Effects of Covid-19 on Education Worldwide

[PeteC]

We see schools closing everywhere, and in all likelihood they will be closed for a long time, perhaps the remainder of the year.

Now is a very good time to try to transition systems over to IT based and allow the students to learn and test from home under family supervision.

If successful I can see that the system may change forever with a total rethink about the necessity of ever going back to the traditional system.

There will still be teachers, but simply teaching in a different way. The need for huge and expensive school buildings can perhaps be reduced significantly.

A down side is the loss of direct face to face social interaction, especially in primary years, but also in secondary. Another is that some parents may not give a hoot and their child's education would stop.

Any thoughts?

[Bamboo Grove]

In Finland, I can't see this happen very easily at the primary and junior high levels because according to the law, these classes must be supervised by an adult. At higher educational institutions it will happen as it has already started to take place even before the corona found us.

[sateeb]

The first problem that jumped out at me was that one of the parents would have to stop work for those kids with working parents. i don't know the figures but I guess it's quite high.

Today's kids, at best, lack decent social interaction skills so take away the school environment and more time spent on social media sites.

For me, a non starter Pete.

[sateeb]

Might be worth a small scale experiment with full analysis etc.

[handdrummer]

This could also affect the workplace. Many jobs could be done from home with a computer, also teleconferencing could replace face to face meetings and remove the need for international travel for meetings.

As for non-classroom education, I think it would add to the isolation that we now see among mobile phone users and communication would further deteriorate.

The more isolated we become the less we will trust each other and the more likely wars will occur because of that distrust.

We are entering into a period of many unknowns and it will take more than government officials to solve the problems. If people don't learn to work together for the greater good it could lead to great destruction. It seems to me a choice must be made to grow together or perish apart.

[PeteC]

Yes, a lot of obstacles. Another way is Skype (or similar) classes which are 2-way. I'm making an assumption that Skype and the like can funnel multiple learners back to one main teaching point, and they can all interact? You then have the adult supervision, to a degree, and the quantity of students learning from one teacher can be increased dramatically.

At present even here in Thailand all of the daughter's assignments for every class are primarily IT based. Assigned, completed and submitted all on her computer. There are exceptions of course when the course calls for physical action such as lab work, art, music etc., but much of it can be done remotely.

[Big Boy]

On a similar note, this is apparently what is being advocated on the radio news today but for senior (maybe college/university) to stay home and be taught using online methods. I guess the infrastructure must be in place already, but how widespread?

[HHTel]

A down side is the loss of direct face to face social interaction, especially in primary years, but also in secondary.

The up side is that Thai teachers won't be carrying around a stick to use indiscriminately on their students!

[Lost]

Primary school classes, or younger, can not be conducted effectively through a screen.

Home schooling, fine. Not ideal in my opinion but... can be done if the parent is an eager teacher. Preparation time, on top of lesson time, for the children's classes at home is hours a day. If the parents' are up to the task, sure.

Screen teaching for juniors? Forget it. Screen time should be at a maximum of 5 -10 minutes per hour of class for younger learners.

[Big Boy]

Isn't it already tried and tested in the Australian Outback for all ages? I've assumed it was the chosen method for years, but only an assumption.

[HHTel]

Yeh, I believe that kids in the Australian outback who were originally taught by radio now have the benefit of the internet. It's called School of the Air.

Not sure about other countries, but home schooling in the UK has taken off big time. the latest figure is over 50,000 but is said to be much higher. Teaching/learning hours are much less than mainstream schooling and the results go far beyond. You don't need to be a qualified teacher as home schooling packs are issued in order to follow the national curriculum.
Graduation and entry to university stands at a higher percentage than from the mainstream.
My nephew was home schooled to GCSE and A levels. He had no problem getting a place in university and found he was way ahead of similar entrants from the mainstream.

Hours 'in class' at home are much shorter than mainstream because it's geared to 'personalised learning'.

Because of social media and the like, interaction with others is no longer lost as it used to be.

This may be an opportunity for your child to get a better education than what is available in schools.

[Bamboo Grove]

One big problem of internet teaching is that in Finland and I suppose in many other countries, some of the main things that the national curriculum says are learning to work in groups and learning to pay attention to others. This cannot be done, if the kids are at home.

[Lost]

Depends where in the world you are, really. Home schooling is a far better option than the Thai education system. I look at the government schools as nothing short of mass child abuse. The cost of international schooling is out of reach for some parents so homeschooling would be the best option - virus or no virus.

Places like Finland, though. Best education system in the world. England and America even. Proper schools.

Home schooling in these countries? Sure.

Beneficial? No.

[Big Boy]

On a similar note, this is apparently what is being advocated on the radio news today but for senior (maybe college/university) to stay home and be taught using online methods. I guess the infrastructure must be in place already, but how widespread?

Link to story I was talking about https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -until-may

[HHTel]

Depends where in the world you are, really. Home schooling is a far better option than the Thai education system. I look at the government schools as nothing short of mass child abuse. The cost of international schooling is out of reach for some parents so homeschooling would be the best option - virus or no virus.

Places like Finland, though. Best education system in the world. England and America even. Proper schools.

Home schooling in these countries? Sure.

Beneficial? No.

The stats contradict that. 2018 saw 60,000 home schoolers in the UK and growing at 25% per year. In general, achievement is better than mainstream schools.
So - Beneficial - Yes.