The silver lining in this disruption is that the sector did not adhere to the “teachings of the past”. Instead, the entire education sector came together and thought anew and acted anew. School principals, school administrators and educators rose to the occasion and adapted to the need of the hour.
As we look back at this turbulent year, it’s now time to look forward and focus on the trends that will shape the future of education. This pandemic has given the education sector a golden opportunity to pilot changes that would have otherwise taken years to implement.
From technological advancements to hybrid schooling, here are some of the things one can expect from the education sector in 2021, as listed on India.com
1. Education technology: Digital platforms came to the rescue as schools migrated to online learning as the new way of teaching-learning due to the pandemic.
2. Personalised learning: Due to remote learning, students are now learning individually. This has led to increased instances of personalised learning, allowing educators to customise and personalise learning based on the needs of each student.
3. Hybrid schooling: With countries deciding to open schools in a phased manner, the possibility of hybrid schooling seems to be an option that most schools across the globe are likely to opt for. Hybrid schooling provides an opportunity to strike a balance between online learning and traditional classroom learning, making it more interesting and innovative. This fast-growing trend in education seems to be in tandem with the evolving situation across the globe.
4. Project-based learning: Although 2021 will see schools opening physically, flipped classroom methodology will come in handy in imparting project-based learning, where students work individually on a project and then brainstorm and mull it over, either in small groups in a classroom or during online learning. Presenting the projects to brainstorm by using technology, while working on the projects remotely, will make the entire teaching-learning process interactive and more meaningful.
5. Professional development of teachers: Covid-19 saw teachers stepping up their game and adapting to newer ways of imparting education by embracing technology. The learning curve has been pretty steep for teachers across the globe. Although they have done a marvellous job, they will need to be supported with a sound understanding of technology and its range, to plug in the gaps that have been identified during the remote learning year of 2020.
The Covid-19 crisis has stirred transformation in the education system and this is just the beginning.