The COVID-19 crisis has made online distance learning the new norm for many. It has also prompted stakeholders to be more creative and agile, in ways that could make open and online learning better and more inclusive, writes Jonghwi Park
Few areas of human life are
untouched by the crisis. From techniques to prevent back pain when working from
home to the
challenges of home schooling, the demand for new knowledge has created an urgent
need for learning, unlearning and relearning to deal with new normalcies. For those
at risk of losing their jobs, reskilling or upskilling is not a choice but a necessity.
Many of us face a steep learning curve in adapting to these new circumstances.
This new learning, while undoubtedly challenging, is, however, critical if we
are to emerge from this crisis into a better future. Continue reading →
As the world marks the defeat of Nazism and the end of the Second World War, Paul Stanistreet asks what lessons we can learn in our current crisis from the mass programmes of social reconstruction that followed the war
The end of
the Second World War was marked around Europe by national programmes of social
and economic reconstruction, as nation states sought both to rebuild and to address
long-standing inequalities.
In France, the
De Gaulle government put in place a massive programme of nationalization and social
reform, granting women the right to vote and laying the foundations of the modern
French welfare state. In the UK, fees for state secondary education were
scrapped (through the 1944 Education Act) and a progressive Labour government
was elected with ambitious plans to transform social security, including
universal free healthcare for all (the National Health Service). Moreover, in the
Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany), following the period of occupation,
a programme of economic reconstruction ensued, followed by the creation of the
German ‘social state’.
The
solidarity and sense of shared responsibility and sacrifice engendered in the war
appears to have spurred the people who survived these cataclysmic events to reject
the way things had been done before and to demand a world that was better – not
just for a few but for everyone. There was a desire to recognize sacrifice by humanizing
social policy, including in education, and extending people’s rights. Furthermore,
there was a new appreciation of the power of the state to act for the common
good. What is remarkable about this is that it was achieved at a moment when
most of the countries of Europe were in economic disarray, poverty was rife and
food rationing common, and governments were loaded with huge amounts of debt. Continue reading →
The current crisis need not result in a further erosion of social and economic rights and the widening of inequalities – it also represents an opportunity to appeal to global solidarity and rehumanize lifelong learning, writes Maren Elfert
Educators around
the world are alarmed about the consequences of the COVIID-19 crisis. A lively
debate has emerged on what the world might look like in the aftermath of the
crisis in relation to education and more broadly. I would like to add my voice
to those who emphasize that our perspective must be bigger than COVID-19 and
that we should take the crisis as an opportunity to learn from past mistakes
and rethink our approach to education. As a recent article argued in relation
to schools, ‘When the Covid crisis finally ends, schools must never return to
normal’ (Sweeney, 2020), referring to the need to abandon harmful practices such
as deprofessionalizing teachers, excessive testing and the culture of rankings.
This discussion, of course, is related to how we organize our society and how
we deal with the larger environmental, economic, social and political crisis of
which COVID-19 is a symptom.
To paraphrase
Charles Dickens, there is potential in this crisis for the best of times or the
worst of times. The crisis could offer us an opportunity to rethink and
innovate our societies or to move further down the path of dehumanization of
education in terms of ‘one size fits all teaching’ in schools and lifelong
learning as a market commodity. Among the questions and issues that are raised
in the current debates are: In light of the public health and ensuing economic
crisis, will global inequalities in access to
education widen, disrupting progress towards
Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) (UNESCO/IIEP, 2020)? Distance education is being pushed by
corporate interests (Williamson,
2020), but it bears
the risk of further marginalizing disadvantaged students who do not have access
to technology and who depend on teacher-student relationships (Srivastava, 2020; Parramore, 2020). For many students, school represents a place to
socialize and often get the only meal of the day (UNICEF, 2020). Higher education institutions around the world are
preparing for significant drops of international students, and quite a number
of them will probably not survive. Will this lead to a reconsideration of
education as a market model, or just to even more tightened competition? Some
thinkers, such as the Italian political philosopher Giorgio Agamben (2020a; 2020b), are concerned about the de-humanization of human
beings as a consequence of ‘social distancing’. Arjun Appadurai, in a recent
keynote panel of UNESCO’s ‘Futures of Education’ initiative, warned of the risk
that education might be considered unimportant in these times of crisis (UNESCO, 2020). This might translate into cuts to education. Continue reading →
Educational interventions to address the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic need to acknowledge the realities of life in the most disadvantaged communities if they are not to exacerbate existing inequalities, argues Rakhat Zholdoshalieva
The magnitude of the global health
crisis, and the long-term impact it is likely to have on the economy, society
and education, was unimaginable just a few weeks ago. Such crises spark
understandable fear and anxiety, as we come to terms with the impact both on our
physical and psychological health and on our economic, financial, environmental
and social life in the months and years to come.
As someone who works in adult learning,
with a focus on youth and adult literacy and people who experience multiple
forms of discrimination and disadvantage, I observe that many of our evolving solutions,
advice, lessons and reflections ignore the reality of life for many children,
youth, adults, families, communities and regions around the world. In times of massive
disruption, disorientation and anxiety at global level, it is more important than
ever that we do not lose sight of those who historically have been out of sight
and out of mind when it comes to policies and actions. Continue reading →
Global citizenship education has an important role to play in ensuring that the world that emerges from the COVID-19 crisis is safe, fair and inclusive, argues Christiana Nikolitsa-Winter
The spread of
COVID-19 represents an unprecedented challenge for humanity. As well as taking
a huge toll on healthcare systems around the world, it is also having a major
negative impact on labour markets and economies. People get ill, many will die,
but very many will also lose their jobs, and a large number of small and
medium-sized enterprises will close.
The heaviest
price will be paid by those who are already worst off, whose jobs are the most
precarious and least well paid. While the virus does not discriminate, there is
a danger that it will impact disproportionately on poorer people and poorer communities,
thus exacerbating existing inequalities. Continue reading →
The COVID-19 crisis obliges us to think deeply and creatively about the future of our societies and the role of education in shaping them, writes David Atchoarena
Much has been said and written already about how educational institutions are responding to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically through online and distance learning. This is important and UNESCO is playing a critical role, with UIL making a significant contribution. Beyond the emergency response, it is equally necessary to reflect on the world that will emerge from the crisis and the role of lifelong learning in supporting social recovery and in shaping a sustainable future.
The crisis not only raises important technical
and practical issues about the delivery of education, it also poses critical
questions about the kind of society we want to live in, our approach to
economic growth, our tolerance of economic and social inequalities, globally
and within nations, and our relationship to nature. Continue reading →
Since the start of the pandemic, crisis management in education has focused on children and young people, but adult education is just as critical in times of crisis, argues Daniel Baril
Credit: Pixaby
The COVID-19 pandemic is
shaking our societies, and testing our capacity to act, to the limit. Each
major sector of society must contribute, whether through caring for and supporting
those infected, stopping the spread of the virus or ensuring the supply of
essential goods and services to cloistered families. Much is demanded too of the
education sector, especially given governments’ decision to close schools and
other educational establishments.
Ministries of education have
encouraged educational institutions to use online and distance education to
ensure ‘continuity of learning. However, adult education has not yet caught the
attention of governments. Public adult education services are conspicuous by
their absence from the first wave of government decisions, and concern about
continuity of learning for children and young people has not been extended to
adults. Continue reading →
As COVID-19 closes schools, colleges and universities around the world, it is critical that educational solutions, such as online and distance learning, do not widen the digital divide, argues Christiana Nikolitsa-Winter
The
COVID-19 developments have urgent implications for educational institutions
worldwide, and ask serious and urgent questions of education ministers, leaders,
teachers and learners.
As closure
notices go up outside schools and other places of formal and non-formal
education, the challenge we face is how to ensure the continuity of learning
through a period of unprecedented disruption.
We need to
offer learners robust, innovative solutions relatively fast and to create opportunities
for online teaching platforms to reach all, rather than only a small
group of learners. Continue reading →
Espoo, in Finland, was one of 12 cities to receive the UNESCO Learning City Award at the second International Conference on Learning Cities in Mexico in 2015. Annica Isacsson and Annika Forstén explain what makes Espoo special
In 2015, UNESCO recognized the Finnish city
of Espoo for the outstanding progress it had made
in implementing the ‘Key Features of Learning Cities’ since the first International
Conference on Learning Cities in 2013. The Key Features describe a learning city as one that
effectively mobilizes, creates and reinforces individual empowerment and social
cohesion, and economic and cultural prosperity, in addition to sustainable
development. In fact, the United Nations has invited Espoo to become a pioneer of sustainable development by attaining the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) by 2025, five years ahead of schedule.
Espoo aims to ensure that all citizens can
fulfill their potential, succeed in the uncertain world of the future and
participate in the development of their local communities. Learning, creativity
and innovation are fostered from an early age. For example, in 2019, Tapiola
Sinfonietta, the city’s orchestra, invited all expectant parents in the city to
its regular concerts so that their children could experience the positive
influence of music while still in the womb. And Espoo’s systematic approach to
collaboration between artists and schools has been extended to early education
centres, giving all children the opportunity to interact with professional
artists and foster creative minds. Continue reading →
In a world increasingly globalized, multilingualism is becoming the norm rather than the exception. Supported by mother tongue-based multilingual education, linguistic diversity brings a number of benefits to learners but also to society as a whole. Growing evidence suggests that multilingualism can effectively contribute to sustainable development and to peace, argues David Atchoarena
Since the year 2000, the world has been celebrating International Mother Language Day on 21 February. Linguistic diversity is an invaluable part of the heritage of humanity. About 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. Yet, 2,680 of them are in danger of disappearing, and many more are already gone.
In that context, offering education and learning opportunities in the mother tongue is essential to transmitting and preserving traditional knowledge and culture in a sustainable way. Children, youth and adults require learning opportunities that are relevant to their lives and needs. This also includes having access to an education in their own language. Evidence shows that such provision contributes to improving learning and developing confidence and self-esteem. Continue reading →
