How covid has moved online teaching forward several years

More than 1.2 billion pupils and students ^{! 1} was educated from home during the pandemic. As a result, the way of education has changed dramatically, online teaching has expanded significantly and there has been more pressure on schools to adapt to digital technologies.

Research shows that online teaching has been shown to increase the ability to remember information and take less time. The question is whether the rollout of online teaching will continue beyond the end of the pandemic and how such a shift will affect the global education market. It is clear that online teaching in the time of the pandemic has brought more than one challenge not only to educational institutions, but also to every family household. Can technology help?

The Most Challenging Challenges of Online Teaching

• The digital divide in the world is considerable
  However, online teaching also brings with it challenges that need to be overcome. Some students who do not have reliable access to the Internet and technology may have problems participating in digital education. This difference is evident across countries as well as income groups within countries. For example, according to OECD data, 95% of students in Switzerland, Norway and Austria have a computer to use for school work, in Indonesia it is only 34%. While some schools and governments are providing digital equipment to disadvantaged students, such as in New South Wales, Australia or the Netherlands, there are still concerns that the pandemic will deepen the digital divide.
• Teachers' technological ability is lagging
  The ability of teachers to use technology varies widely. On average, according to OECD research, only 65% of 15-year-olds were ^{! 2} enrolled in schools whose principals have indicated that teachers have the necessary technical and pedagogical skills to incorporate digital devices into instruction. Another key to success to the transition to online teaching was time. Approximately 60% of school principals ^{! 3} stated that teachers have enough time to prepare lessons with the integration of digital devices.
• Students do not have a quiet environment to learn
  Unfavorable home conditions to study can also be a challenge. For some pupils, even basic learning resources are not available at home. On average, OECD countries do not have 9% of 15-year old students ^{! 4} at home a quiet place to study. Austria ^{! 5} Because of this, for example, the school has introduced psychological counseling, which is available by phone or e-mail even in the evenings and on weekends, in 23 different languages even for students who do not speak German.
• Privacy is still not a priority
  The amount of information collected is constantly increasing with the growth of digital technologies, and with it the risk of data leakage increases. Students' concern when switching to online teaching was also related to the use of proctoring software when passing online exams. Students at the University of Amsterdam filed a lawsuit against the university's board of trustees in relation to the use of proctoring software, demanding the ability to refuse its use due to a threat to privacy. Students viewed proctoring as an invasive form of surveillance that reveals their most personal place—often their bedroom with personal items, possibly religious artifacts. Such tools, according to them, should be used only when absolutely necessary and it is impossible to choose another solution.^{! 6} And in a way, they were right. Digital tools are justified only if users know what the system does and why, have the ability to influence the scope of the data collected, and do not collect data that does not serve this purpose. ^{! 7}

For older students, online teaching is more effective

There is evidence that for students who have access to the right technologies, online teaching can be more effective in a number of respects. Some research shows that students memorize an average of 25-60% more substance when learning online ^{! 8} than in class. This is mainly due to the fact that students can learn faster online. Online teaching requires 40-60% less time ^{! 9} on learning than the traditional one, as students can learn at their own pace, going back, skipping or accelerating the pace of instruction according to their own needs.

However, the effectiveness of online learning varies across different age groups. In younger children, there is a greater need for a structured environment because they are more easily distracted. To achieve the full benefit of online teaching, an effort is needed to provide structure and emulation of physical instruction through a variety of collaborative tools and engagement methods.

Technology investment in education will continue to grow

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, there was high growth and more frequent use of educational technology, with global investment in EdTech reaching $18.66 billion in 2019 and the total online education market expected to reach $350 billion by 2025. ^{! 10} Whether it is language apps, virtual learning or online education software, there has been a significant increase in their use since the start of the pandemic.

Role of teachers

Two crucial factors have changed as a result of the pandemic. First of all, it turned out to be necessary to adjust the teaching style. Teachers had to adapt their practices and be creative to engage students. Second, the pandemic has changed the way teachers divide their time between teaching, working with students and administrative tasks. According to a survey conducted by Instituto Peninsula in Brazil, 83% of teachers considered themselves unprepared for online instruction, 67% were anxious, 38% felt tired, and less than 10% were happy or satisfied. ^{! 11} The pandemic has highlighted the need for flexibility and more time for interaction between pupils and teachers. In Estonia, for example, teachers have been granted autonomy in modifying curriculum, lesson plans and their time subsidies.

What follows from that?

Thanks to the pandemic, the importance of skills such as flexibility and adaptability has been highlighted in education around the world. Technology plays a huge role in this and it is crucial to exploit their potential. They offer schools a way to work smarter, more efficiently and thus make better use of time capacity. Whether it's lightning attendance during classes and better structured data, there's also less administrative burden when testing online.

^{! 1} https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/

^{! 2} https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/new-oecd-pisa-report-reveals-challenge-of-online-learning-for-many-students-and-schools.htm

^{! 3} https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/new-oecd-pisa-report-reveals-challenge-of-online-learning-for-many-students-and-schools.htm

^{! 4} https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/new-oecd-pisa-report-reveals-challenge-of-online-learning-for-many-students-and-schools.htm

^{! 5} https://reliefweb.int/report/austria/how-countries-are-using-edtech-including-online-learning-radio-television-texting

^{! 6} https://humane-ai.nl/uva-students-against-online-proctoring/

^{! 7} https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/digitalizace-vzd%25C4%259Bl%25C3%25A1v%25C3%25A1n%25C3%25AD-hlavn%25C4%259B-nezatloukat-h%25C5%2599eb%25C3%25ADky-martin-drnek/?trackingId=wEQqlcJ2ambDfP8vbbjvdQ%3D%3D

^{! 8} https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/bid/301248/15-facts-and-stats-that-reveal-the-power-of-elearning

^{! 9} https://techjury.net/blog/elearning-statistics/#gref

^{! 10} https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/

^{! 11} https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/changing-role-teachers-and-technologies-amidst-covid-19-pandemic-key-findings-cross

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