COVID-19 and Education v2
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Dec 6, 2023
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English Composition II
11 March 2023
COVID-19 and Education
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to the world, and
education is one of the sectors that have been most affected. The pandemic has disrupted
traditional modes of teaching and learning, forcing schools and universities to adapt to new ways
of delivering education. Diving deep into how COVID-19 has forever changed education,
including the challenges and opportunities arising from this crisis, is pivotal to see if these
changes were for the better or the worst.
March 27, 2020, was the last traditional day of school I will ever experience. The day
before spring break marked the last time I would enter my school building until August 2021. By
then, the changes implemented by COVID-19 were already in place. One of the most significant
changes that COVID-19 brought to education was the shift to online learning. With the closure
of schools and universities to prevent the spread of the virus, educators had to quickly adapt to
teaching remotely. This shift has been both challenging and transformative, as educators had to
learn new technologies and methods of delivering instruction.
While online learning has its benefits, it has also brought a host of challenges for
educators and students alike. One of the primary challenges is the lack of social interaction that
comes with traditional classroom settings. Students may feel isolated and disconnected from
their peers and teachers, which can impact their motivation and engagement. Personally, it was
always difficult for me and other students like me to find the motivation to work when we were
in a more casual environment like home. It was always challenging to separate work from home
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if you had to do all your work at home. Additionally, online school can be less structured than
in-person school. Students must manage their own time and work independently, which can be
challenging for those who struggle with self-discipline or who require additional structure to
succeed. Online school can also be less engaging than in-person school, as students may be less
motivated to participate in class discussions or complete assignments. Finally, another drawback
of online school is the limited access to resources. Students may not have access to a school
library, laboratory, or other learning facilities, which can limit their ability to engage in hands-on
learning activities.
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Education System in Developing
Countries: A Review
is a scholarly article that goes into detail about how much the education
system was affected around the world during the global pandemic. It states “After COVID-19,
the school’s design strategies and methods to recover lost learning, ensure children return to
school when schools reopen, preparing students, parents, and teachers, and to scale distance
learning accessibility (
Tadesse, 2020).” The problem of adapting post-COVID was apparent
throughout the various education systems in different countries and showed how much of a
problem it turned out to be.
Despite its many drawbacks, online school also had a fair few advantages which made
the transition more permanent. One of the biggest advantages of online school is the flexibility it
provides. Students can complete coursework and attend classes from anywhere with an internet
connection, at any time of day or night. This flexibility can be especially helpful for students
with other commitments, such as work or family obligations, who may not be able to attend
in-person classes. Students can attend class from the comfort of their own homes, without
worrying about transportation or weather-related issues. Additionally, online school can reduce
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the stress and anxiety associated with social interactions and peer pressure, allowing students to
focus on their studies. As stated in
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Education System,
“One side online teaching is providing opportunity to the students for learning another side there
are various issues are attached with the new methodology of teaching. (Tarkar, 2020) ”
Lastly,
virtual school can help students develop important technical skills, such as digital literacy, online
communication, and collaboration. These skills are becoming increasingly important in today's
workforce, and students who attend online school may have an advantage in developing these
skills.
With how divisive the conversation about virtual school is, it's easy to see why it is still a
heavily debated topic to this day. The other position in that debate says that the changes made
due to COVID-19 have damaged our education system and can still be felt in the present day.
According to
7 Things We Learned About COVID’s Impact on Education From Survey of 800
Schools,
“A May 2022 survey found more than 80% of public schools reported “stunted
behavioral and socioemotional development” in their students because of the COVID-19
pandemic (De Leon, 2022)”.
In-person school provides students with the opportunity to interact
with their peers and teachers face-to-face. This social interaction is a critical component of the
learning experience, as it allows students to develop interpersonal skills and form connections
with others. Additionally, in-person school provides students with access to a range of resources,
including libraries, laboratories, and other learning facilities. Some subjects, such as science and
art, require hands-on learning which allows students to have access to labs, studios, and
equipment that they may not have at home. These resources are vital for these classes to be able
to reach the student in a meaningful way. Also, in-person schooling provides immediate
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feedback to students from teachers and peers, which can help students learn more effectively.
Teachers can observe students' progress and adjust their teaching strategies accordingly.
Ultimately, as times change and technology advances, it is almost inevitable for schools
to undergo some major adjustments. The tried and tested formula of old was not perfect and
maybe COVID-19 was the first opportunity to test the new system on a global scale. In-person
schooling can be a breeding ground for bullying and harassment, which can negatively impact
students' mental health and academic performance. Schools may not always have effective
measures in place to prevent or address these issues. The issue of bullying would be almost
completely negated in virtual school as this is still a major problem even today. Another potential
drawback to in-person school would be the lack of flexibility. In-person schooling often requires
students to follow a fixed schedule, which can limit their flexibility and freedom. According to a
survey titled THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIGHER EDUCATION AROUND THE
WORLD, on the question “Has COVID-19 stimulated alternatives to physical student
mobility?”, 60% responded Yes, meaning the pandemic led to increased virtual mobility and/or
collaborative online learning. Students may not have enough time to pursue other interests or
activities outside of school. Lastly, the expenses of tuition fees, transportation costs, and other
expenses, such as uniforms or textbooks add up and could be too much for families under a
certain threshold to afford. While it has been in place for hundreds of years with little to no
adjustment, there are many issues with it that could have been changed regardless of the
pandemic.
Fast forward to the modern day in a post-COVID world, the changes can still be felt in
learning institutions across the world. Many students have not been able to adjust to the sudden
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change in their learning and have had their GPAs and such negatively affected. On the other
hand, there are students who have thrived in this environment and continue to exceed their
expectations on tests and quizzes. Is it fair for a student who has thrived in face-to-face school to
be suddenly forced to change and maybe struggle in virtual school? This is the situation that I
and many students have found themselves in during the pandemic and this reality will continue
to be true from now on. After the pandemic was essentially neutralized, an attempt was made to
blend both environments into a new, hybrid system where students have to go to school both
in-person and virtually.
Hybrid school allows students to have more flexibility in their schedules, as they can
attend some classes online and others in person. This can be especially beneficial for students
who have extracurricular activities or part-time jobs. It also allows students to have more control
over their learning experience, as they can choose which classes they want to attend in person
and which ones they prefer to take online. This can help students tailor their education to their
individual needs and preferences. On paper, this way of learning seems to be the best of both
worlds where students can combine their strengths and learn in an environment that suits them.
However, as this argument shows, there is no perfect solution to this dilemma.
The biggest drawback of hybrid school is the fact that it may provide an inconsistent
learning environment, as students may have different experiences in different classes. For
example, some classes may be primarily online, while others may be primarily in person, which
can create inconsistencies in instructional delivery and student engagement. Having to change
which environment you learn in every day could lead to confusion and frustration as different
classes will need different types of materials and resources. Also, hybrid school requires students
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to take more responsibility for their own learning, as they need to manage their time and stay
motivated to complete their online coursework. This can be challenging for some students,
especially those who struggle with self-discipline and time management. The constant need to
remember which class is which could be the main sticking point against this way of learning.
It is easy to nitpick each way of learning as we all know that there is one model that has
absolutely no drawbacks. Despite this, it is up to those in charge to make a well-informed
decision based on what will do the net good to the students. As so eloquently stated in
The
pandemic has had devastating impacts on learning. What will it take to help students catch up?
“…this may be a moment when decades of educational reform, intervention, and research pay off
(Kuhfeld, 2022) ”. If that means returning to the older model of strictly in-person classes, then
people might find it hard to readjust but could eventually be able to return to some sort of
normalcy. On the other hand, going strictly online long-term would be almost disastrous to
teachers and other people who rely on the school building for work. This could eventually do
away which teachers altogether and could start another evolution in education without human
instructors. Whatever the future holds, it is a fact that the COVID-19 pandemic kicked the new
era of learning into gear.
Annotated Bibliography
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Tadesse, Seble, and Worku Muluye. “The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on
Education System in Developing Countries: A Review.”
Open Journal of Social
Sciences
, Scientific Research Publishing, 30 Sept. 2020,
https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=103646
This article is a peer reviewed article about the impact that COVID-19 had in developing
countries. While I didn’t delve too deep into the the difference between the United States
education system and the education system of other countries, it’s still interesting to see how the
virus affected schooling around the globe.
(PDF) Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Education System - Researchgate
.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Preeti-Tarkar/publication/d
-19_Pandemic_On_Education_System/links/60d1e909299bf19b8d99d279/Impact-Of-Covi
d-19-Pandemic-On-Education-System.pdf
This is another peer reviewed article that goes into detail about the impact of COVID on
education throughout the pandemic. However, this article also talks about the impact that the
pandemic had on higher education like college and university which was a unique perspective
that often goes overlooked.
8
Università Degli Studi Di Sassari
.
https://www.uniss.it/sites/default/files/news/iau_covid19_and_he_survey_report_final_may
_2020.pdf
This is a survey report of the impact on higher education around the world and offers a different
outlook on the sheer magnitude of the situation and how colleges adapted to the pandemic in
different countries. There is a table in the survey that showed the percentage of continents that
had to make alterations to the teacher because of the pandemic. Only 3% of African education
was affected while in Europe it was almost zero. This is just another way of putting into
perspective how different areas were affected.
Kuhfeld, Megan, et al. “The Pandemic Has Had Devastating Impacts on Learning. What
Will It Take to Help Students Catch up?”
Brookings
, Brookings, 3 Mar. 2022,
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2022/03/03/the-pandemic-has-h
ad-devastating-impacts-on-learning-what-will-it-take-to-help-students-catch-up/
This is a news article about what schools would need to do in order to recover the lost years of
education time missed by the pandemic. It goes into detail about the changes that needed to be
made due to the virus and about how the recovery process began. It also talked about what needs
to be done in the future to prevent school from being completly shut down again.
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Leon, Jasmine De. “7 Things We Learned about Covid's Impact on Education from Survey
of 800 Schools.”
The 74
,
https://www.the74million.org/article/7-things-we-learned-about-covids-impact-on-educatio
n-from-survey-of-800-schools/#:~:text=A%20May%202022%20survey%20found,the%20c
lassroom.%E2%80%9D%20All%20schools%20surveyed.
This is a survey about the things that was learned during due to COVID’s impact on school and
is compiled in a list. It goes over the need to have greater mental health services for students and
faculty. And that the virus negatively affect student development in and out of the classroom.
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