Hong Kong educators from international schools discuss the impacts of the pandemic on students and teaching
- Technology has enabled smarter, more flexible learning styles, making it an essential element and not just an add-on
- Personalised learning is here to stay, as is a greater emphasis on social and mental wellness – both ask more of teachers who will often need training and support
On a global scale, the measures required to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic have been monumental – the rolling out of vaccine programmes and monitoring systems, nationwide lockdowns and other restrictions, and dealing with the increased burden on already stretched healthcare systems
On a more human scale, at home, families faced massive challenges too. Suddenly parents and children were thrown into a situation where office work and school had to be done side-by-side in the living room. In Hong Kong, where space is at a premium, this task was even more difficult. Not only that, but parents found themselves having to be both parent and teacher over the past several months as they helped their children absorb as much of the current curriculum as they could via Zoom and other digital means.
It is too early to say for sure what the long-term legacy of the pandemic will be in education but we spoke with several international schools to get their predictions of the impact of Covid-19 on students and teaching.
More technology, smarter learning
Most likely the greatest legacy from Covid-19 is how it has given more legitimacy to the role of technology in education, enabling smarter learning, and making it an essential element of learning and not just an add-on.
