade level to keep them motivated. Providing an option to obtain extra credit on performing additional challenging tasks will keep students above the grade level motivated. Enablement of extra credit for going beyond the ask, bundled with precise feedback, will also work in a two-thronged way as it will also address the first implication. Extra credit will act as a motivator for students above the grade level to accept challenging tasks, whereas students below the grade level will be motivated to complete the task or follow feedback for improvement.

2. Adaptive attributions and control beliefs motivate students. 

Weimer’s simple translation: “…If the student doesn’t think effort makes a difference, they won’t expend any. One important implication for teachers: there’s a need to talk about how learning works, the importance of effort and the control students do have over what and how they study. Another implication: students’ motivation increases when they are given the chance to make choices and exercise some control over learning…”

Students get motivated when they know their voices are being heard and there is a process for student feedback, not just after the course is over but also during the course. This will become crucial with pandemic learning modes when student voices and feedback will have to be incorporated into the course design. Flexibility will be of key importance. Student feedback on various topics like the progress of course, course content, associated tasks, online aids used, etc., should be considered at regular intervals, and their suggestions, if feasible, should be incorporated. This will keep students motivated and involved in the course.

3.  Higher levels of interest and intrinsic motivation motivate students. 

Weimer’s simple translation: “Research makes a distinction between personal and situational interest. Personal interest represents the attraction a student feels for a content area—what’s motivating the decision to major in a particular field. Situational interest refers to positive feelings generated by the learning tasks or activities themselves…Students can catch motivation from a teacher who is obviously, unabashedly in love with the content and teaching. ”

In short, motivation is infectious. Motivation begets motivation. A positive flow of energy from the teacher is definitely going to be caught on by the students and vice versa. During these challenging times, it becomes even more necessary to diligently select online, in-person, or hybrid tasks that are out of the box and motivate students.

4. Higher levels of value motivate students.

Weimer’s simple translation: “The motivational issue here is straightforward. Do students see the relevance, the importance of what they’re being asked to learn and do?…Teachers should, at multiple times and in multiple ways, make clear the importance, usefulness, and relevance of the content and associated activities. ”

Students should understand the value attached with what they are learning and where it will be applied in their future lives to keep them motivated. Instead of teachers telling students the importance of each underlying topic, it would be beneficial if students are directed to find out through directed readings and experiential learning the relevance and future application of each topic. During these challenging times when unemployment is on the rise, students should be asked to list and find out more about their ‘dream employers.’ Following this, instructors could ask students to discuss how these ‘dream employers’ utilize or apply the current course topics in the workplace, and how the current course topics might be part of their future employment interview process.

5. Goals motivate and direct students. 

Weimer’s simple translation: “And students aren’t motivated solely by academic goals, like those related to mastery (comprehension of content) and performance (grades)…For teachers, one implication involves greater use of cooperative and collaborative group work designed so that it includes opportunities to attain both social and academic goals.”

The importance of collaborative learning can never be over-emphasized. In the case of pandemic learning modes, these are akin to the wooden pole in the hands of the tightrope walker. Pandemic learning modes need to be accentuated with online collaborative tools. Google offers various tools for online collaboration. For those in the computer science field, there are online tools available that allow team or pair collaborative programming [4]. Online games, when coupled with learning, provide a wonderful study aid to reinforce course information [5].

In pandemic learning modes, teachers will have to adorn a special hat of a motivator, akin to a cement-mixer! A motivator who facilitates the right mix of tasks and flexible grading schemes, and couples them up with the right mix of online collaborative technology to churn out positive energy and a great learning experience for students. But what will keep this motivator rolling? It will depend on the students’ motivational energy fed back to the teacher via their constructive progress, response, and enthusiasm. Any breach in the motivational cycle will be deconstructive to all.

Dr. Shruti Nagpal is an assistant professor in the computer science department of Worcester State University, Massachusetts. Previously, Dr. Nagpal has worked in Amity University, India and Tata Consultancy Services, India. Dr. Nagpal is an experienced academician with a presence in academia for the last 12 years; with a prior demonstrated history of working in the IT industry for five years. Her teaching pedagogies include active learning techniques like the flipped classroom and Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL). She is a strong research-oriented professional with presentations and publications in International Journals and Conferences. 

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Webinar (2020). What higher education leaders need to know right now, March 13, 2020. https://higheredconnects.com/coronavirus-covid-19-webinar-what-higher-education-leaders-need-to-know-right-now/
• Pintrich, P. R. (2003). A motivational science perspective on the role of student motivation in learning and teaching contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95 (4), 667-686.
• Weimer, Maryellen  (2018). Five Keys to Motivating Students. The Teaching Professor (ISSN 2578-9899) . https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/for-those-who-teach/five-keys-student-motivation/
• Falconer, Joel (2020). 7 Collaborative Coding Tools for Remote Pair Programming. sitepoint. https://www.sitepoint.com/collaborative-coding-tools-for-remote-pair-programming/
• Orlando, John (2020). Games as Study Aids. The Teaching Professor (ISSN 2578-9899) . https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/online-learning/teaching-strategies-techniques/games-as-study-aids/

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Quotes by Educators About Learning During the Pandemic

We know how challenging learning has been during the pandemic. Your kids must be feeling overwhelmed, restless, anxious, and agitated with the sudden change in environment. Technology is a saving grace and has made virtual learning possible, but it’s still not the same as going to school and learning. 

We think you’d like to read these pandemic school quotes and quotes about pandemic and education:

“This year, I had my students write down what they wanted to hear on tough days. I collected prose notes and handed them out when I saw students needed them. The power of their own positive words returning to them made a difference.” – Danielle Sicotte

“The hope that once we get through this year, future years will be a piece of cake (in comparison)” – Ana T .

“This pandemic is unprecedented for us, but we have experienced other hard things. This time gives us an opportunity to practice resilience and to show our kids what resilience looks like” – Audrey Monke

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a lot of problems facing public schools – but it didn’t create most of them. Most of the inequities existed long before the pandemic. The only difference is who was affected and who was paying attention.” – Meghan Mangrum, Education Reporter

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World Bank: Why empowering teachers is key to COVID-19 recovery

A teacher teaching in a classroom with children. Image:  NeONBRAND/Unsplash

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Robert jenkins, jaime saavedra.

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Stay up to date:, sdg 04: quality education.

• $15 trillion in value of children's future earnings is expected to be lost due to interruptions to learning.
• Teachers play a pivotal role in children's development and education and therefore must be supported beyond the pandemic.
• Well-being, training and technology are the 3 main factors for the global community to prioritize in order to support teachers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused dramatic disruptions to education systems around the world and has had huge impacts on learning for more than 1.6 billion children and youth. Schools remained closed for 117 million students from March 2020 to September 2021, and many systems are still only partially open today. Early estimates suggest that the proportion of children around the world who cannot read or write a simple text by the age of ten, known as Learning Poverty , will increase from 53% in 2019 to 63% in 2021. Interruptions to school participation and learning are projected to result in losses valued at $15 trillion in terms of affected children’s future earnings, and in long-lasting consequences in terms of well-being and life prospects of this generation, in particular, for the most disadvantaged learners. Amidst this urgent and unprecedented context, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank have launched the joint Mission: Recovering Education 2021 focused on getting students back to school as quickly as possible and reversing significant learning losses.

Have you read?

How investing in tech for teachers can bring equity to education, schools must lead the way in education reform. here's how, this challenge is advancing education solutions to help students thrive.

Lesson of the pandemic: education is a social endeavor

We have long known that teachers are critical drivers of student learning in schools . The challenges of COVID-19 have only reinforced their irreplaceable and multi-faceted role: in facilitating and guiding learning; in supporting students’ socioemotional development inside and outside the classroom; in enabling a safe, healthy, and caring space for children to develop; in advocating for students’ well-being and connecting students to other social supports; as well as serving as key actors in supporting society’s broader social and economic well-being. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen compelling and inspiring examples of teachers going above and beyond to support their students’ well-being , finding creative ways to reach learners, provide socioemotional support , and leverage technology creatively . Well-prepared, supported, and empowered teachers will be at the heart of this mission.

The latest figures show that 56% of 8-12-year-olds across 29 countries are involved in at least one of the world's major cyber-risks: cyberbullying, video-game addiction, online sexual behaviour or meeting with strangers encountered on the web.

Using the Forum's platform to accelerate its work globally, #DQEveryChild , an initiative to increase the digital intelligence quotient (DQ) of children aged 8-12, has reduced cyber-risk exposure by 15%.

In March 2019, the DQ Global Standards Report 2019 was launched – the first attempt to define a global standard for digital literacy, skills and readiness across the education and technology sectors.

Our System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Media, Information and Entertainment has brought together key stakeholders to ensure better digital intelligence for children worldwide. Find our more about DQ Citizenship in our Impact Story .

In this context, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank are joining forces on World Teachers’ Day to celebrate teachers and their work through the pandemic, and call on countries and the global community to prioritize supporting teachers as a central pillar in the global education recovery.

On World Teacher’s Day, we recognize and celebrate teachers’ efforts around the world in supporting education continuity under challenging and uncertain conditions. As countries seek to recover learning losses and build education sectors back better , teachers will play a critical role. It is, therefore, more essential than ever that countries celebrate, prioritize, and invest in their teachers , so that they are prepared, supported, and empowered to lead education recovery efforts.

In this vein, we suggest three priorities for what countries should focus on as they work to support teachers through the pandemic and beyond:

1. Teacher well-being. Teachers cannot lead education recovery if they are not healthy, safe, and secure. If systems fail to ensure teacher overall well-being, the risk of losing effective teachers may increase as will the possibility of high-quality professionals opting out of teaching jobs. Prioritizing teachers for vaccination is a key step that countries must take. Supporting teacher emotional and psychological well-being is another important priority. Studies show that teacher burnout has increased during the pandemic. Ensuring teacher well-being through adequate remuneration and working conditions is essential, as is ensuring that they can return to healthy and safe schools .

2. High-quality teacher professional development (TPD) and learning throughout their careers. Teachers’ jobs, already complex pre-pandemic, will only grow more challenging . teachers will need to be ready to employ formative assessments to assess learning losses and support learning; to develop targeted and sequenced remedial lesson plans; to provide important social and emotional support to students; and to do this all in innovative ways, leveraging remote, hybrid, and in-person methods. It is, therefore, more important than ever that teachers’ voices are heard, and that they are supported in their learning and development throughout every stage of their careers, from pre-service, induction, to ongoing professional development opportunities throughout their time in the classroom. To improve student learning, teacher professional development must tailored, focused, practical and ongoing .

3. Leverage technology effectively for learning. The pandemic has also uncovered technology’s potential – and limitations – in supporting quality education for all. Technology can play a critical role in helping teachers assess learning loss , track progress , develop remedial planning , and teach at the right level . To reap its benefits, countries must ensure that teachers not only have access to adequate technologies , but that they support and train teachers in developing skills to use them effectively . As such skills are built, flexibility will be important to match teachers’ needs.

We see three key principles that countries can follow that define how these three priorities should be acted on:

First, the design of learning recovery policies and planning should actively engage teachers themselves . Teachers’ voices and perspectives are essential in ensuring that educational decisions are informed by teacher perspectives and the context on the ground. As countries strategize about how to meet post-pandemic challenges and recover learning losses, they should actively engage and build on teachers’ perspectives.

Second, teacher policies must be designed and implemented with a systems perspective. Supporting teachers effectively throughout their career trajectories requires effective, coherent, and well-articulated systems, not isolated structures, or one-off solutions. Effective teacher policy must be developed with a clear vision and end goals in mind , aligned and connected to other system levers for sustainable and lasting change.

And, finally, it is essential that these efforts are guided by a vision of building back better. Data show that a global learning crisis was already underway even before the COVID-19 pandemic . Going back to the status quo will mean repeating past mistakes. To reverse learning losses due to COVID-19 and meet the goals of SDG4, education leaders need to focus on building better educational systems that are more equitable, effective, and resilient. This includes making teaching an attractive profession, enhancing teacher preparation, and improving selection and deployment policies.

At UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank, we believe that these three strategic priorities and guiding principles are critical to supporting teachers effectively in the post-pandemic future and to ensure teachers can excel. Ultimately, supporting teachers’ preparation, development, learning, and empowerment throughout the full trajectory of their careers is necessary to build strong, resilient, equitable, and effective educational systems in the recovery period and beyond.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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• Our Mission

Teaching Through a Pandemic: A Mindset for This Moment

Hundreds of teachers, many of them operating in countries where teach-from-home has been in place for weeks, weigh in on the mental approach you need to stay grounded in this difficult time.

The thought ended almost before it started: “This is so overwhelming.” It was all one teacher managed to type before she stopped short, vexed into silence, perhaps, by the sheer size of the problem. In the pregnant pause that followed, undoubtedly, every teacher tracking the unspooling thread—about the dizzying, rapidly escalating viral crisis that was closing schools across the country—recognized the chasm they were all facing as well, and took a deep breath.

In the next few hours, over 500 teachers joined two Facebook conversations about teaching during the coronavirus pandemic, spilling out their concerns and anxieties: What will we do if the schools close for months? How can I shift to online learning if we’re closing tomorrow, or even in a few hours? How will special education students be cared for, and IEPs administered? What about children who have no internet access, or who will be required, as Keith Schoch thoughtfully noted, to “become de facto babysitters” for their brothers and sisters. “There is no digital divide, but there is a digital abyss, and America’s rural poor are living at the bottom of it,” said Anne Larsen, with devastating concision. What if, in the end, the school systems decide that online learning is working just fine, and never reopen?

The panic was all perfectly understandable.

But there were plenty of teachers in the mix who had weeks of crisis experience under their belts by that time—several in Hong Kong and Italy and the state of Washington, for example—and others who had long careers in online and distance learning. In the end, too, there were many fantastic, highly creative teachers providing strategies as fast as the obstacles appeared.

At the highest level, a shift in mindset would be required—even the most optimistic educators conceded the point. There are plenty of strategies and tactics we’re covering at Edutopia—and we’ll continue to—but here are the crucial emotional and psychological scaffolds that our audience agreed would be needed to teach in this new paradigm.

Expect Trial... and Plenty of Error

Start by being reasonable with yourself. It is, in fact, impossible to shift to distance learning overnight without lots of trial and error. Expect it, plan for it, and do your best to make peace with it.

“I can tell you, now that we’re in week 7 of online learning, that much of what you will do will be trial and error,” wrote Stacy Rausch Keevan, who was teaching in Hong Kong. “Don’t stress about that—it won’t do you any good. For my middle school English and humanities classes, I’m offering the same lessons I would normally do live, but in smaller doses.”

Acknowledge the Extraordinary

Reset your baseline. We're all operating in the shadow of a global pandemic, and it is disorienting and limiting. Business as usual is unrealistic.

The real “points to consider” are not “the strict adherence to ‘regular’ conditions and norms,” wrote Amy Rheault-Heafield in a reply to a question about how to structure distance learning like more typical learning experiences, “but how to provide a rich experience to all learners who are now without ‘traditional’ teachers standing beside them in classes.”

So while you should try to provide “meaningful activities,” cautioned elementary teacher John Thomas, “we should remember that on short notice—and because many of us have limited PD utilizing these tools—we can’t tackle everything immediately. In other words, we should give ourselves the time and the permission to figure this out.”

Reduce the Workload (for Yourself and Your Students)

If your district allows it, you should plan to do less. Students won’t be able to work as productively, anyway—so if you can’t scale back you’ll be sending them work they cannot do—and your own life and family need added care.

“Feedback from students and families over the last 10 days in Italy is ‘less is more,’” commented Jo Gillespie. “Consider that parents are trying to work from home, and siblings are vying for computer and Wi-Fi time. Try Google quizzes using Forms, a reading log, some short live sessions with teachers and classmates, maybe vocabulary extension, maths and geometry problems (but not too many). And that’s probably enough.”

And Keevan, the teacher in Hong Kong with weeks of experience, confirmed that time and distance play funny games during a crisis: “What would normally take you one class period to teach in the classroom will probably take you twice as long.”

No Person Is an Island

Humans are social animals. Working from home, or worse, from quarantine, is isolating and often depressing for both teachers and students.

Make a concerted effort to speak to other colleagues and trusted professionals to provide emotional and psychological context to your work. Teaching at this moment is extraordinarily hard, and you’ll need the virtual company of people who are experiencing what you are.

And don’t forget to “reach out to students as often as you can,” said Keevan, who still teaches classes live despite a (slightly inconvenient!) 13-hour time difference. Or you can facilitate peer-to-peer communication. John Thomas assigns pen pals in his first- and second-grade classes, so that kids with no internet can feel like they belong.

Everyone Thinks They Can’t—Before They Can

Some degree of pessimism and self-doubt comes with the territory. Teachers in the Facebook thread advised more perspective-taking and being more patient with yourself: You know how to teach, and you will figure this out in time.

“We are in week 7 and I have three children of my own at home,” wrote Salecia Host, a teacher in Tianjin, China, reflecting on the arc of her emotional response to the crisis. “Just take it day by day. It gets less overwhelming and more routine.”

Try to remain calm—though you’ll have a few moments where that goes out the window—and keep plugging away: “Being open-minded and flexible is key,” said Kaz Wilson, who also works in China. “Everyone thinks you can’t until you pause, talk it out with folks who are doing it, and know that you’ll get through it.”

Mind the Gap

Your work will be hard, but there are students facing more severe challenges. Students with no internet or no computer will need support, as will those with learning differences or other circumstances that make distance learning especially difficult. Supporting these students was on almost everyone’s mind—it came up dozens of times in the Facebook thread.

“I’m in Italy. Our schools closed a few weeks ago without any previous warning. We shifted to online immediately. It is hard and exhausting,” admitted Eleonora Borromeo, before providing a ray of hope. “Equity is an issue. Assessment is an issue. But the students are doing their best and giving us the strength to go on.”

Solutions from our audience of teachers focused on the old analog approaches: paper-and-pencil tasks, workbooks and activity packets that can be mailed home, and updating parents and students via phone calls daily.

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Course: Resources   >   Unit 3

How to motivate students who are distance learning during covid.

• Create accounts for you and your children
• Encouraging your child
• Ways to support learners when you don’t know the content
• Start tutoring with Khan Academy
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• Find relevant content

• Check in with your child’s teacher about goals for the class and your child and how they are tracking them . If the teacher has already set clear goals and tracking methods, post them clearly and have conversations with your child about their progress. You can skip down to the last two bullets in this list.
• Have a goal-setting conversation with your child . When students are part of the conversation, they develop ownership of the goal, which makes it more valuable. Here are some quick examples for different ages:
• Age 6: At this age give the child short-term goals and very specific choices. Example: “Let’s pick one thing we really want to make sure we get done this morning. We could write the sentences to go with these three pictures, or we could finish these 10 addition problems.”
• Age 11: Work with children this age to create longer-term goals that are broken into smaller pieces. The parent should continue to provide guidance like, “Hmmm… how will your Friday-self feel if you wait to do all your work on Friday?” Example: “Let’s set your math goals for each day this week. Let’s look at your material. What do you want to have done by the end of the week? (Or what does your teacher say you need to get done by the end of the week?) How do you want to break that up over the five days this week?”
• Age 16: Focus students of this age on what they want to learn, and then shift to what they need to do in order to learn it. Example: “So what do you need to learn in this unit? What do you need to do to learn that? How long are you working on this unit? How will you break up what you need to do over that time?”
• Make sure the goal is reasonable and can be done in a short time. If you choose a longer-term goal, set milestones along the way. Setting a reasonable target helps ensure students experience success, which will motivate them to make further progress.
• Determine how you will know if the student is making progress toward the goal and how you will know they have reached it . Think of how many apps we have that track our exercise or budgets. We can similarly track good learning behavior. Having a measurable goal is key to knowing if you’ve reached it, and therefore getting those positive feelings that come with success.
• Talk about how the goal relates to things your child values . Is it a skill they are interested in learning related to a hobby? Is the goal related to a future job they want? Is it related to something else they want to learn? Making the activity relevant to the child increases its value.
• Document what your child can do if they get stuck . Students aren’t going to be 100% successful when they are learning. Make a plan for how they will get help when they get stuck so they are less likely to quit and see a path to success even when they struggle.
• Remember that there are all kinds of rewards , including praise, a little extra time at bedtime, or a trip to the playground. Keep rewards small, and focus on things you are willing to give repeatedly.
• Use rewards to encourage students to do something they are otherwise not likely to do . Give rewards frequently and for small things at first, and then gradually lengthen out the time between rewards as students come to experience the natural benefits of their behavior.
• Make sure students know what specific behavior is being rewarded .
• Focus rewards on effort, not results .
• Occasionally give surprise rewards . Make the timing and type of the reward unexpected. When people know a reward is available but don’t know when they’ll receive it, they are more likely to persist in the behavior that results in the reward.
• For older students, work together on a plan that includes what effort and outcomes will result in rewards.

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Taking best of innovations, lessons of pandemic education.

Task force releases report on how University can create more engaging, equitable learning experiences

Nate Herpich

Harvard Correspondent

Widener Library in Harvard Yard.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer

The  Future of Teaching and Learning Task Force convened at the request of President Larry Bacow and Provost Alan M. Garber starting in the spring of 2021, and on Wednesday the group released its report . The initiative brought together faculty and staff from across Harvard’s Schools and units to explore the innovations and lessons that emerged from pandemic-era teaching and imagine how the University might create more engaging and equitable learning opportunities in the future. The Gazette spoke with lead task force members Bharat Anand, vice provost for advances in learning; Bridget Long, dean of the Graduate School of Education; and Mike Smith, the John H. Finley Jr. Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a Distinguished Service Professor, to learn more about the task force’s recommendations.

Bharat Anand, Bridget Long, and Mike Smith

GAZETTE:  Can you provide some context for the work of the task force and for what lies ahead in teaching and learning?

BHARAT ANAND:  First and foremost, the last two years were an incredibly difficult period for so many. There has been a great deal of hardship and loss for many members of our community and elsewhere. Yet here at Harvard, we were also reminded of everything special about the campus experience that we missed — and it’s been a joy to return to our classrooms and campus.

Even as we do so now, the question many faculty, staff, and academic leaders asked as early as last year, and in anticipation of our return to in-person teaching, was: What have we learned from our teaching and learning experiences during this period and, indeed, from the last decade of digital investments that might inform how we educate our students going forward? Are there new opportunities to advance learning and new approaches to making it more accessible, rather than relegating the experiences of the last two years entirely to the rearview mirror? Are there new things that we want to embrace without being forced to do so? These were the key questions that the task force tackled.

GAZETTE:  We’ve discussed in this space before just how innovative faculty members, staffers, and students alike were during the pandemic, finding new and creative ways to continue to support Harvard’s commitment to teaching and learning, even when they were unable to do so on campus. With two years now behind us, in what ways did this period impact pedagogy?

BRIDGET LONG:  While the teaching and learning experience was challenging, some pretty remarkable things also happened that otherwise would not have happened so quickly. Faculty were forced to think differently, to rethink certain assumptions about how we teach, and to be deliberate in creating connection with students. Remote teaching provided an opportunity to increase educational access for learners who might otherwise never come to our campus. In so many ways, a great deal of creative energy went into re-envisioning teaching and learning.

GAZETTE:  What are some examples?

ANAND:  We saw new possibilities arise when our classrooms were no longer bound by constraints on time and location. Faculty embraced simple features of digital technology like chat and breakout rooms that enabled simultaneous multiperson conversation and more interactive learning. Guest experts and speakers could join from anywhere. Virtual tours allowed students to visit locations they otherwise could not have. New video and audio asynchronous materials enabled the flipping of classrooms, which allowed for richer and deeper synchronous class discussion. Approaches to assessments were in certain cases productively rethought. Alumni were drawn into some of our classrooms to teach and learn. Programs were restructured to create more time for reflection between classes. And being “one click away” increased educational opportunity for learners around the world, and diversity in our virtual classrooms.

The key question going forward is how to take advantage of some of these beneficial features now that we’ve gone back to classroom teaching — and some of this is already starting to happen. How do we preserve and sustain a culture of innovation in teaching? And how do we also take advantage of the prior decade’s investments in asynchronous digital learning when we had figured out ways to create online experiences that were immersive and relational and more than just a “Zoom university.”

GAZETTE:  Bridget, you led various efforts at the Harvard Graduate School of Education that leaned into some of these opportunities. What were some of the most important lessons from your vantage point?

LONG:  Talent resides everywhere. When the HGSE one-year master’s program was forced to go fully online during the pandemic, we decided to open a new round of admissions, and the response was incredible. Within five weeks we received 1.5 times the applications we would in a typical year — drawing a more diverse set of learners into our classrooms who might otherwise have never come to Harvard. We increased access for them, and they enriched our classroom conversations with new perspectives and experiences grounded in communities around the world.

GAZETTE:  Tell us about the major recommendations emerging from the work of the task force.

MIKE SMITH:  The task force was charged with taking some of these learnings from the pandemic, along with perspectives that were already in place during the pre-COVID era, to think about a couple of main ideas. One, how can Harvard enrich and enhance the in-person learning experiences for those who reside on our physical campus, and two, how can we enrich and expand the online experiences for learners who are located in different parts of the world and are unable or unlikely to physically come to the Harvard campus?

A range of opportunities present themselves, some of which involve deepening and amplifying existing practices, processes, and programs.

In the report, the task force also proposes three new strategic directions for Harvard’s Schools and for the University more broadly: reimagining student learning through blended experiences that combine the best of in-person with the best of digital; creating a new, coherent Harvard strategy for short-form digital content and learning experiences; and — this is more exploratory — building out a new virtual Harvard campus that reflects in its own unique way the richness of the Cambridge/Boston-based campus experience.

GAZETTE:  Bridget, you led the working group of the task force that focused on blended experiences. What can you tell us about the takeaways from this group?

LONG:  We have seen how digital technologies can enhance what we do in our classrooms and how they can expand opportunities for students everywhere. We encourage, and foresee, a shift in mindset beyond the current alternatives of entirely in-person or entirely online offerings to incorporate a range of experiences across all of Harvard’s offerings, including degree and non-degree programs.

Learning does not have to be confined in a traditional residential classroom. We’ve seen the value of community and meaningful connections. We witnessed the power of giving students multiple ways to connect with their instructors and peers and to contribute their ideas — whether that be verbally or in written form, synchronous and asynchronous, and in a large group or smaller breakouts made possible with the touch of a keyboard. Interventions typically used for accessibility accommodations, like the use of captions and classroom recording transcripts, supported the advancement of all students’ learning. Overall, we saw a heightened commitment to meeting students where they are and incorporating technologies that make learning more flexible.

GAZETTE:  Bharat, you led the working group that identified opportunities around short-form digital learning experiences. What were some of the specifics to come out of this group?

ANAND:  Historically, the unit of analysis for almost every Harvard program or offering, whether a residential degree program or online certificate offering, has been a roughly 12-week-long “course.” But that’s just an artifact of the semester structure. When we consider opportunities in digital learning, we can think more flexibly about the length of a learning experience and not just limit ourselves to the residential format of a course. So much of what we might call “short-form content” is regularly created at Harvard, and it represents an exciting opportunity to build out a repertoire of flexible learning experiences. They will be a complement to our traditional courses and expand the scope and impact of the learning Harvard enables for individuals everywhere.

But more than that, shorter-form digital learning experiences can also meaningfully enhance residential learning. Forced by the pandemic, many of our faculty created mini-lecture recordings, short lessons with digital content, podcasts, and other learning formats for students, which, in turn, opened up time in live sessions for more substantive discussion. Putting this together, we foresee the need — and a big opportunity — for a technology and support infrastructure that allows faculty to more easily create such impactful, short-form learning experiences that can complement residential learning and expand digital learning, as and when they choose.

GAZETTE:  And Mike, you led the working group on creating impactful experiences for students from around the globe in a way that’s quite different from the efforts that Harvard and other universities have been engaged in for the last decade, some of which you participated in and led.

SMITH:  That’s right. For much of the past decade, since Harvard and other universities got into the online learning space, we primarily focused on the content of online courses. Which courses did we want to create? How could we bring the diverse subject matter taught by our experts to the world?

But one of the most powerful lessons of the pandemic was the importance of community and the relationships that bind us together. It is community that enriches our courses and ultimately makes memorable our content. This led the task force to imagine what might be possible if we could use technology to create a virtual Harvard campus experience. What would attract people to this virtual space? What elements of our Cambridge/Boston-based campus experience would we want replicated in this new virtual space, and what new experiences could we build virtually that we cannot easily do with our physical campus? This represents a fundamental shift in emphasis from content, courses, and catalogs alone, to include connections, community, and relationships that enhance these experiences.

GAZETTE:  Could you explain more about how these three strategic directions are meant to work, in concert?

ANAND: Indeed, they are closely intertwined in many ways. Content, classrooms, and campus all reinforce each other for impact — for example, blended experiences can be created by leveraging short-form digital content, which in turn can also anchor a virtual campus. A common priority across all our working group discussions was how to continue to meaningfully expand diversity and access. And beyond specific examples of new opportunities in each category, we also considered common design principles that we should aspire to follow, regardless of the particular strategic recommendation. These principles are informed both by Harvard’s centuries-long experience in residential teaching and by the experience of remote teaching and learning in the last decade.

GAZETTE:  What are some of the design principles?

SMITH:  To begin with, Harvard will continue to seek to offer teaching and learning experiences that are “uniquely Harvard.” There is real history here with regard to the quality of the education we provide, and we of course don’t want to forget that. We should also aim to creatively incorporate technology into our teaching and learning activities when it helps us to meet students where they are — whether in Cambridge, Boston, or elsewhere.

LONG:  Diversity, equity, and inclusion must also be our guiding tenets in the work we do. Although our various learner experiences won’t be identical, we should always seek to deliver excellent outcomes. What we have seen the past two years is that we have many more tools to accomplish this goal than ever before. And we must recognize that innovations will need to occur at multiple levels: by individual faculty and through support at the program, School, and University levels — through leveraging shared insights, dedicating resources, and making investments across Harvard. These are just a few of the principles.

GAZETTE:  The work to implement the task force’s recommendations is already in motion. Can you tell us about some of the initiatives that are already taking place?

LONG:  Many deans, including myself, are examining how to lean into the teaching and learning innovations that were especially beneficial the last two years, and we are giving serious thought to how to increase opportunity and access. We are taking the lessons learned to digitally transform our Schools and expand our aspirations.

ANAND: We’re currently exploring an initiative that would expand the work of the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning, thanks to a generous gift from Rita Hauser in honor of her late husband, Gus. This initiative would support pedagogical innovations by faculty for in-person, blended, and online experiences on a University-wide level. In addition, there is also exploratory work underway on an exciting new learning experience platform for the University that VPAL, Harvard Business School, Harvard University Information Technology, and other partners are collaborating on.

GAZETTE:  What other considerations were discussed by the task force?

LONG:  Although we learned to manage the external factors caused by COVID-19 and even as innovations across the University were happening, the inequities in access to education for our students also quickly became apparent. While some issues were resolved as students returned to campus, now is the time for us to consider how students everywhere access our educational resources and infrastructure. We have an opportunity to double down on being intentional in our thinking about the ways in which we level the playing field to ensure equitable access for all students.

SMITH:  And access isn’t only restricted to financial or technological access. It includes support, participation, and inclusive relationships, as we outline in the report.

GAZETTE:  What are some next steps we can take as soon as today versus others that may require additional resources?

SMITH:  The recommendations section of the report touches on immediate, one- to three-year, and longer-term next steps for the University. Some innovations can be more seamlessly incorporated or transferred and others require some rethinking in terms of physical infrastructure.

Tomorrow, an instructor could decide to prioritize an activity that allowed students to experience a meaningful interaction — with them or their peers. But upgrading technology in residential classrooms requires more time and investment, not to mention collaborative work across Schools, departments, and relevant units.

GAZETTE:  Anything else you’d like to add?

ANAND:  One of the things that we repeatedly came back to in the task force discussions is what makes Harvard special — what is it about the “Harvard experience” that we ought to aspire to preserve in any educational experience, whether this involves 30 learners engaged in in-person classroom discussions, 3,000 learners in an online course, or 30 million learners in a virtual campus community.

Harvard has, historically and for generations, signified inspiring ideas, personal transformation, a network of relationships, and a commitment to the truth. These attributes, and the principles that Bridget and Mike delineated, ought to continue to anchor any Harvard offering going forward, whether residential or virtual, whether long-form or short-form.

LONG:  I’m excited about the opportunities in front of us to expand upon what it means to be a part of such an experience. The task force discussions have shown that there is a strong desire within all of Harvard’s Schools to build upon our already meaningful and impactful educational experience for our students, and to improve the core residential educational experience itself in lasting ways.

SMITH:  We owe it to our learners everywhere to do whatever we can to deliver an experience they will value and appreciate. After all, this is why we do what we do.

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Teacher motivation is vital – and COVID-19 may be hurting it

Language Lecturer, University of Essex

Disclosure statement

Dr Lorena Salud Gadella Kamstra has received funding from Economic and Social Research Council.

University of Essex provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping students motivated as classes move online has been crucial. The role of student motivation in the process of learning is well known and is supported by research .

However, the area of teacher motivation has not received as much attention. Even teachers themselves sometimes overlook the importance of their motivation in the profession.

Before the pandemic, I carried out PhD research with 23 secondary school teachers in Spain to investigate the factors which lead to motivation and demotivation in their daily teaching experiences.

My findings can help us understand usual negative influences which have an effect on teachers and how these challenges could be more important during the pandemic. The pressures of the pandemic may have exacerbated the factors which cause teachers to lose motivation, and negated the aspects that teachers find motivating.

Demotivating factors

Teacher motivation is closely linked to student motivation, and teachers who are motivated to teach can trigger students’ motivation to learn. Teachers can have an impact on students for better or for worse but if teachers are motivated, this influence will be more positive.

The factors that might lead to teachers losing enthusiasm for their work will sound familiar to many. Teachers are often said to not receive enough social recognition for the work they do and are understood to carry a heavy workload which leads to stress and demotivation .

In my study , I found that most of the sources for a loss of motivation among teachers were extrinsic – beyond their direct control. These factors included their workload, salary, lack of resources, a lack of social recognition, and curriculum limitations.

COVID-19 may have accentuated well-known demotivators, such as the lack of support teachers receive from administration and the work overload they can face, which may have a negative impact on their work-life balance and their wellbeing.

Researchers have already identified some of the challenges teachers have faced during the pandemic – from a reduction in high-quality interaction with students , to a lack of support and challenges with technology .

On the other hand, I found that the teachers were motivated by intrinsic factors – a sense of reward which came from themselves, such as their enjoyment or satisfaction when teaching. It is well-known that teachers like their profession because they can help and educate learners and shape the future of our society.

The altruistic value of the teaching profession is a key factor in guaranteeing teacher motivation to teach, but it is not the only reason why teachers choose this career and remain in the profession.

The teachers in my study referred to teaching as a profession in which they can keep on learning. As one commented:

When I learn, when I know something new, or I discover something I didn’t really know it was that way, I am motivated, I am happy, and I am satisfied.

Participants described a motivated teacher as someone “who does not stop learning”. The teaching profession allows them to be engaged in a lifelong learning process . The teachers I interviewed expressed that they like to be exposed to new ideas and to be intellectually stimulated, and these factors give them a drive to teach.

During the pandemic, teachers have had to figure out how to teach online and many have engaged in training to improve their performance and make sure they are ready for the challenges of online teaching. In a normal situation, you would expect learning new teaching skills like this to increase teacher motivation.

However, the pressure of the pandemic may have not allowed teachers to enjoy this learning process. Some may have found it a challenging and inspiring experience – but it could also have been a frustrating opportunity in which teachers were put under pressure to learn something new in a limited time.

In a normal class, teachers must juggle between teaching, checking students’ understanding and answering questions. Now, simple actions such as sharing your screen and seeing your students at the same time, replying to messages in the chat while teaching or switching on and off the video and microphone, may become stressful challenges for those new to online teaching.

Teachers have also had to invest more time in adapting their resources without forgetting about their students’ motivation and engagement when learning online. But we cannot forget about teachers and their motivation.

Schools and other institutions need to provide support for teachers as they do their jobs under the extra strain of a pandemic. It is also important that teachers focus on their wellbeing and practise self-care – and remember the sense of satisfaction they have gained from their profession.

• Secondary education

Head of School, School of Arts & Social Sciences, Monash University Malaysia

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What can COVID-19 teach us about strengthening education systems?

Subscribe to the center for universal education bulletin, a conversation with the dean of harvard graduate school of education, emiliana vegas emiliana vegas former co-director - center for universal education , former senior fellow - global economy and development @emivegasv.

April 9, 2020

As cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States rise, more and more states have adopted shelter-in-place orders to curtail the pandemic. The disruption to most Americans’ daily lives has been drastic and sudden—and perhaps one of the most dramatic shifts was education’s move to a virtual setting.

Even before the current pandemic forced school closures , higher education had been increasing online learning opportunities, though the traditional model remained focused on face-to-face learning. However, in a new world of social distancing, higher education has become completely virtual. Meanwhile, K-12 schools also had to quickly adapt to an online model, often with far less experience and fewer resources for teachers and students.

Harvard University—one of the oldest higher education institutions in the country—officially moved all undergraduate and graduate classes online on March 23. I recently spoke to Bridget Terry Long , dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), about the experience of moving learning online, the implications for students everywhere, and what she hopes this crisis will teach us about strengthening education systems.

What practices can educators at HGSE share about how best to promote learning in an online environment?

Bridget Terry Long: This is new for so many institutions. Early on, Harvard acknowledged that we would have to send students home and go online. We had the benefit of the last week before spring break to start getting people outfitted with technology and accustomed to it. And then we had a week of spring break where we could invest in our faculty members’ skills.

One of the first things HGSE did was determine our priorities. First was health and safety, which seems obvious.

The second priority was enabling students to continue to make academic progress. That focus on progress quickly resulted in allowing people to take courses “pass” or “fail,” and to drop extra credits. We realized that people were in different time zones, and some were home with kids, making it harder for them to participate. Part of our teaching needed to be asynchronous with video, certain requirements relaxed, and flexible so that students could make progress.

The third priority was community, because that’s such an important part of HGSE’s culture. Our community is more than just a bunch of courses and students—it is also about the faculty and the staff. We’re all adults going through this crazy, crazy time. And we’re all having good days and bad days.

In uncertain times, there needs to be consistency and reassurance. With constantly changing circumstances, we cannot anticipate every question and concern, but if people understand how we are making decisions, and that we’re applying the same values and principles that define us as a community, then that’s comforting.

A big concern is how the current crisis may lead to even greater gaps in student learning. In D.C., for example, there are families that don’t have access to internet or devices at home and school systems that can’t provide that. What are some lessons that we may share with others around the world experiencing this?

BTL: This is a big issue, both in access to technology and how it’s used.

What we have learned, even as we’ve made this quick transition, is not to get bogged down with the technology, but to really think about pedagogy and engagement. Those are the central tenets regardless of whether learning is face-to-face or online. But differences in access to technology and how it’s used are having effects. Some schools and students have access to much more complicated kinds of technologies that I think are just going to exacerbate inequalities. Again, it’s not just “Do you have a computer?” but also “How is that computer used?” There’s already been discussion about how long we’re going to see gaps in people’s basic skills. The effects of this shock to the system will be felt for years to come.

The other piece is that we’re going to see big differences by age and what we require of our high school versus elementary school students. The gaps will also vary by subject—it takes a lot more creativity to do a chemistry course online. There’s an amazing amount of content online, but the big problem is how to separate out quality and what’s appropriate. In some districts, there are people who figure this out for the teacher. This is where leadership, money, and resources make a big difference. Do the teachers each have to individually figure this out for themselves, or do they have the supports to develop thoughtful, age-appropriate plans that can address the needs of a large variety of students? This is where you see tremendous variation, and even within schools, there are differences by grade and classroom of what teachers have pulled together. Meanwhile, many teachers are balancing this dramatic change while also balancing the needs of their own families—another source of the variation we see.

At HGSE we are trying to share the resources we’ve developed for our own instructors and also help build networks so that educators can compare and share what’s actually working with each other. I hope that with a great deal of ingenuity and creativity, people are figuring out solutions to help address these issues and sharing them more broadly.

For the first time in teacher education programs, the students will be in an online world. This cohort presents an opportunity for building creativity for the future. Is this a silver lining?

BTL: New and aspiring teachers, as well as older teachers, have all become students. What’s key is setting up the conditions for a growth mindset, and the safety to experiment. Some people’s information about what online education is or could be is outdated, and the bar is actually fairly low to get started with the basics.

The goal is just forward progress—everything is not going to go perfectly. If we’re honest, even in our face-to-face classes and pedagogy, most days are not perfect.

You see generational divides in how people feel about technology, but there’s also a lot of new things that people are trying. This is where it’s important to connect educators and encourage peer to peer learning.

When technology disrupted many sectors of the economy, there was hope that it would also accelerate learning and narrow learning gaps, but that never happened. What are some of the transformations that will help us leap forward that we hope to see in school systems?

BTL: There’s the optimistic and the pessimistic side. The more optimistic side is that everybody stuck at home allows us to think much more about personalized learning. In many respects, teachers can actually personalize tools and support much better using resources online. In fact, what I am hearing from my own faculty is that when you’re online, if you’re doing something like Zoom or video chats, all the students are now in the front row. In some ways, you can’t hide the way that you used to, and so teachers can be even more attentive to the needs of their students.

If you’re using functions like chat and so forth, people who don’t tend to speak up can ask questions. Teachers are better able to gauge who’s understanding versus who’s not. In other words, technology can make it easier for struggling students to signal their need for help and revisit resources like videos so that they have more time to digest them.

On the more pessimistic side, this has pushed us to adapt very quickly, and whether it’s mindset, disposition, or just resources, not everyone has been able to make the switch successfully. If you’re in a small crowded apartment with multiple kids and one piece of technology, and you can’t focus, and you don’t have time, it’s hard to imagine how to address all your needs and make way for learning. I do worry about those students falling behind.

We will see differences by family background and resources, but I think we’ll also see some unexpected differences. I wonder, for example, about the gender differences. To oversimplify things a bit, if girls tend to sit quietly and focus longer than boys, then there might be differences in how conducive these technologies are for boys’ learning. On average, we might start to see gaps in educational progress during this time by gender.

To conclude, on a more personal note, how are you and your husband coping? As a parent, how are you getting through this?

BTL: I’m just really thankful that I get to sit at the dinner table with the three people I love the most, who I think are the funniest, most fabulous people. I wonder what the boys will remember from this time 10 years from now. I hope that they remember having more family dinners, cracking jokes, watching movies together, and taking walks together.

In terms of the schooling, I don’t want learning loss, but I don’t know how ambitious I feel right now. I’ve seen great gains that my kids have made this year, and I don’t want them to lose that. I’m also very interested in seeing whether their independence grows under these new conditions and how they’re able to adapt. It’s a time for all of us to grow, and I get a front row seat in a way that I don’t normally.

School is hard, being a teacher is hard, and being responsible for kids is hard. This pandemic has underscored inequities that can’t be ignored, and I hope a time comes when educators are sharing their stories and support for each other in a way that builds community like we haven’t seen before. And I hope the world has a greater appreciation for just how hard it is to educate a student—but also how important and crucial investments in education are for our future.

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What Students Are Saying About Living Through a Pandemic

Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation.

By The Learning Network

The rapidly-developing coronavirus crisis is dominating global headlines and altering life as we know it. Many schools worldwide have closed. In the United States alone, 55 million students are rapidly adjusting to learning and socializing remotely, spending more time with family, and sacrificing comfort and convenience for the greater good.

For this week’s roundup of student comments on our writing prompts , it was only fitting to ask teenagers to react to various dimensions of this unprecedented situation: how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting their daily lives, how we can all help one another during the crisis and what thoughts or stories the term “social distancing” conjures for them.

Every week, we shout out new schools who have commented on our writing prompts. This week, perhaps because of many districts’ move to remote online learning, we had nearly 90 new classes join us from around the world. Welcome to the conversation to students from:

Academy of St. Elizabeth; Abilene, Tex.; Alabama; Anna High School, Tex.; Arlington, Va.; Austria-Hungary; Baltimore, Md.; Bellingham, Wash.; Ben Lippen School; Bloomington, Ind.; Branham High School, San Jose, Calif.; Boston; Buffalo High School, Wyo.; Camdenton, Mo.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Collierville, Tenn.; Dawson High School, Tex.; Denmark; Desert Vista High School; Doylestown, Penn.; Dublin, Calif.; Dunkirk, N.Y. ; Eleanor Murray Fallon Middle School; Elmhurst, Ill.; Fairfax, Va.; Framingham, Mass.; Frederick, Md.; Hartford, Conn.; Jefferson, N.J.; Kantonschule Uster, Switzerland; Laconia, N.H.; Las Vegas; Lashon Academy; Lebanon, N.H.; Ledyard High School; Leuzinger High School; Livonia, Mich.; Manistee Middle School; Miami, Fla.; Melrose High School; Milton Hershey School, Hershey, Penn.; Milwaukee; Montreal; Naguabo, Puerto Rico; Nebraska; Nessacus Regional Middle School; New Rochelle, N.Y.; Newport, Ky.; Newton, Mass.; North Stanly High School; Oakland, Calif.; Papillion Middle School; Polaris Expeditionary Learning School; Pomona, Calif.; Portsmouth, N.H.; Pueblo, Colo.; Reading, Mass.; Redmond Wash.; Richland, Wash.; Richmond Hill Ontario; Ridgeley, W.Va.; Rockford, Mich.; Rovereto, Italy; Salem, Mass.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Seattle, Wash.; Sequoyah School Pasadena; Shackelford Junior High, Arlington, Tex.; South El Monte High School; Sugar Grove, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; Timberview High School; Topsfield, Mass.; Valley Stream North High School; Vienna, Va.; Waupun, Wis.; Wauwatosa, Wis.; Wenatchee, Wash.; Westborough Mass.; White Oak Middle School, Ohio; and Winter Park High School.

We’re so glad to have you here! Now, on to this week’s comments.

Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear as they were originally submitted.

How Is the Coronavirus Outbreak Affecting Your Life?

The coronavirus has changed how we work, play and learn : Schools are closing, sports leagues have been canceled, and many people have been asked to work from home.

We asked students how their lives have changed since the onset of this pandemic. They told us about all the things they miss, what it’s like to learn online, and how they’re dealing with the uncertainty. But, they also pointed out the things that have brought them joy and peace amid the chaos.

Life as we know it, upended

Yesterday my school district announced that our school would be closed until May 5. Upon receiving the email, I immediately contacted my friends to share our responses. To most of my friends and me, this news was no surprise. Already finishing week one of quarantine, I find myself in a state of pessimism in regards to life in the midst of a pandemic. My days have blurred into Google Classroom assignments, hobby seeking, aimless searching on Netflix, and on exceptionally boring days, existential contemplation.

The dichotomy of chance freedom from school and yet the discombobulated feelings of helplessness and loneliness plague my time home alone. My parents are yet working and as an only child, I try my best to stay sane with blasting music and shows. Other times I call my friends to pass the time doing school assignments. Even then, schoolwork seems increasingly pointless.

With most of my classes being APs, the recent CollegeBoard update for the 2020 AP exams was a blow to my educational motivation. I am naturally a driven, passionate learner with intense intellectual curiosity. But in the midst of this chaos, I can’t help feeling like all the assignments from my classes are just busywork. I manage to stay afloat, keeping in mind that everyone is doing their best. Despite no ostensible end in sight, I hope this quarantine brings out the best in me, in society, and in nature.

— Brenda Kim, Valencia High School

The struggles (and joys) of distance learning

Although we do have online school now, it is not the same. Working from home is worse as I don’t care to admit, my work habits from home are not the best. I am easily able to procrastinate at home and having class in bed is not the best idea. Plus, I can no longer get the one on one help teachers provide if needed.

— larisa, california

The coronavirus affected me because now having to do school virtually is kinda hard because I don’t have much of a good wi-fi, and its nerve-racking to know about what we’re gonna do about the tests we have to take in order to pass because I do care about graduating, and going to next grade in order to keep going to finally graduate school and get my diploma I just hope this virus doesn’t affect anything else besides school.

— julien phillips, texas

I personally have to do 2-3 hours of work a day instead of the usual 8 hours (including homework), and it feels more tiring somehow. I’m in the comfort of my home all the time, but have to do this for a few hours, and it feels much more monotonous than 8 hours in a classroom, and that’s what everybody has been doing for a lot of their life.

But in that sense, it also feels a lot calmer not being around people constantly, having anxiety and autism. The people in classrooms are insane. It didn’t affect my life negatively by much, but it really makes me think. If the school system were like this in the near future, I think it would be much more sustainable, in many ways.

— Alexen, Lawrence, Massachusetts

I never understood how much social interaction I experienced at school until the end of the first week of my self quarantine. I had been trapped in my house with my family for about 5 days at that point, when my AP Language and Composition class had a Zoom conference. I had done them for other classes so I wasn’t exactly excited for the opportunity. It was just another zoom lecture.

As it turned out, it wasn’t a lecture, it was a conversation. It was a discussion about our last current events assignment that I didn’t know I desperately needed. The conversation was explosive. Differing opinions flew left and right, people brought their cats to join in the fun, family members popped in and out of the frames, and the controlled chaos felt incredible. I relished in the opportunity to argue and challenge their opinions. I didn’t even realize how isolated I was feeling until I was able to talk to them in a creative and intellectual setting once again.

— Yaffa Segal, New Rochelle High School

Finding new ways to socialize

Finding new ways to stay social has been essential, and recently, my friends and I all drove our cars to a large parking lot, parked more than 6 feet apart from each other, sat in our trunks, talked and enjoyed each other’s company for over an hour and a half. This was crucial in keeping our sanity. We missed each other and being in the presence of people other than our family; however, we were sure to maintain our distance and continue social distancing. We did not touch anything new and we stayed more than 6 feet apart from each other speaking about the adjustments we have been making and the ways we have been coping with all of the changes we are experiencing.

— Carly Rieger, New Rochelle High School

…[T]his “corona-cation” has given me a lot of time to reflect, and while I haven’t seen my friends in person for a week and half, I feel closer to them than ever. We’ve FaceTimed almost every day and we play some of our favorite group games; Psych and PhotoRoulette are two apps I highly recommend to have fun from the comfort of everyone’s homes.

Because my mom has a weak immune system, I’ve been quarantined since the moment my school closed, so social distancing has been a little more than 6 feet for me. However, my friends did make me a care package filled with my favorite candy and a puzzle which my family completed in a week.

— Jessica Griffin, Glenbard West HS Glen Ellyn, IL

Mourning canceled events

To say that this virus has completely changed my day to day living would just be an understatement. I went from having things to do from 7:20am to 8:45pm every week day to absolutely nothing. The whole month of March was going to be booked as well. I had activities such as the Wilmington Marathon that I work at and the Masters Swim meet that I was going to volunteer for. Then I had a club swim meet but everything got canceled. Everything that I was looking forward to just came to a halt and nothing is going to be postponed, just canceled.

— Ellen Phillips, Hoggard

As a High School senior, this quarantine has seemed to just chop off the fun part of our senior year. We had made it so far, and were so close to getting to experience all of the exciting events and traditions set aside for seniors. This includes our graduation, prom (which is a seniors only event at my school), senior picnic, theme weeks, and much more.

— Cesar, Los Angeles

Like many other students involved in their school theatre programs, I was severely affected by the closing of schools due the growing pandemic. My theatre company had been rehearsing our play for months and in an instant, we were no longer allowed to work on our show. The Texas UIL One-Act Play Contest was postponed because of the coronavirus, and while it is a reasonable action, it left an army of theatre students with nothing to do but vent through memes, TikTok, and other forms of social media. These coping mechanisms helped me, as well as my fellow company members, process the reality that after all the hard work we put in, we may never get to perform for an audience.

— Ryan C, Dawson High School

Living with mental, emotional and financial strain

The coronavirus is having a pretty significant impact on me. Physically, it’s reducing my daily physical activity to the point where the most exercise I get is walking around my house and dancing around my room to songs that make me feel like I’m not in the middle of a pandemic. Emotionally, it has also been very straining. My mom is a substitute teacher and she is out of work for the rest of the school year with no pay. I myself am missing my closest friends a lot right now, and feel lonely often.

— Sela Jasim, Branham High School

I struggle a lot with mental health. I have had depression and ptsd, as well as anxiety for years. Seeing people outside of my family is what keeps me sane, especially those closest to me. Having to FaceTime my therapist is weird and scary. Things are so different now, and I’m slowly losing motivation. My thoughts recently have been “don’t think about it” when I think of how long this could possibly last. I am scared for my grandparents, who live across the country. I feel like I haven’t spent enough time with them and I’m losing my chance. Everything is weird. I can’t find a better way to describe it without being negative. This is a really strange time and I don’t like it. I’m trying my hardest to stay positive but that has never been one of my strong suits.

— Caileigh Robinson, Bellingham, Washington

My mom is a nurse so she has to face the virus, in fact today she is at work, her unit is also the unit that will be taking care of coronavirus patients. My whole family is very afraid that she will get very sick.

— Maddie H., Maryland

Appreciating the good

Although we are going through a horrific time filled with all kinds of uncertainty, we are given the opportunity to spend more time with our loved family and learn more about ourselves to a broader extent while also strengthening our mental mindset. I can’t stress the amount of frustration I have to return to class and my everyday routine however, I’ve learned to become stronger mentality while also becoming creative on how I live my life without being surrounded by tons of people everyday.

— anthony naranjo, Los Angeles

Although I could list all the negatives that come with Covid-19, being a junior in high school, this quarantine has been a really nice calm break from a life that seemed to never stop. A break from 35 hour school weeks along with 15 hours worth of work, being able to sit down and do hobbies I missed is something I am really appreciating.

— Ella Fredrikson, Glenbard West, Glen Ellyn, IL

An upside to these past weeks of quarantine is being able to see my usually busy family more, especially my father. I’ve had more talks and laughs with my family the last few days than I’ve had in the past couple of months, which helped lighten such a stressful time in my opinion.

— Marlin Flores, Classical High School

Several months before the outbreak my mom randomly asked me what would I study if I could choose anything, not for a grade, not for any credit. Now, because of corona, I am learning Greek with my father! He can’t travel for work now and doesn’t attend meetings as frequently, so he is at home too.

— Lily, Seoul, Korea

How Can We Help One Another During the Coronavirus Outbreak?

In a series of recent Times articles , authors wrote about the need for solidarity and generosity in this time of fear and anxiety and the need for Americans to make sacrifices to ensure their safety and that of others in their community.

So we asked students what they and their friends, family and community could do to help and look out for one another during the coronavirus outbreak. Here is what they said:

Help your neighbors, especially the sick and elderly.

There are so many things we can do to help each other during this pandemic. Use gloves when you go shopping or are in public, masks if you think that it would be best for you, those who have more wiggle room financially can help out others who don’t have that same wiggle room financially and who are now struggling, buy groceries for those who can’t afford it or are at risk if they were to go out in public. Donate if you can, and help the elderly or those who desperately need it, and for goodness sake wash your hands and (for all that need to hear the reminder) SOCIAL DISTANCING IS A FRIEND. Social distancing is proven to help drastically, so please, social distance.

— Dakodah, Camdenton, MO

As a person, we have the ability to help our friends, families, elders, people with illnesses in our community and people with high risks of getting the virus. We can accomplish this by simply observing who may need help with shopping, for groceries or clothes, with yard work, or any kind of outside work that is done where there are rooms full of people, such as going to the bank. As a younger person and a person with a low risk of getting the virus, I have the capability to walk to places and go in and out of buildings with a smaller chance of getting the virus as compared to one of my elder neighbors. My friends and I can go around the neighborhood and see who needs help during this hard time, whether I have to give them money or food to help them out.

— Adrianna P, New York

Many elderly people in my vicinity suffer from chronic conditions and illnesses and there are others who often live alone. Going to the grocery store or the pharmacy can also be hassle for many. Due to the recent pandemic, people are stocking up necessities however, some people are not being practical and overstock, not leaving anything for others. Fights are breaking out in grocery stores and this is a dangerous situation to put the elderly in.

— Sydney, B

In our American society we tend to be very individualistic. This pandemic has truly proved that point as people do not care for other but themselves. During this time we should consider not only ourselves but the people in need, which are the elderly and young children. Instead of hoarding all the food share some with a neighbor or an old person that doesn’t quite have the ability to run around store to store grabbing what they can. Make sure when you feel ill or if a family member feels ill to stay contained in your home. If this is not an option you could always take your ideas to social media, posting ways to stay clean and making sure we support the people who need it.

— Marley Gutierrez, Pomona, CA

Stay connected.

We could help one another just by the simple ways of: texting your friends every now and then and keep them in check and give them positive reinforcements; call your far away family and report to them on how you are doing and make sure that they are doing OK as well; help elders that are not safe to go out by running errands for them.

— Xammy Yang, California

It’s really important for everyone to stay in contact with others. Be open to talking to people you don’t necessarily talk to all the time just so you can fulfill your own social requirements. It’s also important to listen to others and take into account their feelings. We are all in a time of stress and anxiety about the unknown and we have to just go with the flow and wait it out. I’m stressed about possibly missing milestones in my life, like prom and graduation, but there are others suffering. We all just need to be prepared, stay healthy, and reach out to others.

— Elysia P., Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, IL

Stay apart.

The most important thing one can do during this time of uncertainty is to protect oneself, that is how one can protect others. By practicing social distancing, the risk of spreading germs or disease is reduced. From within one’s home, much can be done. Keeping in touch with close friends and family, donating money and food to those in need and not hoarding or stockpiling too much are all things one could do to support one’s community. Every little thing counts.

— Francheska M-Q, Valley Stream North

Honestly, as boring as it sounds, staying home is the best way we can help against the coronavirus. The second best in my opinion would be spreading the word and encouraging others to wash their hands often and to not go in large groups. Our number one priority should be protecting the elderly and people more vulnerable to getting the disease, or more likely for it to be fatal. If I were to get the virus, my chances of death would be very low, but I would be most worried about accidentally passing on the virus to an elderly person who might not be so lucky. Staying home, clean, and avoiding large groups is the safest and best way for us to help in efforts against the coronavirus.

— Christian Cammack, Hoggard High School In Wilmington, NC

Stay informed.

During this time of crisis, seeking accurate information should remain people’s main focus. Reading articles from trusted sources such as the CDC and New York Times rather than sensationalized media that spreads false rumors for attention will improve reactions to this scary situation because it has the potential to reduce panic and allow people to find ways proven to slow the spread of the virus.

— Argelina J., NY

Donate to those in need.

We can help one another during the virus break by doing online donations to people who need it the most, not taking supplies that you know you don’t need, and/or offering online support for those who have relatives that have the virus and want someone to talk to. We, as a community, can keep distance and update each other on the constant updating news.

— Marisa Mohan<3, NY

… donate food to food banks or homeless shelters. Food is even more of a necessity right now, so it is crucial that everyone has what they need because some people get their food from school or from work, which isn’t available at the moment. Finally, even if we feel we’re healthy and we’re not afraid to get the Coronavirus, it is very vital to participate in social distancing because it will help society overall.

— Bridget McBride, Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, IL

Encourage positivity.

In my opinion, we should all do our best to help and encourage each other with healthy habits and staying positive. Too many people are worried about the coronavirus. What will happen because of this is more stress and anxiety. In turn, this leads to people stocking up on products and taking resources from other people who need them. As long as we all contribute and help one another, we will be able to keep things under control.

— Mieko, CA

Learn lessons for future preparedness.

I believe that this horrible trouble we are all put into is teaching our younger generations such as me, to be prepared when these unexpected events happen. We can help the elders and take care of them because if we don’t prepare next time then we will struggle to survive if the coronavirus becomes a long term thing. This situation is also bringing our communities together, or at least teaching us to. We can learn to share resources that maybe we have to much of. Just a couple days ago, my grandma had ran out of cleaning supplies and she didn’t have a working car at the time. My family and I decided to give her some of our extra supplies since we stocked up on so much. I believe that we can definitely use this time to help our minds grow and learn new things.

— Becky Alonso, CA

Things we shouldn’t do

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.” -Hippocrates This quote describes my opinion of the COVID-19 crisis. Our communities must make sacrifices in order to overcome the trials we are facing. Instead of describing what we should do, I am going to shortly convey examples of what our local communities shouldn’t do. We shouldn’t panic. Panic causes the nervous system to spark and will create unsettling emotions that will produce nothing helpful for the situation at hand. We shouldn’t buy abundant amounts of resources unless instructed to. Please be considerate towards these people because they probably are struggling a lot more than you at the moment. We should be mindful of others. I am not saying we have to interact with everyone (DO NOT DO THAT), but I am saying we should be kind when we do interact.

— Adrianna Waterford, Bloomington, IN

What Story Could This Image Tell?

In our Picture Prompt, “ Social Distancing, ” we asked students to write memoirs and poems inspired by the illustration above, or tell a short story from the perspective of one of the people pictured. In prose and poetry, they expressed a range of responses to the pandemic , from fear, panic and anxiety to resilience and hope.

Creative short stories

From the perspective of the Binocular guy:

I thought social distancing would be great, no one would bother me or interrupt my work. But actually doing it makes me realize that those things, those pains in my neck that would annoy me, are the things I miss the most. I miss the smell of Phyllis’s choking perfume. I miss Michael pacing around the office. I miss the way that Pam would bite her pen when she was focusing. I miss people. Now that I’m alone in my apartment, I hunger for human interaction. I have taken to staring out the window at people walking past and imagining the conversations they have. Oh how I wish to be a part of them, but I can’t risk going outside. I thought my window would cure my loneliness, but it has only made it worse. Social distancing has hurt me more than any virus could.

— Andrew B., Abilene

It’s another day in the city. Car horns honking, people scurrying over town, and there I am. No, not that person or the other. In the upper left corner. Do you see me? Yes, you found me! The only creature not on a screen. I have never understood why they sit there and look at their own devices. I enjoy sitting on the roof and looking at others. People watching is my favorite, but the only thing that most people are watching is a tiny screen. Everyone is wrapped up in their circumstances. Sick in bed with their computer, walking down the stairs with a device. But I’ll be here, waiting for someone to notice me — just the dog on the rooftop.

— Hope Heinrichs, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Opening to short story for the homeless man:

It’s so cold out today. My blanket is the only that is keeping me partially warm. Before today, my HELP sign got me a few dimes. That way I could buy some food. But today, the streets are empty. The only people passing by either have masks covering their face or run past me with their hands full of food and supplies. I wonder what’s going on?

— Ariel S., Los Angeles

Cold: That’s all he feels as he’s reclining on a random door.

Scared: That’s what he wants to avoid feeling as he sees people coughing around him.

Alone: That’s what he is as he wanders from place to place, looking for somewhere to spend the night.

Worried: That the door’s owner might make him leave his only sanctuary.

Pity: That’s the emotion he evokes on the few that are brave enough to wander the streets.

Remorse: That’s the emotion that the passersby show when they refuse to stop to help.

Cold: That’s all he feels as he realizes that he has no one.

— Laura Arbona, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Memoirs in the time of coronavirus

Trapped. The walls are closing in. Someone coughs from outside, I immediately close the blinds and clorox the window. The television is on loud. The person on the other end of the line of dad’s phone is obviously deaf because dad is yelling into our end. In line for the computer, I have been waiting for two hours.

— Allison Coble, Hoggard High School

It all began with just one human. After days there where more and more infected people and everything started to be different. We all thought it isn’t that bad and China is the only one who suffers but we were absolutely wrong … Now there are too much cities which are in quarantine and there are about 16 thousand deaths. I’m scared. And I can#t do anything than staying at home and pray. I often watch videos and try to distract myself. When people ask me what has changed I can say: Everything. The human has changed. The human attitude has changed. Just everything. It’s not surprising for me if you can’t find toilet paper or water. The people are going crazy because of this virus. They know that they can be in danger fast if they just make one false decision. In this time we all have our anxiety. Either we are scared of being infected or we are scared that a loved one is infected.

— jana.hhg, Germany

This pic remind to me that we live in this period. Under from the outbreak of pandemic’s coronavirus, we stop to go out in order to avoid each social contact. So, we stay our home every day, all day. Most of the people stop working regularly and they work from home. The schools and other utilities are closed down and remain still open grocery stores and services for essential products. The whole world is in quarantine. Our effort to be uninfected is captured from this pic.

— Joanna, Greece

This photo shows that even in a time where socializing is not advising, humans are naturally social and are still coexisting in this time of distancing. The way the artist drew this made me feel a sense of separation but also togetherness at the same time, which is similar to the way I feel now. We’re all living our different lives with different situations and yet, we’re all somewhat connected.

— Ella Shynett, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Its Day 3 of quarantine and its starting to hit. This picture shows us how people are pretty much keeping as much distance away from people as possible. They’re still living their lives normally, just alone. But at my house it’s anything but normal. Every time I touch a light switch, my mom swoops in and wipes it down with a Clorox wipe. When I have to itch my nose, my mom screams at me. But I know deep down she’s just trying to keep me and my sister safe from the virus. She mainly wants to protect my grandma, who is very vulnerable at this time. Its gonna take some time to adjust to this type of living, not seeing friends in person for weeks, or just going to starbucks. But I know that it will all pass in no time and we can go back to living our normal lives. I actually can’t wait for school to start for once.

— Dean, Glenbard West Highschool

Stuck inside with nothing to do I’m really bored can’t think of anything at all :/. All I can do is homework woohoo Cant see my friends all I can do is call Trying to get it all done before its due With this virus I sadly can’t even go to the mall Thinking of you and you and you Can’t wait to go back to school and walk the fourth grade hall!

— Isabella V Grade 4, Jefferson Township, NJ

Poem by The Lady Running With Toilet Paper:

TP TP Why do people have to hoard it It’s the coronavirus, not diarrhea Don’t’ jack up the prices, I can’t afford it One pack, that’s it It’s all I could find To those hoarding the toilet paper You make me lose my hope in mankind

As I rush down the vacant street I pass by some stores Some open, some closed As I scramble past the doors No one seems to be coughing But I can feel it in the air A dull creeping paranoia Assembling into a scare

Up the stairs I make sure to not touch anything Don’t forget to use your elbows Don’t touch the key ring In through the door, drop the TP, wash my hands Wipe down the counter, wipe down the door Make sure to cancel any plans

Sit in solitude Turn on the TV and watch the news All I’m able to think is, “Oh god we’re screwed!”

— Ellinor Jonasson, Minnesota

Is social distancing impractical, when we live at such close proximity, drink tea with the neighbors, or buy food from the Deli,

You could choose to be stubborn, and get frustrated from being indoors, or you could be compliant, And watch the birds soar,

In the end it’s our choice where we decide to look, The dirty wall to the left, or the canvas on the right,

— Saharsh Satheesh, Collierville High School, Tennessee

Education in a post-COVID world: Nine ideas for public action

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What’s the value of an education during the pandemic?

This article was published more than 3 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

People are seen on the front steps of Ryerson University on campus in Toronto on Sept. 8, 2020. Cole Burston/The Canadian Press

Will Baldwin is a third-year journalism student at Ryerson University.

As my Monday lab comes to an end at 6 p.m., concluding my seventh-straight hour of staring at my computer screen alone in my room on Zoom, I can’t help but wonder if this is worth it.

The pandemic has forced universities and their students into a new normal. In September, according to CourseCompare, 53 per cent of Canadian postsecondary schools planned to deliver programs mainly online, with 40 per cent prepared to operate in a hybrid model in the fall semester. Gone are the defining experiences of making friends on campus or learning to live away from home. And while there’s no doubt that professors are trying their best – they too did not sign up for this, and for the most part students recognize the difficulties of teaching online – the education we’re receiving this school year just isn’t what we expected when we enrolled.

And yet, students in this country are lucky if this new form of education costs them what they would have paid before the pandemic. Universities in Canada have, as a whole, managed to increase tuition fees. According to Statistics Canada , average tuition fees for a Canadian student for 2020-21 are $6,580, up from $6,468 last year. They can include things such as recreation, campus safety and athletic fees, even though sports have been cancelled and many schools’ facilities have been closed.

With the first semester now coming to an end, and with many institutions announcing that they’re planning for more of the same next semester, students such as myself are feeling trapped – expected to pay the same (or more) for this inferior experience, with fewer and fewer ways to make the dollars work.

Some schools have justified keeping their fees high by pointing to the costs of keeping buildings up to standards and the added expense of online technologies. Just why it costs the same to maintain a building that is essentially empty is a question administrators have studiously avoided answering.

With online classes, one of the advantages should be that we no longer need expensive learning spaces. Yet here we are, with schools hiding behind the idea that offering courses via Zoom somehow requires such a massive uptick in the technology bill that tuition fees should be essentially identical.

Tuition rising or being high isn’t a new issue. As provinces such as Ontario have trimmed their budgets for university funding, students have had to work even harder to pay the rising costs of education. We understand that professors have to be paid fairly and that school infrastructure must be kept up.

But the suggestion that building repairs, room rentals and campus-specific needs such as security cost the same with so few students on campus is just mockery.

When students say the cost of school is too high in 2020-21, we’re not asking for a handout. We rely on every dollar in the best of times, and now, facing a recession and bearing the additional costs of living through a pandemic, each dollar is that much more important.

We’ve also lost traditional revenue streams. Many students rely on part-time work to fund their educations, but this July, the unemployment rate of returning students was 27.6 per cent, compared with 13.3 per cent in the same month last year, according to Statscan. By October, with the school year under way, the unemployment rate for youth was still 18.8 per cent, compared with 10 per cent as recently as January. These jobs, often in industries such as food services and retail, are not likely to return as lockdowns wear on.

Still, our institutions refuse to listen. That’s left us stuck in purgatory, being squeezed for more money while struggling to find ways to make it and getting less for what we’re paying. Given that these are supposed to be places of higher education, you’d think they’d engage with students’ opinions on their current situation. And yet, we’re hanging in there, forced by seemingly uncaring schools to continue to learn the hard way.

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The changing role of teachers and technologies amidst the COVID 19 pandemic: key findings from a cross-country study

Maria barron, cristóbal cobo, alberto munoz-najar, inaki sanchez ciarrusta.

“Whoever teaches learns in the act of teaching and whoever learns teaches in the act of learning" wrote the Brazilian pedagogue Paulo Freire in his famous book “Pedagogy of Freedom” (1996). 

Despite the overwhelming consequences of the pandemic, this global crisis has also been an extraordinary time for learning. We are learning how adaptable and resilient educational systems, policy makers, teachers, students and families can be. In this blog (which is part of a series highlighting key lessons learned from a study to understand the perceived effectiveness of remote learning solutions, forthcoming) we summarize lessons learned in different countries, with special focus on teachers and how they had to quickly reimagine human connections and interactions to facilitate learning. The role of teachers is rapidly evolving becoming in many ways more difficult than when learning took place only in person. 

How has the pandemic changed the role of teachers?

Two crucial factors have shifted due to the pandemic. First, pedagogical adaptations have proven to be pivotal as the traditional lecturing in-person models do not translate to a remote learning environment. No matter the type of channel used (radio, TV, mobile, online platforms, etc.) teachers need to adapt their practices and be creative to keep students engaged as every household has become a classroom - more often than not - without an environment that supports learning. Some countries are supporting teachers with this. In Sierra Leone , where the main remote learning channel is radio, a ‘live’ and toll-free phone line is open for students to call teachers with questions and schedules of radio lessons allow time for children to help their families with daily chores.

Second, the pandemic has recalibrated how teachers divide their time between teaching, engaging with students, and administrative tasks. In Brazil according to a survey conducted by Instituto Peninsula, 83% of teachers did not consider being prepared to teach remotely, 67% were anxious, 38% felt tired, and less than 10% were happy or satisfied. The pandemic has highlighted the need for flexibility and more time for student-teacher interactions. For example, in Estonia teachers were given autonomy to adjust the curriculum, lesson plans, and their time allocation. 

How systems have supported teachers in their new role?

Almost 90% of countries that responded to the survey of Ministries of Education on National Responses to COVID-19 conducted by UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank (2020) supported teachers by sharing guidelines stressing the importance of: providing feedback to students, maintaining constant communication with caregivers, and reporting to local education units to keep track of learning. Fewer governments took a different approach: Costa Rica developed a digital toolbox with pedagogical resources such as a guide for autonomous work, the state of São Paulo in Brazil organized frequent two-hour conversations between Secretary Rossieli Soares and teachers  through the mobile application developed by the state. These conversations and tools allowed governments to have an open line of communication with teachers to better understand their concerns and adjust remote learning programs.

As teachers started to implement these guidelines and recommendations, they found themselves balancing educating and providing feedback to students remotely, filling administrative reports, and taking care of their families. Some governments recognized early-on that their well-intentioned teacher support systems ended up generating burnout. Peru’s Ministry of Education was open to receive feedback and reacted rapidly by changing the guidelines to reduce teacher’s administrative workload. The state of Minas Gerais in Brazil developed the mobile application ‘Conexao Escola’ to encourage teacher-student interaction during designated time after each class, avoiding a situation in which students contacted teachers through WhatsApp or text message throughout the day. In Uruguay, teachers were expected to fill administrative information, but instead of requesting new information from them, the government decided to use GURI, a digital platform that has been used by Uruguayan teachers for over 10 years to report information such as student attendance and grades.

Beyond providing guidelines and tools, some governments have leveraged existing professional development programs that worked before the pandemic. The state of Edo in Nigeria trained all 11 thousand primary school teachers who are part of the Edo-BEST program in the past two years to effectively use digital technologies in the classroom; during the pandemic, this in-service teacher training program transitioned from in-person to remote training. Similarly, in Uruguay, The Institute for in-Service Teacher Training took an existing coaching program online to provide remote pedagogical support and Ceibal strengthened its teacher training program and Open Educational Resources repository. While over 90% of Uruguayan teachers were satisfied with the remote training received during the pandemic, some expressed the need for further training.

What impact have technologies generated in this changing role?  

Faced with the pandemic, countries have combined high-tech and low-tech approaches to help teachers better support student learning . In Cambodia, for example, education leaders designed a strategy that combines SMS, printed handouts, and continuous teacher feedback , taking advantage of the high mobile phone penetration in the country. The approach goes beyond providing low-tech materials: it gives information on how to access learning programs, ensures students access paper-based learning materials, and includes home visits to monitor distance learning activities. Teachers are also expected to provide weekly paper-based resources to students and meet them weekly to provide their marked worksheets and issue new ones for the week ahead.  

Technology has also enhanced government-teacher support , adapting existing coaching programs to be delivered remotely (as the mentioned cases of Nigeria and Uruguay), creating spaces for peer support programs (for example the Virtual EdCamps initiative, created to facilitate peer-to-peer learning among teachers) or establishing EdTech hotlines for teachers (like in Estonia, where the HITSA – the Information Technology Foundation for Education - opened an educational technology information line to solve any technological question teachers might have).

Technology interventions should enhance teacher engagement with students , through improved access to content, data and networks, helping teachers better support student learning, as laid out in the World Bank’s Platform for Successful Teachers , where effective use of technology is one of the key principles to ensure cadres of effective teachers. 

How policymakers can support teachers during the reopening of schools?

In order to build back stronger education systems, countries will need to apply those teaching initiatives that have proved to be effective during the remote learning phase and integrate them into the regular education system. It is critical to empower teachers , investing in the necessary skills development and capacity building to exploit the full potential of remote and blended learning. 

Equally important is to free teachers’ time from administrative tasks (as Brazil, Peru and Uruguay did), focus on what is pedagogically effective, and provide socio-emotional support for teachers.  The pandemic and the extended school closures have changed the role of teachers and most of them were not prepared for such change; a comprehensive strategy is required for socio-emotional monitoring and psychosocial support to ensure teacher wellbeing and avoid burnout.

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• Education in the time of a pandemic

by: Lynn Margarita O. Palis

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There is an old saying that goes, “Education is the only inheritance which nobody can take away from you.” Our elders have always emphasized the importance of education in one’s life, no matter how dire one’s circumstances in life are. In our country, people put a premium on it to uplift one’s quality of life.

This old saying was never truer than when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in the country. Students still continued with their studies despite economic and physical setbacks brought about by the pandemic.

During this time there was a notable number of private school students transferring to public schools. According to the data gathered by the Department of Education (DepEd), before the start of the academic year 2020 to 2021, it was estimated that 250,539 students transferred from private to public schools. During the school year opening in August 2020, DepEd reported that around 380,000 students made the choice to transfer from a private to a public school.

When asked about the increase of transferees, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said that private schools have been affected by the downturn of the economy because of the parents who lost their jobs and therefore cannot fund the studies of their children. This observation was echoed by Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) Managing Director Joseph Noel Estrada who said, “The primary reason for this is the economic impact [of the pandemic] on families – parents losing jobs, losing businesses. As we all know, schools are fully tuition-funded, if many students do not enroll, many schools would definitely shut down. And many cannot enroll because many lost their jobs or closed down their businesses.”

As a result of this, enrollment in private schools plunged. For school year 2020 to 2021, the COCOPEA reported that enrollment in private schools declined by 50% (equivalent to 2 million students). COCOPEA Director Estrada feared that many schools will shut down due to this trend.

Fortunately for private schools, Republic Act No. 11534, otherwise known as the “Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprise Act” or CREATE Law had been passed into law. The CREATE Law is part of the tax reform program of the government aimed at lowering corporate income tax rates and to rationalize the grant of incentives for qualified businesses. One of the amendments introduced by the CREATE Law was the lowering of income tax rates of proprietary educational institutions and hospitals which are nonprofit from 10% to 1% for the period from 01 July 2020 until 30 June 2023. However, should there be more than 50 percent of the gross income of these entities come from ‘unrelated trade, business, or other activity,’ their total gross income will be subject to 25 percent. The law defines ‘unrelated trade, business or other activity’ as any trade, business or other activity, the conduct of which is not substantially related to the performance of the primary function of such schools and hospitals.

The CREATE Law was a welcome break for private schools who are trying to keep afloat because of the substantial loss of income due to the pandemic. After all, it was not only the educational institutions that were affected by sudden decrease in enrollment, but also the employees who depended on school enrollment such as the educators, non-teaching personnel, maintenance personnel, canteen concessionaires, and even the dormitories and establishments operating near the schools.

Unfortunately, the reassurance seemed to be short-lived. The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 5-2021 which aimed to implement the CREATE Law. Section 2 of RR No. 5-2021 defined “proprietary educational institutions” as “private schools, which are non-profit for  purposes of these Regulations, maintained and administered by private individuals or groups, with an issued permit to operate from the Department of Education (DepEd) or the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), as the case may be”.

Many people reacted to RR No. 5-2021’s definition of a “private school.” Based on the RR, for a private school to be entitled to the 10 percent (currently pegged at 1% until 30 June 2023) tax rate, it was imperative that a private school meets two conditions: proprietary and non-profit. This definition effectively disqualified the majority of private schools from enjoying the tax benefits under the CREATE Law as most private schools operate for profit. The private schools that did not qualify under the two conditions imposed by RR No. 5-2021 were subjected to the regular 25 percent corporate income tax rate.

In order to deal with their already fragile situation, which was further exacerbated by RR No. 5-2021, it was reported that the COCOPEA and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) lobbied extensively with the legislature in order to address the situation. The legislature responded by passing R.A. No. 11635, otherwise known as the “Act Amending Section 27(B) of the Tax Code.”

Section 1 of R.A. No. 11635 clarified the dilemma brought by R.R. No. 5-2021 by stating clearly the following: “Hospitals which are nonprofit and propriety educational institutions shall pay a tax of ten percent (10%) on their taxable income except those covered by Subsection (D) hereof: Provided, that beginning 1 July 2020 until 30 June 2023, the tax rate herein imposed shall be one percent (1%).”

Following the wording of R.A. No. 11635, the entities entitled to the lower tax rates of 10 percent (currently 1%) are nonprofit hospitals and proprietary educational institutions. There is no further need for private schools to be both proprietary and non-profit in order to enjoy the low tax rates. Majority of private schools are now qualified to enjoy the low tax rates as originally intended under the CREATE Law.

While it is the job of the tax authorities to be resourceful in finding ways to improve the government’s finances during this pandemic, it should not jeopardize those who are educating the youth. By helping the private educational sector survive during this pandemic, the government is also helping our youth survive by giving them more access to quality education.

Lynn Margarita O. Palis is a Tax Supervisor from the Tax Group of KPMG R.G. Manabat & Co. (RGM&Co.), the Philippine member firm of KPMG International. The firm has been recognized in 2021 as a Tier 1 in Transfer Pricing Practice and in General Corporate Tax Practice by the International Tax Review.

This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent KPMG International or KPMG RGM&Co.

For questions and inquiries, feel free to send a message through social media or [email protected] .

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Original research article, teaching and learning continuity amid and beyond the pandemic.

• Office of the University President, Palompon - Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Garcia-Center for Research and Development, Olvido - Office of the Board and University Secretary, Cebu, Philippines

The study explored the challenges and issues in teaching and learning continuity of public higher education in the Philippines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study employed the exploratory mixed-method triangulation design and analyzed the data gathered from 3, 989 respondents composed of students and faculty members. It was found out that during school lockdowns, the teachers made adjustments in teaching and learning designs guided by the policies implemented by the institution. Most of the students had difficulty complying with the learning activities and requirements due to limited or no internet connectivity. Emerging themes were identified from the qualitative responses to include the trajectory for flexible learning delivery, the role of technology, the teaching and learning environment, and the prioritization of safety and security. Scenario analysis provided the contextual basis for strategic actions amid and beyond the pandemic. To ensure teaching and learning continuity, it is concluded that higher education institutions have to migrate to flexible teaching and learning modality recalibrate the curriculum, capacitate the faculty, upgrade the infrastructure, implement a strategic plan and assess all aspects of the plan.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges economically, socially, and politically across the globe. More than just a health crisis, it has resulted in an educational crisis. During lockdowns and quarantines, 87% of the world’s student population was affected and 1.52 billion learners were out of school and related educational institutions ( UNESCO Learning Portal, 2020 ). The suddenness, uncertainty, and volatility of COVID-19 left the education system in a rush of addressing the changing learning landscape.

The disruption of COVID-19 in the educational system is of great magnitude that universities have to cope with at the soonest possible time. The call is for higher education institutions to develop a resilient learning system using evidence-based and needs-based information so that responsive and proactive measures can be instituted. Coping with the effects of COVID-19 in higher education institutions demands a variety of perspectives among stakeholders. Consultation needs to include the administration who supports the teaching-learning processes, the students who are the core of the system, the faculty members or teachers who perform various academic roles, parents, and guardians who share the responsibility of learning continuity, the community, and the external partners who contribute to the completion of the educational requirements of the students. These complicated identities show that an institution of higher learning has a large number of stakeholders ( Illanes et al., 2020 ; Smalley, 2020 ). In the context of the pandemic, universities have to start understanding and identifying medium-term and long-term implications of this phenomenon on teaching, learning, student experience, infrastructure, operation, and staff. Scenario analysis and understanding of the context of each university are necessary to the current challenges they are confronted with (Frankki et al., 2020). Universities have to be resilient in times of crisis. Resiliency in the educational system is the ability to overcome challenges of all kinds–trauma, tragedy, crises, and bounce back stronger, wiser, and more personally powerful ( Henderson, 2012 ). The educational system must prepare to develop plans to move forward and address the new normal after the crisis. To be resilient, higher education needs to address teaching and learning continuity amid and beyond the pandemic.

Teaching and Learning in Times of Crisis

The teaching and learning process assumes a different shape in times of crisis. When disasters and crises (man-made and natural) occur, schools and colleges need to be resilient and find new ways to continue the teaching–learning activities ( Chang-Richards et al., 2013 ). One emerging reality as a result of the world health crisis is the migration to online learning modalities to mitigate the risk of face-to-face interaction. Universities are forced to migrate from face-to-face delivery to online modality as a result of the pandemic. In the Philippines, most universities including Cebu Normal University have resorted to online learning during school lockdowns. However, this sudden shift has resulted in problems especially for learners without access to technology. When online learning modality is used as a result of the pandemic, the gap between those who have connectivity and those without widened. The continuing academic engagement has been a challenge for teachers and students due to access and internet connectivity.

Considering the limitation on connectivity, the concept of flexible learning emerged as an option for online learning especially in higher institutions in the Philippines. Flexible learning focuses on giving students choice in the pace, place, and mode of students’ learning which can be promoted through appropriate pedagogical practice ( Gordon, 2014 ). The learners are provided with the option on how he/she will continue with his/her studies, where and when he/she can proceed, and in what ways can the learners comply with the requirements and show evidences of learning outcomes. Flexible learning and teaching span a multitude of approaches that can meet the varied needs of diverse learners. These include “independence in terms of time and location of learning, and the availability of some degree of choice in the curriculum (including content, learning strategies, and assessment) and the use of contemporary information and communication technologies to support a range of learning strategies” ( Alexander, 2010 ).

One key component in migrating to flexible modality is to consider how flexibility is integrated into the key dimensions of teaching and learning. One major consideration is leveraging flexibility in the curriculum. The curriculum encompasses the recommended, written, taught or implemented, assessed, and learned curriculum ( Glatthorn, 2000 ). Curriculum pertains to the curricular programs, the teaching, and learning design, learning resources as assessment, and teaching and learning environment. Adjustment on the types of assessment measures is a major factor amid the pandemic. There is a need to limit requirements and focus on the major essential projects that measure the enduring learning outcomes like case scenarios, problem-based activities, and capstone projects. Authentic assessments have to be intensified to ensure that competencies are acquired by the learners. In the process of modifying the curriculum amid the pandemic, it must be remembered that initiatives and evaluation tasks must be anchored on what the learners need including their safety and well-being.

Curriculum recalibration is not just about the content of what is to be learned and taught but how it is to be learned, taught, and assessed in the context of the challenges brought about by the pandemic. A flexible curriculum design should be learner-centered; take into account the demographic profile and circumstances of learners–such as access to technology, technological literacies, different learning styles and capabilities, different knowledge backgrounds and experiences - and ensure varied and flexible forms of assessment ( Ryan and Tilbury, 2013 ; Gachago et al., 2018 ). The challenge during the pandemic is how to create a balance between relevant basic competencies for the students to acquire and the teachers’ desire to achieve the intended outcomes of the curriculum.

The learners’ engagement in the teaching-learning process needs to be taken into consideration in the context of flexibility. This is about the design and development of productive learning experiences so that each learner is exposed to most of the learning opportunities. Considering that face-to-face modality is not feasible during the pandemic, teachers may consider flexible distant learning options like correspondence teaching, module-based learning, project-based, and television broadcast. For learners with internet connectivity, computer-assisted instruction, synchronous online learning, asynchronous online learning, collaborative e-learning may be considered.

The Role of Technology in Learning Continuity

Technology provides innovative and resilient solutions in times of crisis to combat disruption and helps people to communicate and even work virtually without the need for face-to-face interaction. This leads to many system changes in organizations as they adopt new technology for interacting and working ( Mark and Semaan, 2008 ). However, technological challenges like internet connectivity especially for places without signals can be the greatest obstacle in teaching and learning continuity especially for academic institutions who have opted for online learning as a teaching modality. Thus, the alternative models of learning during the pandemic should be supported by a well-designed technical and logistical implementation plan ( Edizon, 2020 ).

The nationwide closure of educational institutions in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus has impacted 90% of the world’s student population ( UNESCO, 2020 ). It is the intent of this study to look into the challenges in teaching and learning continuity amidst the pandemic. The need to mitigate the immediate impact of school closures on the continuity of learning among learners from their perspectives is an important consideration ( Edizon, 2020 ; Hijazi, 2020 ; UNESCO, 2020 ). Moreover, the teachers' perspectives are equally as important as the learners since they are the ones providing and sustaining the learning process. Teachers should effectively approach these current challenges to facilitate learning among learners, learner differentiation, and learner-centeredness and be ready to assume the role of facilitators on the remote learning platforms ( Chi-Kin Lee, 2020 ; Edizon, 2020 ; Hijazi, 2020 ).

Statement of Objective

This study explores the issues and challenges in teaching and learning amid the pandemic from the lenses of the faculty members and students of a public university in the Philippines as the basis for the development of strategic actions for teaching and learning continuity. Specifically, this study aimed to:

a.1. Preferred flexible learning activities.

a.2. Problems completing Requirements due to ICT Limitation

a.3. Provision of alternative/additional requirement.

a.4. Receipt of learning feedback.

a.5. Learning environment.

Objective 2: determine the profile of faculty and students in terms of online capacity as categorized into:

b.1. Access to Information Technology.

b.2. Access to Internet/Wi-fi.

b.3. Stability of internet connection.

Objective 3: develop emerging themes from the experiences and challenges of teaching and learning amidst the pandemic.

Methodology

The design used in the study is an exploratory mixed-method triangulation design. It was utilized to obtain different information but complementary data on a common topic or intent of the study, bringing together the differing strengths non-overlapping weaknesses of quantitative methods with those of qualitative methods ( Creswell, 2006 ). The use of the mixed method provided the data used as a basis for the analysis and planning perspective of the study.

This study was conducted in the context of a state university funded by the Philippine government whose location was once identified as having one of the highest COVID19 cases in the country. With this incidence, the sudden suspension of classes and the immediate need to shift the learning platform responsive to the needs of the learners lend a significant consideration in this study. This explored the perspectives of the learners in terms of their current capacity and its implications in the learning continuity using online learning. These were explored based on the availability of gadgets, internet connectivity, and their learning experiences with their teachers. These perspectives were also explored on the part of the teachers as they were the ones who provided learning inputs to the students. These are necessary information to identify strategic actions for the teaching and learning continuity plan of the university.

After getting the quantitative and qualitative findings, these data were reviewed to provide a clear understanding of teachers’ and learners’ context and their experiences. From this information, a scenario analysis through scenario building was conducted which led to the development of the strategic actions for teaching and learning continuity. Scenario analysis is a method used in predicting the possible occurrences of consequences of a situation assuming the phenomenon will be continued in the future ( Kishita et al., 2016 ). This approach is considered a useful way for exploring plausible events that may or may not happen in the future ( Bekessy and Selinske, 2017 ). This approach was used to analyze the behavior of both teachers and students as part of the whole system in response to an unexpected event such as the pandemic which creates a theoretical scenario of best -case (optimistic) or worse case (pessimistic) scenario to enable the university to develop a holistic strategic plan for the teaching and learning continuity ( Balaman, 2019 ).

Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used simultaneously. In this study, objectives 1 and 2 require data on the profile of the teachers and learners which can best be acquired using a descriptive quantitative design. This was done through an online structured survey was conducted to identify the challenges in teaching and learning using google forms. Choices were provided in the Google form which the respondents can choose from. The surveys were done by the Cebu Normal University - Center for Research and Development and Federation of Supreme Student Council.

The qualitative approach was utilized to answer objective number 3 which looked into the experiences and challenges of the teachers and the learners. The narratives which the respondents submitted were done through online open-ended questions to allow them to share their experiences and challenges. These were analyzed using a thematic approach to best provide a clear description of the experiences and challenges.

After the analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data, the team of researchers developed the possible scenarios that will take place as the basis for the flexible strategic actions that the university will adapt depending on the classification of community quarantine and the health situation of the locale where the university is located. In the analysis of the current status of Cebu Normal University, parameters are reviewed and outcomes are utilized through scenario building. Scenario building provides the contextual basis for the development of the new normal in the university. Scenario building as explained by Wilkinson (1995) is a good strategy to use on how current observations play their role in future situations. Each scenario is constructed about the future, modeling a distinct, plausible world. Scenarios are plausible alternative futures of what might happen under particular assumptions by focusing on key drivers, complex interactions, and irreducible uncertainties ( Polcyznski, 2009 ).

The prospective scenarios created are the best, probable scenarios, and worse scenarios. Current or existing situations/conditions of CNU served as the probable scenario, while the ideal case situation served as the best scenario. From the scenario built, key problems and challenges are developed as a basis for the model developed ( Imperial, 2020 ). This provided the strategic long-term and short-term strategies for CNU’s academic operations. The best scenario is based on the perspective that the university allows limited face-to-face classes in the remaining months of the semester. The probable scenario is with the current enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status of the city or province where the university is located, at least six (6) months, after, face-to-face interactions will be allowed with the opening of the new school year will. Worse Scenario happens when the locale is placed under sustained community quarantine and face-to-face classes will never be allowed at the start of the new school year. The strategic actions of the university are inclusive of the three (3) scenarios to allow flexibility of the responses of the university in this pandemic.

There were 3,646 student respondents (85% of the student population) and 252 (97% of the teaching personnel) teaching personnel who responded to the survey. To determine accessibility and reach of communication transmission related to the teaching-learning process, the location of the respondents was also identified. The majority of the student respondents (67%) are located in Cebu province; 17% in Cebu City, and 12% in other provinces. The 63% or 157 faculty members are residing in Cebu province while 32% or 81 of them reside in Cebu City; other provinces 5%. Qualitative feedback was also gathered to explore further the challenges experienced and clarify information about open-ended online messaging. Data was gathered from March-April 2020 in a state-funded university in the Philippines with the campus located in the center of the city. To comply with the ethical guidelines, strict adherence to data privacy protocols and data use restrictions were followed. The data were analyzed and were considered in identifying emerging themes scenarios in teaching and learning.

The data gathered were reviewed and analyzed by looking into the challenges that need to be addressed and the ideal perspectives that should have been implemented to generate different scenarios. Scenario building provides the contextual basis for the development of the new normal in the university. Scenario building as explained by Wilkinson (1995) is a good strategy to use on how current observations play their role in future situations. Each scenario is constructed about the future modeling a distinct, plausible world. Scenarios are plausible alternative futures of what might happen under particular assumptions by focusing on key drivers, complex interactions, and irreducible uncertainties ( Polcyznski, 2009 ). The prospective scenarios created are the best and probable scenarios. Current or existing situations/conditions of the university served as the probable scenario, while the ideal case situation served as the best scenario. From the scenario built, key problems and challenges are developed as a basis for the model developed ( Imperial, 2020 ). The model will provide the strategic long-term and short-term strategies for the university’s academic operations Figure 1 .

FIGURE 1 . Schematic diagram of the conceptual analysis.

Results and Discussion

Challenges on teaching and learning amid the pandemic.

In the quantitative data gathered through an online survey, the students reported their concerns related to their learning experiences during the suspension of physical classes. Most of the student respondents reported that adjustments were made by the teachers in terms of course outcomes and syllabi. However, most of them claimed that the learning activities were not flexible enough to be done either offline or online as they could not as shown in Table 1 comply with the requirements within the expected schedule.

TABLE 1 . The profile of flexibility of the learning activities for offline or online learning among students (n = 1,689).

Moreover, as shown in Table 2 , students reported that the majority of them were unable to accomplish the tasks assigned by the teachers due to their inability to access the internet or use suitable gadgets to finish the tasks.

TABLE 2 . Number of students who reported if they have problems. Completing requirements due to ICT limitation (n = 1952).

Part of the survey for students focused on how students reacted to home-based tasks assigned to them to complete the learning competencies of the course. Teachers provided alternative tasks online through electronic mails and an online portal Table 3 .

TABLE 3 . Provision of alternative/additional requirement (n=1952).

Students confirmed that some online classes and additional requirements were still provided to them by the faculty ( Table 4 ) The majority of the students responded that the alternative tasks were adequate. The nature and content of the alternative tasks provided were suited to the remaining concepts to be addressed in their coursework ( Table 4 ). Despite that, several students still reported that these alternative tasks are not sufficient to enable them to acquire the remaining competencies required of them at the end of the semester.

TABLE 4 . Adequacy of alternative tasks for learning attainment (n=74).

Students in one college were surveyed on the receipt of feedback from their respective teachers. A comparable response from students claimed they received and didn’t receive immediate feedback as to whether what they submitted to the professors is okay or what aspect they still need to improve more. As teaching continuity was made possible through online modality and other home-based tasks, they still had difficulty complying with the requirements of the course. The survey included the type of home environment the students have to assess factors that influence their difficulty. Students were asked whether their home learning environment is conducive to learning or not.

Data in Table 5 show that learners believed that their home environment is not conducive for learning when schools were closed and physical contact was discontinued as there were many disruptions including internet connectivity. On the part of the faculty, there were challenges met as evidenced by the feedbacks of the students. The teaching-learning process requires an active engagement of the faculty. They are the drivers of the learning process and the success of the learning outcomes would partially depend on their extent of active participation as facilitators, mentors, or coaches to the learners.

TABLE 5 . Students learning environment.

In the teaching-learning process, students need feedback on the progress of their outputs and whether they did well in their tasks. As shown in Table 6 , the majority of the students reported receiving no feedback from their teachers on the online module while a majority hope to get immediate feedback. Further exploration is required to determine why teachers are unable to provide immediate feedback for students.

TABLE 6 . Feedback from teachers (n = 154).

Faculty and Students’ Access to Technology

One of the modalities in teaching and learning that gained popularity amid COVID-19 was online learning. When classes were suspended, universities migrated from the face to face interaction to the online modality. Hence, this survey was conducted to determine the capability of the students and teachers in terms of available information technology gadgets and connections.

The profile of both the faculty and students’ access to internet-based information showed that the majority can access this information ( Table 7 ). Moreover, the majority of the students (82.61%) and faculty (94.4%) have internet access Table 8 . However, most of them reported unstable internet connections which makes their home environment less conducive to sustain learning facilitated by the online readings and activities given Table 9 . The majority of the students used mobile phones for online learning which is not capable of addressing online tasks and submission of requirements. On top of this, concerns for limited internet access of students and faculty emanate from external service providers most especially when using cellular data in areas where satellite signals are limited.

TABLE 7 . Faculty and students’ access to information technology (n = 4,072).

TABLE 8 . Faculty, staff and students’ access to internet/Wi-fi.

TABLE 9 . Stability of internet connection (n = 1952).

Emerging Themes in Teaching and Learning

A qualitative survey was also conducted to substantiate the quantitative data gathered. The narrative comments of the respondents in the survey were analyzed and were grouped into emerging themes and scenarios of teaching and learning.

The Trajectory Towards Flexibility in Teaching Design, Delivery, and Assessment

The sudden cancellation of classes in the middle of the semester placed both faculty and students unprepared. Questions on how to continue their classes, the learning modality, the appropriate assessment, and access to learning materials were foremost in the mind of both teachers and students. The narratives of the respondents became the basis for identifying the emerging scenarios in teaching and learning amid and beyond the pandemic.

For many years, students have been exposed to traditional, face-to-face classroom-based teaching. Outcomes-based education has been integrated into the curriculum and its implementation, but the learning delivery is still under the actual supervision of teachers. Due to ECQ students have to shift to independent learning through the home-based tasks assigned to them by their teachers. Ordinarily, many students have trouble making the transition to the more independent learning required at university compared with their secondary years .

“It’s very difficult for me to learn on my own in the confines of my home, but I don’t have a choice ,” narrated one student.

This shows that this pandemic has created a new platform in teaching and learning delivery that students are compelled to accept. In this situation, students have to take responsibility for their learning, be more self-directed, make decisions about what they will focus on how much time they will spend on learning outside the classroom ( The Higher Education Academy, 2014 ; Camacho and Legare, 2016 ). In the new setting, students are expected to read, understand and comply with the tasks without the guidance of the teachers. They are forced to assume self-directed independent learning.

The teachers on the other hand affirmed that the use of face-to-face delivery would not work anymore in the new learning environment.

“ One thing that I have learned is to adjust my materials to ensure that learners can still acquire the competencies without the face-to-face interaction with my students ” narrated one teacher.

With the concerns on access to online services, faculty members considered the use of a non-online approach and explored the necessary modifications that can be applied in the future. Hence, in the narrative, several faculty members said they have prepared modules as an option for pure online learning delivery.

Assessment of student learning outcomes is very important. A concern on how to assess learning outcomes and how to answer assessment tasks emerged as a major concern as reflected in the narratives of the teacher and student respondents. The assessment measures are essential as an assurance that learners have attained various knowledge and skills and that they are ready for employment or further study ( Coates, 2015 ). There is a need to address the teachers’ concern on how to conduct off-classroom performance evaluation and the bulk of submissions that they have to evaluate which are submitted online or offline. The design and planning are important factors to consider not only in the assessment per se but also in the parameters on how students will be graded ( Osborn, 2015 ). For the teachers, the following concerns emerged,

“Difficulty assessing performance-based tasks (RLE) , ” “Difficulty tracking, checking of students’ outputs” and “Concerns on failing due to non-submission of requirements online and low midterm Performance”

In the assessment of learning, the teacher respondents agreed that they have to think of innovative ways of assessing students in the context of their situation and home environment so the outcomes expected of the course will be manifested by the students.

One of the challenges of online or distance learning is the difficulty in participating in groupwork activities. The challenge is how the schedule or availability of group members be accommodated within the group ( Gillett-Swan, 2017 ; Kebritchi, Lipschuetz, and Santiague, 2017 ). More particularly when online assessments are done with certain deadlines or time limits.

“Difficulty complying group activities”

“Time-based online exams”

The challenges seen in this phase are to determine the flexible learning system most applicable for CNU learners, the readiness of the students and faculty to handle the tasks to assign and to be complied by the students, the appropriateness of the learning delivery vis-à-vis learning outcome, and the preparation of the learning materials fit for self-directed independent learning.

In times of disaster, the educational system takes on a different route for effective learning continuity. The learning curriculum requires it to be more responsive to the current needs of the learners and the teachers.

“ Concerns in completing OJT”

“Dissertation/Thesis defense scheduled”

“Concerns on when the academic year ends”

The flexibility that the curriculum has to adopt requires the offering of choices on the current reality of the educational environment and customizing a given course to meet the needs of the learners. It is therefore crucial in considering the provision of the possibility of making learning choices to learners. These learning choices can cover class times, course content, instructional ( Huang et al., n.d. ).

It is a challenge for the university to consider the restructuring of the curriculum to address the gaps in the learning outcomes left when classes were suspended and the re-scheduling of the mid-semester On-the-Job Training of some programs. Amidst this crisis, flexibility in the next academic calendar has to be considered while it is uncertain when the COVID-19 crisis will be contained.

The Role of Technology

In the overall narratives concerning teaching-learning delivery and assessment, the role of information technology particularly on internet connection has been repetitively mentioned by both teachers and students. In the crisis scenario, faculty and students could eventually bounce forward to the usual teaching-learning activities outside the classrooms had this concern been made available to all. Per survey results, most of the students and some faculty members are residing outside the city and are experiencing unstable if no internet connection at all.

“ No internet connectivity/unstable connectivity”

“Occasional power interruptions”

In designing for online or distance learning, there is a need to understand the role of technology to attain the success of the engagement ( Kerka, 2020 ). Internet is not the only factor to consider but also the equipment that is needed for the teachers and the learners to engage effectively. If these are not available, there is a need to evaluate the approach used in the teacher-learner interaction.

“Limited gadgets (one laptop shared with other siblings/no laptop or PC only phone)”

“No printer for completion of a requirement to be submitted”

With the current health crisis with the shifting of learning delivery, the challenge would be on how to provide an inclusive IT infrastructure to provide quality education for all learners ( Internet access and education: Key considerations for policy makers, 2017 ).

The Learner’s and the Teacher’s Learning Environment

In an attempt to address the disruption of classes and promote continuity of learning, teachers immediately resort to online learning as the most workable way of delivery of the lessons. In this new learning setup, students are forced to stay at home and transfer their classrooms to the same location. In most cases, it is often overlooked that learners come from different home settings and have different home arrangements.

“Not appropriate learning environment (congested home setting)”

“Lack of support from parents (assigning home tasks when a student is supposed to be work on learning tasks)”

“Overlapping of home activities and academic activities”

In most cases, families frequently engaged their children in learning activities, however, different patterns were observed across different social groups. Families in low socio-economic position households, and those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods provided fewer learning experiences. This may in part be due to the challenges that families living in socially and economically disadvantaged circumstances face in accessing the financial and social resources needed to provide a rich early home learning environment for learning. The findings reveal that education is still pursued in economically challenging settings but with more challenges. A home learning environment has a positive “direct association” with a child’s academic performance ( Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2015 ). The findings require a three-helix platform in education that is the partnership between academe, industry, and the stakeholders.

Maslow Before Bloom Orientation: Safety and Security

Prevailing sentiments among employees and students are their concern for their safety and security. The basic needs of humans according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs are foremost in the minds of the university’s clients and workers. As reported by the students and employees, their foremost concern is safety and the psychological manifestations of the anxiety of being infected.

“Foremost concern is safety and security even after ECQ is lifted”

“Fear of being infected with COVID”

“With PUI/PUM family members or the students themselves”

“Psychological and emotional reactions (anxiety, panic, fear, loneliness, a feeling of helplessness, mood swings, anger)”

The second category of concerns is on security and the possibility of sustaining their education due to loss of jobs, loss of family members, and the uncertainty of traveling to the university.

“Family financial crisis–no budget to buy loads, sustain needs”

“Unable to go home”

“Transportation concerns”

The concerns raised by the participants of the study require the university to provide access to considerable support to deal with the struggles, challenges, and even trauma because of the pandemic. There is a need to help manage mental health, self-esteem, and relationships after the quarantine which left some of the students isolated for quite a time ( Sweeney, 2020 ). Mental health programs have to be in place in formal learning settings. Because of the unprecedented challenges that students and teachers experienced in the pandemic, the ability to successfully hurdle through formal learning may be limited if the overall well-being is compromised.

Strategic Scenario Analysis

This section presents the analysis of the possible scenarios that might take place in the university based on the following components: the planned curriculum, instruction (teaching-learning process), assessment, student engagement, and technology and infrastructure. The probable scenario is the current enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status of the City or province where the university is located. During ECQ, no face-to-face interaction is allowed and province-wide lockdowns are implemented. The best scenario allows the limited face-to-face class and the worse scenario happens when the locale is under ECQ and placed on a lockdown due to the increasing COVID-19 cases.

In the area of curriculum and instruction, the action points revolved around the identification of courses that can be flexibly offered, rescheduling offerings when health measures permit it and providing interventions for competencies that were not met. The additional action points would refer to the creation of materials that would meet the needs of the students in the different scenarios and the provision of access to all resources that aid learning. Lastly, plans for assessment delivery are laid out to ensure the validity of means and with consideration to quarantine measures. Laying down the scenarios provide options for the educational institution to be able to meet the demands of the changes enforced by the pandemic to the delivery of learning to students. Reviewing these options reveal that the differences in the plan of action for this area of concern are a matter of granting access to students for resources needed for learning continuity.

The next area of concern is student engagement which reveals the different levels of engagement of parents and guardians, the means of communication with students, and an investment in the capability-building of faculty members to facilitate the teaching-learning process amid the pandemic. The focus on the trainings for the faculty members in the area implies that flexible learning in this health crisis requires a particular skill set to heighten student engagement without diminishing the role of support systems in the students’ homes and the need for appropriate technology to facilitate the needed interactions. This leads to the last area of concern on technology and infrastructure. The University has to take into account and facilitate the provision of needed equipment, materials, systems, software, and physical structures to support flexible learning. The complete scenario matrix is reflected in Table 10 .

TABLE 10 . Scenario matrix.

Migrating to Flexible Teaching and Learning: The University’s Strategic Response for Academic Continuity

After exploring the perspectives of the respondents and the analysis of the emerging scenarios in teaching and learning, the University implemented the proactive response to ensure academic continuity in times of crisis. It is evident that for universities to thrive and lead, the flexible teaching-learning modality needs to be adopted taking into consideration the best and worst-case scenarios. Migrating to flexi learning means recalibrating the written curriculum, capacitating the faculty, and upgrading technological infrastructure to respond to the changing scenarios amid and beyond the pandemic. Outlined in the paragraphs that follow were the ways forward pursued by the university as a response for academic continuity.

Recalibrate the Curriculum

To address the competencies which were left at the time of the class suspension, discipline-based course mapping was conducted. A series of cluster meetings by faculty members teaching similar courses teaching load were done for the revision of the unified syllabus, integration of the outcomes-based teaching and learning strategies using flexible learning platforms such as distance and online learning options, and the learning assessment strategies suitable for individual student needs. A syllabi repurposing is conducted and the revisiting of the syllabi focusing on the essential course outcomes. This strategy enables the faculty to revise the activities/course work/tasks/experiences that can be delivered through blended learning. This also enabled them in designing the instructional strategies, activities, and assessments that will achieve the learning objectives. The modification of the syllabi incorporated the development of modules, assessment tasks that can be delivered using differentiated instruction/in class or off class.

A program-based curriculum review was also conducted to identify courses that would need to be re-scheduled in its offering due to its nature and requirement such as swimming courses. Moreover, On-the- Job (OJT) which was supposedly offered during summer or mid-year was transferred to a later semester as industry partners are limiting its personnel at the height of the pandemic.

Reconfiguring the OJT, practice teaching and Related Learning Experience based on simulation set-up with scenario-based activities with assigned equivalency hours was also developed. The Practice teaching using blended learning or online approach, Nursing used alternative Related learning simulation.

The strategic actions included short-term plans of possible limited physical classes and long-term plans of pure online classes. Embedded in the plans are the in-class and off-class mode, re-structuring and retrofitting requirement for limited face-to-face classes, and the upgrading of internet-based facilities for pure online classes. On top of this, they need to cater to learners who have no access to the internet includes the translation of online learning modules to printed modules.

Capacitate the Faculty

Flexible learning capacitation of faculty was also addressed as online learning was new to the university. The university conducted an upskilling and rewiring through series of online trainings on module development for flexible learning distance education and the use of an online learning management system for faculty members. Reskilling and reconfiguring of faculty through webinar series on laboratory teaching using simulation learning for teachers handling laboratory, RLE, OJT. And a cross-skilling and reimagining using series of online webinars on developing counseling skills of faculty members concerning the COVID crisis. The university initiated the Higher Education Connect webinar series by discipline which served as an avenue of sharing and exchanging best practices during the pandemic-induced suspension of physical classes. The series of online for and webinars provided the teachers’ professional development including information sharing platform, Online learning platform, Hands-on training platform, Repository of web tools, and Laboratory for data analytics.

Safe learning infrastructure for Reframing Teaching and Learning was addressed through Telecounseling Services with mobile hotline numbers to cater to the needs of the clients and Student Communication Center with hotline numbers accessible by phone or online to cater to the academic concerns of the students. The university also initiated the Adopt-a-Student program for stranded students during the Enhanced Community Quarantine and assisted in the process of going back to their provinces.

Upgrade the Infrastructure

The university’s priority is to ensure that technology is sustainable and feasible. The ICT focal persons of the university were mobilized to Determine basic computer configuration and minimum Operating System requirements and provide alternative solutions to learners with technological/location-related challenges. For example, provide small learning activity packages for learners with slow internet connections. Ensure changes to the learning activity that can be made with internal resources. Determine the characteristics, possibilities, and limitations of the learning management system (LMS) to be used and ensure consistency of access across platforms (if applicable).

An Organizational Structures as a support system was also created which was the Center for Innovative Flexible Learning to provide assistance and monitoring so that the existing Information Technology Office of the university will not be overwhelmed.

It is also strategic to develop collaboration with stakeholders (Local Government Units (LGU), Alumni, Partner agencies). The forging of partnerships with LGU provides avenues where students during off-class students will go to the learning hub in the LGU complete with internet connectivity for students to work on their tasks in case they don’t have connectivity at home, so students will not go to the internet café and pay. This will also provide opportunities for resource sharing for the benefit of the students.

ICT Infrastructure in teaching and learning and student services was also addressed through Online enrollment, full utilization of Google Classroom as the learning management system, and the fully online delivery of classes. The university also changed its internet subscription to higher bandwidth and subscription to zoom for online meetings and conferences. Internet Connectivity of faculty members has assisted a monthly internet allowance. Gadget on loan for students in coordination with Student Supreme Council. Library online services through Document Delivery Services (DDS) and Modern Information Assistant in the New Normal Innovative Education.

Implementation and On-Going Assessment of the Strategic Response

The implementation of the strategic response entails the collaborative engagement of all stakeholders in the university. The process requires the involvement of the administration, faculty, staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders that enables the institution to move forward, managing and mitigating risks successfully. Hence, the university is implementing the continuous process of consultation, feedbacking, and intensive monitoring as important ingredients for the plans to be successfully implemented. The regular conduct of dialogues and discussions among stakeholders, capacity building of students and faculty, open communication through hotline centers, and continuous quality assurance monitoring mechanisms enable the university to enhance and implement successfully the strategic programs and activities amid the pandemic.

Anchored on the initial success of the evidenced-based strategic plans, the university at present has institutionalized the flexible learning system with the establishment of the Center for Flexible Learning that manages, capacitates, and assists the students and the faculty members in the continuing implementation of the flexible learning modality. Technology support has been provided by increasing the internet bandwidth to ensure uninterrupted connectivity in the campus and providing internet allowance to the faculty. Students with limited or no connectivity are given printed modules as instructional resources. In anticipation of the limited face-to-face classes as safety and health protocols may allow, the curricular offerings, teaching-learning processes, and assessment tools have been enhanced by applying best practices that maximize quality teaching and learning. On-going trainings and webinars for the faculty, students, and stakeholders to thrive in the new educational landscape have been conducted. The university has also established professional learning communities which become avenues for the sharing of resources and practices that continuously support and enhance teaching and learning continuity amid and beyond the pandemic.

Teaching and learning continuity amid the pandemic requires an analysis of the parameters by which the university operates from the perspective of the stakeholders to include the students, faculty, curriculum, and external stakeholders. Grounded on data, higher education institutions have to conduct strategic scenario analysis for best, possible and worse scenarios in the areas of curriculum and instruction, student engagement, and technology and infrastructure. To ensure teaching and learning continuity amid and beyond the pandemic, higher education institutions need to migrate to flexible teaching and learning modality by recalibrating the curriculum, capacitating the faculty, and upgrading the infrastructure. These strategic actions have to be continuously assessed, modified, and enhanced to respond to the volatile, uncertain, and changing scenarios in times of crisis.

Data Availability Statement

The raw data supporting the conclusion of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics Statement

Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

FD, DP, LG, and MO contributed to the conception and design of the study. DP and LG organized the data and facilitated the initial analysis. FD and DP wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors wrote sections of the manuscript and contributed to the manuscript revision. MO ran the final plagiarism test and grammar check prior to submission.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: teaching and learning continuity, flexible learning, pandemic, higher education, scenario–analysis

Citation: Dayagbil FT, Palompon DR, Garcia LL and Olvido MMJ (2021) Teaching and Learning Continuity Amid and Beyond the Pandemic. Front. Educ. 6:678692. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2021.678692

Received: 10 March 2021; Accepted: 06 July 2021; Published: 23 July 2021.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2021 Dayagbil, Palompon, Garcia and Olvido. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Michelle Mae J. Olvido, [email protected]

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Students’ perception of online learning amidst the Covid-19 pandemic: A study of junior, senior high school and college students in a remote area

Senida harefa.

1 Faculty of Religious Education, Christian Education Management, Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Tarutung, Tarutung, Sumatera Utara, 22758, Indonesia

Grace Lamudur Arta Sihombing

Associated data, underlying data.

Figshare: Data survey about the effectiveness of online learning. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14191622.v1 . ( Harefa & Sihombing, 2021 ).

This project contains the following underlying data.

• • Research Data.xlsx (Questionnaire data in Microsoft Excel format).

Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero “No rights reserved” data waiver (CC0 1.0 Public domain dedication).

Version Changes

Revised. amendments from version 1.

Differences between the old version and the new version of the article: Abstract : we have added an explanation of the characteristics of the sample in this study. In this study, data were obtained using an online survey involving 30 students from three levels of education, namely junior high school, senior high school, and college. They are students who are appointed by the teacher as class administrators, which acts as a regulator of the class, connecting students and teachers field of study, and through them every teacher to communicate to all the learning activities, such as setting the learning time, record the attendance of students in the classroom, and also reports on student assignments in one class, submitted to the subject teacher through them. They are the ones who know a lot about the implementation of learning during the COVID 19 pandemic, compared to other friends. Schools and students in remote areas are few, not as many as schools and students in big cities, so we conclude that the thirty samples are considered representative of the sample in this study. Introduction, the author summarizes what was found in the study of students during the pandemic Literature : The author also adds some literature reviews, to support the research questions discussed in this study. Results; research results in tabular form, most of which we have deleted, by switching to an explanation of research results.  Discussion: we have added an explanation of the four themes studied, Then added an explanation of the implications that can be drawn from the research findings. Conclusion: we have also added an explanation to the conclusion, and rearrange the sentence without changing the previous meaning.

Peer Review Summary

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many changes in all sectors of life, especially in the field of education. These changes aim to make the learning process more effective in the pandemic environment. However, it can be challenging, as some students do not give positive responses to these changes, especially those in remote areas. This article aims to identify and report students' perceptions about the effectiveness of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in the remote North Tapanuli region of Indonesia.

Methods: In this study, data were obtained using an online survey involving 30 students from three levels of education, namely junior high school, senior high school, and college. They are students who the teacher appoints as class administrators; through them, the teacher communicates about everything—learning activities. So compared to his other friends, they know more about the implementation of online learning during the covid 19 pandemic. In addition, schools in remote areas have fewer students than schools in big cities. So we conclude that this research is considered representative with thirty students as the sample. The data gathered from the survey were analyzed using quantitative descriptive methods.

Results: Results show that online learning is considered less effective by students in remote areas; this happens because communication networks and infrastructure do not adequately support them to follow online learning.

Conclusion: Teachers need to evaluate how to teach as well as re-design models and approaches to be applied in learning. This can be achieved by adjusting to the student’s current situation to generate interest and willingness to learn online.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on various aspects of peoples’ lives, namely in the economic, socio-cultural, and educational aspects. It is a global problem affecting educational institutions. Since the start of this pandemic, it has caused shock and disruption to students. The pandemic has forced schools to close and lessons that were carried out face-to-face have shifted to the online world. The use of the Internet and many other significant technologies to create materials for educational purposes, educational distribution, and program management constitute online learning ( Fry, 2001 ). All educators are asked to make a transition, due to the closure of school buildings. There is no other choice but to apply online learning; even though many feel unprepared during this transitional period, students must adjust themselves while trying to build meaning amid various challenges related to the pandemic. Even though learning is carried out online, it is hoped that learning outcomes will remain maximal. There is some evidence that online learning can lead to higher student success ( Kurucay & Inan, 2017 ). A great amount of evidence indicates that there is no substantial difference in the efficacy of well-designed online learning relative to well-designed face-to-face learning ( Clark, 2007 ).

However, the reality is not as expected since not all students respond positively to the implementation of online learning. Today, the majority of colleges and universities still face virtual learning difficulties ( Talidong & Toquero, 2020 ). For example, not all educators and students can use e-learning applications, especially those in remote areas. They feel that they are not optimal in learning. During online learning, they deal with several obstacles such as more assignments that make them feel burdened. This happens since teachers or lecturers in charge assign them two or three tasks for every lesson. Additionally, network connection disturbance in rural areas affects their attendance of online learning. Online learning also influences the students’ motivation in doing assignments. Therefore, the objectives of online learning goals are not always achieved effectively. Students who succeed in learning are those who are active and always follow the learning. Parents of students also confirmed that their children were too lazy to learn online. Most of them show unsatisfactory results. For example, performance in learning is decreased compared to face-to-face learning, Some students quit school and do not continue their education. This situation gives a bad picture of the learning attitudes of students.

In Anna Ya Ni’s it is suggested that the use of the video chat software Zoom has the greatest potential to improve classes in order to meet student concerns. Zoom is one of the most frequently used applications in online learning to replace conventional face-to-face classes ( Ni, Wart, Medina, Collins, Kimberly, & Pei, 2020 ). It turns out that technology is used as a tool or media in learning which cannot replace face-to-face interactions between teachers and students ( Miller, 2020 ). The obstacles of online learning in rural areas encourage researchers to conduct this research. Therefore, the objective of this research is to identify the students’ perception of the effectiveness of online learning. The researchers wanted to gain a deep and detailed understanding of students' online learning experiences, Based on the support they gained during the learning process and satisfaction with the learning facilities used. The findings of our research, both strengths and weaknesses, will be valuable inputs for institutions to improve the quality of distance learning by adjusting to the needs and conditions of students in remote areas.

The development of information and communication technology at this time provides many benefits for human life, so the mastery of such technology is no longer an option but has become a necessity. Through the existence of Internet networks, the use of technology in the educational environment has opened new avenues for educators; face-to-face learning has been transformed into e-learning or online learning ( Bernard et al ., 2009 ). In addition to other electronic media, such as CD-ROM, satellite, and television, some experts classify e-learning as ‘education delivered via the Internet’, while online education is described as ‘education delivered only via the Internet or web-based media’ ( Lee, 2017 ). When used interchangeably, online education or e-learning is commonly defined as bridging the space between teachers and students through the use of web-based technology ( Ryan & Young, 2015 ).

The presence of the Internet facilitates human work in many ways, especially in the field of education. The current learning process requires teachers and students to use technology. However, not all students can accept and adapt to these changes. The acceptance of changes in the learning process differs among students. This can be influenced by age, thinking ability, and students’ interest in technology. Students of all ages seem to react differently to the practice of online learning, with older students showing greater appreciation. There are still major variations in how learners view their online interactions during learning ( Koohang, Paliszkiewicz, Nord, & Ramim, 2014 ). There are also concerns about the online learning environment’s efficacy ( Hashem, 2011 ).

Students’motivation in taking online learning can be assessed by how they participate in ongoing learning. Participation in online learning requires three dimensions, namely cognitive participation, emotional participation, and behavioral participation ( Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004 ). These three dimensions are explained as follows: (1) Cognitive participation is the cognitive effort of a student to acquire skills in the online learning process. (2) Emotional participation is described as students’ positive emotions towards teachers, peers, and online learning. (3) Behavioral participation is participation that is manifested by activities that pay attention to learning when studying online ( Jung & Jeongmin, 2018 ).

Motivation is generated through effective learning. Effective online learning requires effective instructional design and procedures based on the concept of a good education. It will positively impact the instructions if the plan is correct. For example, designing learning must consider the method, flexibility of time, student involvement in activities, and presentation of material ( Simonson et al ., 2015 ; Barberà et al ., 2016) . Variations in teachers' teaching style and their expertise in using technology in interacting with students also significantly affect the Motivation and results of e-learning ( Ozkan & Koseler, 2009 ). Several studies on using technology can change the learning experience and improve student performance, such as posting videos after class and using social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and other e-learning tools. The effect on perceived satisfaction and effectiveness online is when teachers have sufficient and up-to-date knowledge in their area of expertise ( Early & Murphy, 2009) . The increasing use of technology in online learning benefits students, but the main concern is unstable internet connections in remote areas, not providing comfort in learning ( Kulal & Nayak, 2020 ). Based on the description above, we developed a research instrument from the aspects: Teachers’ methods of online learning, Students’ convenience in online education, Motivation to learn online, and The effectiveness of online learning, to gain a detailed understanding of students’ experiences of online learning during COVID 19.

An online-based questionnaire study was conducted in a remote area, North Tapanuli, Indonesia. The main objectives of this study were as follows:

• 1. To assess students’ perception of the effectiveness of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic using four indicators: 1) Teachers’ methods of online learning. 2) Students’ convenience in learning online. 3) Motivation to learn online. 4) The effectiveness of online learning.
• 2. To find out the differences in average perception scores about online learning between three groups of students: 1) Junior high school students. 2) Senior high school students. 3) Students from college in a remote area.

This research project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Ethical Approval Involving Human Respondent from tertiary education (Approval number: 1437.1/Ikn.01/TL.01/09/2020), from junior high school education (Approval number: 086/SMP-SM/IX/2020), and senior high school education, (Approval number: 422.1/063/SMA N 1TRT/2020). Written informed consent from all subjects involved was obtained for participation in the study and subsequent publication.

Data collection

Primary data was collected through an online survey (see Table 1 ). The survey included 20 items on a four-point Likert scale, from 1 (disagree), 2 (neutral), 3 (agree), 4 (strongly agree). The survey was conducted for over a week. Students were asked to participate in a web-based survey. Of the 75 students surveyed, only 30 students submitted their answers to the online survey, namely 10 students from junior high school education, 10 students from senior high school education and 10 undergraduate students from tertiary education. They are students who are appointed by the teacher as class administrators, which acts as a regulator of the class, connecting students and teachers field of study, and through them every teacher to communicate to all the learning activities, such as setting the learning time, record the attendance of students in the classroom, and also reports on student assignments in one class, submitted to the subject teacher through them. They are the ones who know a lot about the implementation of learning during the Covid 19 pandemic, compared to other friends. Schools and students in remote areas are few, not as many as schools and students in big cities, so we conclude that the thirty samples are considered representative of the sample in this study. In this case, gender demography is an important factor to be analyzed.

Data in this study were collected through the use of questionnaires. Questionnaires consisted of four indicators; 1) Teachers’ methods of online learning; 2) Students’ convenience in online learning; 3) Motivation to learn online; 4) The effectiveness of online learning. Then the indicators were translated into 20 questionnaire items ( Table 1 ).

Statistical analysis

Data were collected, coded, checked for completeness and input into SPSS Version 25 IBM (SPSS Statistics, RRID:SCR_019096). R is an open-source alternative software that can also be used to do the same analysis. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) were used to describe variables. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences in perceptual scores about learning online for junior high school, senior high school, and college students. In all experiments in this report, we applied an alpha level of. 05.

20 questionnaires, which were elaborated on 4 indicators, were used to survey students' experiences in online learning. Based on the results of the calculation of the data obtained, the value of each questionnaire indicator was as follows: The teacher’s method in online learning (score = 89.8; average = 2,992; percentage = 74.83%), student comfort in online learning (score = 87.83; average = 2,928; percentage = 73.19%), learning motivation in online learning (score = 86.5; average = 2.883; percentage = 72.08%), effective online learning (score = 85.33; average = 2.846; percentage =71, 11%). After being calculated, the average percentage score = 72.96%. So, based on the hypothesis H1: p ≥ 85% (effective), H0: p ≤ 85% (less effective) indicates that students’ perceptions towards online learning in remote areas are less effective. The shortcomings are related to Teachers' methods of online learning; Students' convenience in online learning; Motivation to learn online; The effectiveness of online learning. The four indicators must be improved so that students' motivation, performance, and achievement in education can increase optimally ( Table 1 ).

Using the One Way ANOVA test, the researchers aim to figure out the difference in the percentage of perceptions between the three groups of students. The conditions that must be met to process data in a One-way ANOVA test are the data must be normally distributed, and the variance must be homogeneous. After our data were processed, the normality test met the first of these requirements, namely, a significance value of.103 > 0.05 (Shapiro-Wilk) thus the data was declared to be normally distributed.

The second step is to test the homogeneity. Results of the homogeneity of variance test obtained a significance value of.093 > 0.05. Thus, we can be confident that our data distribution was homogeneous.

The output in the descriptive section shows the average value of students’ perceptions about online learning: student at junior high school (mean) = 58.10, student at senior high school (mean) = 55.30 and college student (mean) = 61.70. The highest score stating that online learning is less effective than face-to-face learning is that of college students, n = 30, 95% confidence interval for mean, total min = 48 and max = 73.

The mean scores of each group are different in number, even though the difference is not significant. Meaning that students from the three groups have learning experiences that are not much different in online learning, junior high school, senior high school and college students.

The ANOVA output in the descriptive section shows sum of squares total = 724,967; df = 29; mean square = 102,933 and 19.226; F = 5.354 and a significance value of 0.011 <0.05, meaning that the average value of student perceptions of the three levels of education about online learning is not significantly different. Students as a whole report the same perception that online learning is less effective in a remote area ( Table 2 ).

Then, the authors conducted a follow-up ANOVA test using Duncan’s test to determine the perceived significance value between junior high school with senior high school students and senior high school with college students. Duncan’s test results have two subsets, namely in the first subset, the significance value was 0.077 > 0.005 of senior and junior high school students’ perceptions, meaning that their perceptions about online learning are not significantly different. In the second subset, the significance value was 0.165 > 0.05 of senior high school and college students’ perceptions, meaning that their perceptions about online learning were also not significantly different. So, the results of Duncan’s test concluded that there was no significant difference between students’ perceptions of online learning, meaning that they had the same perception ( Table 3 ).

The means of groups in homogeneous subsets are displayed.

Uses harmonic mean sample size = 10,000.

In this study, more male students answered that online learning was less effective than female students. The result of data calculation showed that the frequency of male students’ answers was 66.7%, while the frequency of female students’ answers was 33.3%.

The overall mean score obtained in this study p = 72,96% thus (H0:72, 96% ≤ 85%) indicates that students’ perception of online learning in remote areas is that it is less effective than face-to-face learning. The resulting score needs to be improved for the achievement of learning objectives. To enable teaching activities to be carried out at an adequate level, the constraints to be considered are:

This study has problems related to teacher teaching methods in online learning. Students feel that the technique used by the teacher is very monotonous. In general, teachers only use the assignment method. The assignment method is a one-way learning pattern; students require no teaching and learning interaction. Tedious learning methods are considered less effective because they make learning passive. The use of effective learning methods or strategies can improve student academic achievement ( Donker et al ., 2013 ). Implementing learning, teachers must consider the use of teaching methods. The methods used should vary. Variations in the learning process are variations in the presentation of learning activities. Nowadays, technology offers a variety of learning methods that facilitate students to learn and do the assignments conveniently ( Pasaribu et al. , 2020 ). The application of various teaching methods can create creativity in learning and can eliminate boredom in students. There are five items regarding teaching methods, namely knowing, understanding, responding, describing and applying. The five items are inputs for the teachers so that they can design and review the online learning that has been implemented so far. The purpose of learning is to instill knowledge in students; whether good or not, students’ acceptance of the material presented depends on the method used by the teacher in learning. This also cannot be separated from the teacher’s own knowledge. The more knowledgeable a teacher is, the better he or she will be in conveying learning to their students. With the implementation of varied learning activities, it is hoped that learning will be more meaningful and optimal. Students consistently show perseverance, enthusiasm and fully participate in learning activities ( Rusman, 2017 ).

The results of this study stated that students are less comfortable with online learning. The feeling of inconvenience represents dissatisfaction. For example, communicating with teachers is often hampered by unstable networks, and abilities in using the technology are still limited resulting in delays in joining lessons. Another regrettable thing is that most teachers do not understand the barriers that prevent the start of online learning or that affect it while it is ongoing. This may affect the effectiveness of online learning. In response to this, it is necessary to implement blended learning in the future, which combines online learning with traditional physical classroom teaching. It aims to enlarge the learning method in education areas. During the pandemic, the implementation of blended learning might occur in certain remote areas in Indonesia. The pandemic situation could be controlled because of the less density of population in remote areas and also by the strict application of health protocols: washing hands frequently, wearing masks all the time, and keeping a distance from one another ( Garrison & Kanuka, 2004 ). Many other academic reports have confirmed the beneficial impact of blended learning and can increase academic success ( Alipour, 2020 ). In addition, the use of blended learning can increase student engagement to stay active in learning, thereby strengthening their role in their education as learners ( Mosca, 2010 ; Vernadakis et al. , 2011 ). So the problem of inconvenience in online learning can be overcome by implementing blended learning so that even amid COVID 19, education is still effective.

Motivation is the most important factor in learning. Motivation affects the achievement of student learning success and serves as an impetus to carry out learning activities. There are two types of learning motivation. The first is extrinsic motivation, which refers to all factors from outside that play a role in achieving learning goals such as facilities, teachers, and the process of implementing the learning. And intrinsic motivation is a factor from the students themselves such as interest, feelings of pleasure, and desire ( Ryan & Deci, 2000 ). According to students in remote areas, online learning is less able to motivate students to learn. This is evidenced by students’ answers to the survey questions provided by the researchers. Students are not enthusiastic about online learning; they do not do assignments and do not submit assignments within the time that has been determined; they do not do study groups without the assistance of their teacher. This could be due to inadequate facilities, exhausted Internet packages or even students who cannot afford packages, and bad Internet network infrastructure. All these can cause a lack of motivation to learn in students. In summary, situations like this have a major impact on the way students learn and can lead to disappointing performance. Recent studies have shown that student engagement in virtual teaching is often of a lower quality than face-to-face teaching ( Dibner, 2020 ; Lan & Hew, 2020 ). This should get the teacher's attention. Teachers, as key holders in learning, can do various creative ways to make learning more interesting so that students are motivated to learn. In this case, it can be done, either through the use of various media, methods or learning models. All of them are important factors in making learning effective. This study contributes to the understanding that learning motivation is influenced by the extent to which learning is carried out effectively.

In this era, technology offers several advantages to assist human mobility practically. Besides, it also supports human communication and its efficiency, particularly the existence of cellular technology to facilitate rapid human connectivity ( Song, Karimi, & Kim, 2015 ). During the COVID-19 pandemic, all schools in Indonesia used the Internet network to send messages to students (online learning). In other words, online learning tools that include technology support the independent learning process ( Dunlap & Lowenthal, 2011 ). However, in using technology, it is also necessary to consider students’ perceptions. The results indicate that students in remote areas better recognized the effectiveness of face-to-face learning. As the aforementioned results related to the indicators suggest, students had several obstacles during online learning. The transformation of face-to-face into online learning affects the students’ learning process badly, for instance, the limitation of social interaction. In this case, the teacher is encouraged to think seriously about creative solutions to this problem to reach the teaching goals. E-learning plays an essential role in developing a meaningful educational experience for students. If well-designed materials and learning are implemented to the right technology and curriculum, it will produce satisfying learning goals ( Kidd, 2009 ). The positive impact of e-learning on student satisfaction lies in its functionality, reliability, ease of use, data quality, flexibility, portability, and integration ( Chiu, Chiu, and Chang 2007 ).

According to the previous explanations, students generally have more fun when learning is done face to face. With face-to-face learning, students can directly get answers to their curiosity about the material being studied. After conducting this research, the assumptions about the displeasure or reduced effectiveness of online learning in this area were proved correct and significant. Times have changed. With the COVID-19 pandemic, students and teachers are required to use technology in learning since learning must now be done remotely to prevent crowds from gathering, to break the chain of the pandemic. Willingly or unwillingly, online learning must be practiced. The results of this research indicate that online learning is less effective according to the perception of students in remote areas.

Experiences about online learning according to students' perceptions, were successfully collected through the use of the questionnaire method. Based on the survey results, it is known that there are some obstacles during online learning. The findings of this study lead us to consider the efforts made to improve motivation, performance, student involvement in learning, and expected achievement to be improved.

The finding of this study can be used as a reference to improve the online teaching system. For teachers, it is helpful as self-evaluation to determine the level of success of the learning that has been carried out. Then figure out the students’ needs in lecturing, providing modules, applied methods, and learning media so that a vibrant learning atmosphere can be used and all students’ difficulties can be overcome. For parents, to provide an understanding regarding the importance of a comfortable learning environment for children. Cause there are still parents who have less knowledge regarding the difficulties their children experience in learning, especially those with low incomes because they are busy at work. Through this research, the parents recognize their children problems in education. Thus, parents support their children by assisting in learning and facilities, such as cellphones, laptops, internet packages, and other learning equipment. Furthermore, with the results of this study, students are expected to understand the current situation and online learning system, requires students to be independent in learning ( Ury & Ury, 2005 ; Geyer, 2007 ).

From the frequency data, it is known that the response frequency was 66.7% by males and 33.3% by females, meaning that males responded more that online learning was not effective. Based on the results of data frequency, it is known that women’s motivation to learn online exceeds that of men. This is evident from the response of women to the tasks given by the teacher. In doing the tasks, women are much more disciplined than men. Also, women turn in assignments on time.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic presents an extraordinary situation worldwide, this situation affects the implementation of learning in schools. Face-to-face teaching and learning interactions turn to the online world. The online learning method's challenges are practical activities that emphasize that effective learning requires designs and procedures based on appropriate education; teachers should not burden students with continuous assignments. Research shows that the failure of students to continue their education online in some cases due to the increased workload caused students to drop out of school ( Park & Choi, 2009 ). To achieve higher levels of academic success, teachers must ensure there is a complete curricular plan that is tailored to goals, avoiding a large number of student burdens that are practically impossible to meet ( Oliveira & Magalhães, 2020 ).

So, educators are expected to redesign implementing procedures for online learning so that students can still learn as much as possible. From the teacher's side, it is hoped that teachers will improve methods of teaching, by designing models and other approaches to provide variation in learning in order to raise students’ interest and willingness to learn online. Furthermore, each institution needs to prepare well for designing interesting learning media, and designing modules that are more flexible, making adjustments such that students adapt to changes in the teaching, learning and assessment, both face-to-face and online ( Ansari et al. , 2021 ), And blended learning is an effective teaching model amid pandemics to improve motivation, achievement, and learning performance. However, this is also a call for the government to improve internet networks and infrastructure in remote areas, in order to facilitate online education. The results of this research provide additional insight to all those involved in the implementation of education. However, further research is needed to obtain a more complete explanation.

Data availability

[version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Funding Statement

Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Tarutung 025-05.2.552755/2020

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Reviewer response for version 2

Xuesong (andy) gao.

1 School of Education, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

I believe that the authors have addressed my reservations and I do not have any other issues with the study.

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Reviewer Expertise:

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard.

Reviewer response for version 1

Reza rachmadtullah.

1 Department of Elementary School Teacher Education, Universitas PGRI Adi Buana, Surabaya, Indonesia

Overall, the authors have done a great job. It is a very important topic under the current circumstances. I do not think that the authors need to include the title of Anna Ya Ni’s research in this article. There is general relevant information regarding e-learning during Covid-19 and is very current. In this study, it is better to add the latest references related to the research objectives in the discussion section. In the conclusion of this study, the authors should add a paragraph about the implications and usefulness of the results in this study.

In the abstract, I am unsure if the changes brought by the pandemic were aimed to make the learning process more effective. I think that the background section needs to explain why the study needed to examine the students’ perceptions. I am not sure if 30 students were sufficient to examine the perceptions of students related to online learning at the three levels. The results are not particularly surprising. Since the number of participants in the study is quite small, I was wondering if the authors can make robust claims about the findings and these findings have significant implications for practice.

Introduction: I suggest that the authors summarize what was found in studies on students during the pandemic. A large number of studies have been published on the topic but it is true that not much was done in relation to students in remote areas. I do not think that the authors need to include the details of Anna Ya Ni’s research (I mean, the article title).

Literature review: Why do the authors talk about students’ seriousness in online learning? Not their commitment, engagement, or motivation? The literature review really needs to elaborate on why we need a study on students’ perceptions. It should also motivate the research questions to be addressed in the study.

Can the authors explain their methodological decisions? I appreciate the challenge in collecting online responses. But I think that the authors need to acknowledge that the number of participants is a serious limitation. The authors may need to explain why the data were analyzed in the way reported in the manuscript. How do the collection and analysis of data correspond to the research questions? I think that we need an explicit alignment between research questions and data collection/analysis.

I also suggest that the authors presented the results as answers to the research questions. This means that they can use the research questions to organize the presentation of findings. I am not sure if the authors need to follow APA to format the statistical reporting. I also feel that the authors need to explain what these statistical results mean. The manuscript has a lot of tables but it is better for the authors to engage with them and interpret the results for readers (as responses to the research questions).

While the discussion has important themes, I feel that the authors need to highlight the contributions that the study has made to the field. In what sense do they add to what we have already known about the topic? Then they can talk about what implications we can draw from the findings.

I feel that the authors need to discuss the study’s methodological limitations.

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above.

Key quotes on COVID-19 and education: What's the future of school?

By chanté russell sep 4, 2020 in covid-19 reporting.

In partnership with our parent organization, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), IJNet is connecting journalists with health experts and newsroom leaders through a webinar series on COVID-19. The series is part of the  ICFJ Global Health Crisis Reporting Forum .

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the last school year for many students around the world. Now, experts are looking ahead to how ongoing outbreaks will affect education in both the near and distant future. 

To discuss how countries around the world are handling education in the face of crisis and important considerations while covering the issue, deputy director of the Education Writers Association (EWA) Eric Robelen led a conversation with Brookings Institution’s  Emiliana Vegas ; Chika Oduah, an award-winning Nigerian-American journalist; and Antônio Gois, a Brazilian education reporter, consultant and founder of the Brazilian Association of Education Reporters. 

The panelists shared trends they’ve observed, insights into how other countries are approaching schooling and advice for journalists. 

Gois noted the importance of contextualizing when comparing courses of action from different countries saying, “It's hard to have international references without considering the level of development of each country.”

On how global inequality is exacerbating the inequities in education 

Panelists said that inequalities between countries as well as individual students within those countries have influenced national education plans. 

Oduah said that Kenya was trying to adopt digital learning but parents weren’t really able to help kids tap into virtual learning or homeschooling. A lack of access to computers also made it infeasible. “So, they pretty much said no school. And this affects 18 million young people across Kenya...This also includes the 150,000 young people living in refugee camps,” she said.

Inaccessibility is an issue in many other parts of the world as well. “...there's also a lot of inequality in how much, even with households that have connectivity, how often and how regularly students are connecting because the situation in households is quite different. So some households may be able to have a device per student, parents who can help, [but] some may have one device that they share across the family and parents may have to use it for work,” Vegas said.

[Read more: Using data to illustrate COVID-19's impact on vulnerable communities]

On innovative methods being deployed worldwide.

Some countries have been able to explore innovative virtual and non-virtual teaching methods. 

“Virtual learning in Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal have really been testing the use of robots… And the robots have not yet been deployed into the classrooms, but they're working towards that,” said Oduah. 

In Japan, she said, some students were able to use robots to virtually attend their graduation ceremonies this year. “So I think we're going to see a lot of robot activity in the coming months.”

Oduah also said that community radio is being used across Africa. “They're trying to employ community radio programs, sometimes three days a week, for learning, just bringing young people together around the campfire to follow up on the education.”

Vegas said that in Denmark and Finland, schools are experimenting with “pods,” a small group of students and one teacher, as a way to reduce exposure. In this case, if one of them gets infected, then only members of that pod have to stay home instead of shutting down the entire school. “That has proved to be quite effective during the period that they reopened in the spring of last year. They didn’t see a rise in cases,” she said. 

[Read more: Juggling parenting and journalism during the pandemic]

Tips on reporting on covid-19 and education .

Gois: “...the problem is that many of the researchers [on COVID-19] that are being published have a lot of limitations that we should be aware of as reporters and report to our audiences… we cannot be pretty confident by looking through the research because the research is brand new.”

Oduah: “Especially in developing countries, it's so important to get on the ground into the communities because the stats at the federal level, it may not be a real portrait of what's happening on the ground.” 

Gois: “Something that always bothered me is that it's easy to go to a school and hear the voices of students who are more affluent or less shy, or teachers who are from unions or students who have a strong position against or in favor of something. But there are a lot of students who are shy, who are more invisible, who do not like to talk to journalists, who do not have ways of reaching the media.”

And, Gois said, coverage should center education rather than the public health aspects of the crisis. “We should not ever lose focus on the pedagogical issues, [such as] what will be the strategies that the systems will make to recover learning losses?” he said.

Chanté Russell is a recent graduate of Howard University and a programs intern at the International Center for Journalists. 

Main image CC-licensed by Unsplash via Element5 Digital . 

Read more articles by

Chanté Russell

Chanté Russell  is a program assistant at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).

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