Future of Education After Covid

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives in many different ways. For many parents, it has shifted the way they work with many learning how to work from home. The same goes for children. When schools across the country were forced to shut down last year, students quickly shifted to online learning, many for the first time. This type of schooling has continued through to the 2020-2021 school year in parts of the country. 

This shift to online learning has many parents and educators wondering what the future of education after Covid looks like. While no one has a crystal ball, many have some thoughts about what we may be able to expect.

In this article you will learn:

• What will happen in the future of education?
• Change of classroom structure
• Blended learning methods
• More portable technology
• Changes to the school calendar
• Closing the gap

What Will Happen in the Future of Education?

Many education experts are expecting that the future of education after COVID will be very digital and technical. This means more schools will use online platforms to teach children, especially if more schools continue to offer virtual classes. Whether it’s through Zoom, Google Classroom, or other platforms, it’s expected that many teachers will continue to explore how they can use digital technology to their advantage.

Change of Classroom Structure

Gone are the days of a standard classroom with desks and chairs. The pandemic is likely going to change the classroom structure as we know it. Education experts predict that teachers will offer more virtual options. They cite research that shows that 20% to 30% of parents prefer for their children to learn remotely. Research also shows that about one-fifth of school districts are thinking about adding a virtual school to their offerings.

While it’s too soon to know what exactly this is going to look like, we can expect things to be different when parents and teachers ask,  “ What do Future Classrooms Look Like”. 

Blended Learning Methods

While books will still be utilized, many envision the future of education after Covid to have more blended learning methods. This will include using more online sources and online learning tools. These will be used in conjunction with other traditional methods but will give teachers and students more flexibility.

More Portable Technology

When the pandemic hit, many households found themselves without a device to enable their children to learn remotely. This opened the eyes of many educators about the digital divide that exists. Statistics show that while more children are connected, there are still some 12 million with no working device at home. 

This has prompted many districts to seek aid to help those students get connected so that they don’t fall behind. Many are worried that the work done to narrow the digital divide during the pandemic was just a band-aid for a larger problem that still needs to be addressed.

Changes to the School Calendar

Some people have mentioned that the future of education after Covid could result in a change to the school calendar as we know it. Instead of having the summer off, learning may happen in blocks year-round with help of distance learning techniques. While this is an idea that is just being discussed, it is one could become a reality in years to come.

Closing the Gap

Part of the idea behind making changes to the school calendar is to close the education gap. The pandemic has many parents worried that their children will fall behind. One study found that 42% of parents surveyed are worried that their children are falling behind academically and socially.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the things that we could see as we think about the future of education after Covid. Whatever happens, MakerKids is here to help your children gain the technical skills they need to be leaders in whatever the future holds. For more information on what we offer at MakerKids, call us at 1-844-MAKERKIDS or visit us online.