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SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOM

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Coronavirusspecial edition: Back to school

The COVID 19 pandemic has disrupted education around the world. As the first shock passes, planning is taking place on two timescales: the short-term challenges in the return to school, and the challenges over the next 18-24 months as systems work to build resilience and adaptability for the future.

<http://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/Spotlight-21-Coronavirus-special-edition-Back-to-school.pdf>

Disrupting the education paradigm

As we continue getting used to our kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms doubling as offices, virtual meeting rooms, and classrooms, many people are starting to ask, “What’s next?” And since more than 1.5 billion learners in 165 countries have been affected by COVID-19 school closures, parents, teachers, students, and decision-makers are asking the same question about education. Thankfully, some of the most prominent leaders in the field are gathering to develop answers that deliver on the promise of quality learning and inclusivity.

<https://www.bettshow.com/bett-articles/disrupting-the-education-paradigm>

How can youth navigate the sea of disinformation to become good digital citizens?

“Trust in governments, politicians and in all major institutions including schools, doctors and hospitals, is in question. And in that context social media only serves to exacerbate the problem. There are huge challenges for all of us over what to believe and the pandemic has highlighted the fact that even the experts often aren't sure. In this context, it is vital that we support young people to engage as thoughtful and active participants in democracy,” says Joseph Kahne, Co-director of the Civic Engagement Research Group (CERG) at the University of California.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/how-can-youth-navigate-sea-disinformation-become-good-digital-citizens>

Global Education Coalition facilitates free internet access for distance education in several countries

Major mobile telephone operators that are part of UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition have stepped up efforts to improve connectivity by providing free access to online educational content for students in all regions of the world affected by Covid-19 induced school closures.

<https://en.unesco.org/news/global-education-coalition-facilitates-free-internet-access-distance-education-several>

Online Reading Comprehension: Expanding Students Understanding on the Internet [American Based Research Journal]

Abstract: This paper aims to analyze mainstream technology and Internet-based learning and attempts to explore the possibilities of incorporating digital text into the curriculum. Where this paper came to answer two important questions namely how can technology increase reading comprehension skills and make readers more efficient in their L2? What is the position of teachers and students of English as a foreign language about the Internet application in the classroom?. This paper found that the reader can connect with the ideas and incorporate them into previously gained information; also, improving reading comprehension skills primarily requires motivation, mental frameworks for holding ideas, concentration and good study techniques. Moreover, Realizing and understanding the text is much more complex and practical than vocabulary familiarity.

<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3585707>

A is for accessibility: How to make remote learning work for everyone

When it comes to equity and access in education, nothing is more important than making sure our digital tools are accessible to all learners—especially now as distance learning becomes the norm. I’m a proud member of the disability community, and I come from a family of special education teachers and paraprofessionals. So I’ve seen firsthand how creative educators and digital tools can elevate the learning experience for students with disabilities. It’s been amazing to see how tools like select-to-speak help students improve reading comprehension as they listen while reading along or assist students who have low vision. And tools like voice typing in Docs can greatly benefit students who have physical disabilities that limit their ability to use a keyboard.

<https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/global-accessibility-awareness-day-2020/>

Teachers Supporting Teachers

We all know a teacher. A dedicated, loving, do-anything-for-their-kids teacher. And with schools closed around the world, keeping their students engaged — and learning — just got a little harder. So one educator in Thailand created a community where her colleagues can share ideas and support each other professionally — and personally — during these unprecedented times.

<https://about.fb.com/news/2020/05/teachers-supporting-teachers/> 

The Role and Impact of ICT in Improving the Quality of Education

Abstract: ICTs are making dynamic changes in society. They are influencing all aspects of life. Similarly, there is no doubt that ICT brings a massive change in the field of education also. It makes teaching- learning process effective and interesting. To know the impact of ICT in education we need to know two basic things- ICT and education.

<https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3585228>

What's the harm in Zoom schooling or contact tracing?

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digitalization at schools, in health care and other social interaction. Some say the rapid change was unimaginable just a few years ago. Is it a threat to our online privacy?

<https://www.dw.com/en/whats-the-harm-in-zoom-schooling-or-contact-tracing/a-53568876>

in: Understanding Education in the age of Digital Divide

Derived from a Latin word “ Educatum” it means the act of teaching or training. The training to nourish the good qualities in human beings and to bring out the best in every individual. Education seeks to develop the innate capacities of man. To educate individual is to give him some desirable knowledge, understanding skills, interests, attitudes and critical thinking. It is education which enables individual to differentiate between good and evil.

<https://countercurrents.org/2020/06/understanding-education-in-the-age-of-digital-divide/>

id: Editorial: Stick to remote learning

After months staying at home, Indonesian students have been either learning remotely or not at all since the government closed schools in March. Outside students in cities who have good internet access and personal computers, students in rural or remote areas are denied the possibility of remote classes on Zoom or Google Meet. Some teachers have been braving rough terrain to reach students’ houses to provide one-on-one lessons. But they can only do so much, depending on the number of students in their class.

<https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2020/06/03/stick-to-remote-learning.html>

np: Preparing schools for a changing digital landscape

In the last two decades, the world has witnessed a dramatic shift in both its educational and technical landscapes. Nepal has attempted to follow suit.

<https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/preparing-schools-for-a-changing-digital-landscape/>

eu: Tackling inequalities in online and distance learning

The shift to online and distance learning in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on all of us – but especially on vulnerable social groups, who are facing different challenges due to school closures.

<https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/latest/news/tackling-inequalities.htm>

us: How Technology, Coronavirus Will Change Teaching by 2025

In 2015, Elliot Soloway and Cathie Norris made some predictions about what education technology would look like in 2020. Soloway and Norris have long worked as a team to research ed tech and help districts put it into practice. In early March, Education Week caught up with them by phone when they were in Paris to speak at an ed-tech conference. We asked them how their 2015 predictions had fared. Then, we talked again in late April, when the coronavirus had suddenly transformed K-12 education into a massive remote learning system.

<https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2020/06/03/how-technology-coronavirus-will-change-teaching-by.html>