Image source-Simplilearn

The coronavirus threat has forced governments to take extra precautionary measures such as shutting down schools and ordering people to avoid public meetings which may facilitate the viral spread. It is not clear how long the situation will be like that and so parents and children as well, are left wondering how long their education will be affected.

Schools might be closed indefinitely but that does not mean that students cannot continue learning. However, there are alternatives especially thanks to the internet which allows students to continue learning even while at home. Some teachers like Tim Rodman of Walter Johnson High in Montgomery County, Maryland has been hosting Zoom video calls with his students to facilitate continued learning.

Rodman’s approach to the situation highlights the possibilities that students and teachers can explore to facilitate continued learning if the Coronavirus situation is not subdued soon. Some schools have embraced the e-learning approach but the situation highlights the need to have more elaborate systems such as websites where students can access learning materials and interact with their teachers for digital assessments.

The lack of adequate resources for e-learning might be a major obstacle

Unfortunately, many schools may not have the resources to achieve that. It is not just the teachers and students that have to take the steps but the governments also have to provide the necessary resources to facilitate such adjustments.

The need for digital-based learning solutions is something that other counties are also considering. Coleen Cronje, the CEO of a distance learning platform called Brainline urged South Africa’s government to consider how it will facilitate e-learning so that education can continue even when students are at home.

Meanwhile back in the U.S, Fairfax County, Virginia superintendent Scott Brabrand believes that it will be difficult to provide equitable access to any resources that facilitate e-learning. The county is however monitoring the situation and looking at possible ways forward such as the distribution of online and hard-copy exercises. Measures will also include distance learning training for the teachers.