How COVID Impacts the Education Industry

Covid-19 has made parenting more challenging. Before the coronavirus outbreak, students could go to schools to learn, but now remote learning has become “the new normal”. Many parents are facing a difficult situation, having to be both a parent and a teacher.

The lack of tech skills is making learning from home an uphill battle. Because of lockdowns and social distancing, education companies have been forced to implement new and better strategies. If you are looking to understand how Covid-19 is impacting the education industry, keep reading.

Flexible Schedules

Schedule flexibility has grown in popularity since remote learning and remote work became part of our lives. Digital learning is making it hard for teachers and students to tell class and leisure time apart. Many students taking online classes have lost motivation because they can’t stay focused.

However, for others, enjoying flexible schedules is a dream come true. They can spend valuable time with family members and have been able to improve their well-being—they don’t want to go back to on-site classes.

Digital Learning and Support

Before the coronavirus outbreak, many students could receive help from teachers in person. Covid-19 accelerated the digital transition, and teachers are now offering online support. They use digital channels like email and social networks to meet students’ needs.

Virtual meetings and classroom apps are now essential for digital learning. Many education companies use online services like Google Classroom and the Zoom Meeting app to enhance their strategies. By using Google Classroom, teachers can administer tests and send homework to students.

Reduced Class Size

Online teaching can make it harder for students to stay focused. Accordingly, many education companies have decided to reduce the size of classes. Depending on the school and education level, an on-site class can have up to 50 participants. But, since remote teaching has been implemented, class sizes can have up to 30 participants.

Now many schools are reopening. Still, there’s a significant reduction in class size due to Covid-19 prevention measures. Also, many companies have redesigned their classrooms to enable class members to keep a safe distance.

Vocational Education

Education is becoming the currency of the new millennium, and vocational education is now vital to get a job. The need for tech skills is increasing daily, and companies are on a hunt for skilled candidates. Vocational schools became very popular during the coronavirus lockdown. They enabled students to learn from home and provided many jobless workers with the right knowledge to meet employers’ needs.

Today, education companies like Thinkful and Flatiron School are among the most popular in the US. At Thinkful, students can get equipped with in-demand programming skills and learn from tutors. Also, by learning through hands-on projects, they can build portfolios to show during interviews. For Thinkful’s graduates, getting employed is no challenge as they have everything employers seek in potential hirings these days.

For many jobless parents, making a career change was the only alternative to get employed. But, being unemployed and dealing with tuition expenses was a barrier for several people. Companies like General Assembly allowed unskilled workers to relieve financial stress and stay focused on learning. By providing them with financing options, they can learn and move forward.

In 2020, getting a degree is a must. Otherwise, getting employed can be a nightmare. University degrees are still necessary. However, vocational education is gaining more ground day after day. More companies are investing in new technologies these days. And because of customers’ demands, organizations will need more employees with programming skills.

In conclusion

The education industry is now more digital than ever before. Because of new demands and the new normal, there’s no way back. Parents, teachers, and students will need to embrace changes and adapt if they seek to move forward. Otherwise, doing their duties can make them feel frustrated. Don’t let the lack of skills define your and your children’s future. Open your mind and be willing to try new things. After all, going out of the safe zone is necessary to succeed.

For lifelong learners, you can visit https://coursemology.sg/ to find out what skill sets you wish to acquire.

Coursemology is an online course directory, listing short courses in Singapore to provide information on WSQ courses and SkillsFuture Subsidy to corporates and individuals.