Article by: Phoebe Carlos
Visual by: CJ Limjap
Since the Coronavirus first plagued the world in late 2019, nothing has been the same. Quarantine, strict social distancing, and the temporary closure of establishments, including schools, has been and is occurring around the world. This resulted in a shift from the traditional face-to-face classroom interactions to uncustomary distance learning, so that all students can still receive an education, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Many countries such as China, France, and India are heavily relying on the internet to provide students access to virtual learning ecosystems. However, there are a great number of people who have little to no internet access, so many countries have found a variety of alternative options. Countries like Colombia and Costa Rica have taken advantage of public media, such as television and radio programs, and used them as major sources of teaching platforms. A private organization based in Zimbabwe, called the Higher Life Foundation, has provided students free access to its utilities, though usage is limited due to insubstantial connectivity. Printed textbooks and study kits were also supplied to students. Argentina has created nine different learning modules to distribute to students without internet access in an effort to supplement their tv and radio programs. Jamaica began to produce printed materials and distribute learning kits to students. Furthermore, they have also partnered with local service providers in order to equip both students and educators with proper internet connection.
For students with internet connection, video conferencing tools, and social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Skype, and Facebook have proven to be a great aid to virtual classrooms. YouTube, which can be used to live-stream classes and lectures, is a widely used platform in countries like Afghanistan, Kenya, Rwanda, and Madagascar. The app Zoom has also become popular this year, as it offers versatility in terms of online communication. Bhutan, Finland, and the Maldives are among countries that rely on Google Suite’s numerous productivity tools, especially Google Classroom and Hangouts. Services by Microsoft have also been very beneficial for schools in Austria, Bulgaria, Georgia, Indonesia, Mauritius, and Serbia. Paraguay has partnered with Microsoft in providing services for online learning to more than a million of their students and teachers for free.
Together with the tremendous support for teachers and students, parents have also been equipped with tools and resources in order to aid their children with remote learning. Because of the heavy reliance on the internet, there are still some concerns, as many of the students are still young. Because of this, parents were given the role to guide their kids when doing activities using the web. Direct teacher-parent communications have also been very vital to countries like El Salvador and Croatia. In Jamaica, the NPSC, or the National Parent Support Commission, has been heavily collaborating with parents. With the help of foundations and private-public collaborations, such as UNICEF, Fight for Peace, and the VMBS Foundation, support hotlines have been established in order to aid parents. SIM cards are also being distributed at no cost. UNICEF took the initiative to pay for parents’ calling credit data for the phones they have donated.
Students and teachers alike have continued to show great resilience despite the challenges the world is facing. Nevertheless, despite all the materials and resources governments have accumulated since the beginning of remote learning, educational inequity has never been more evident. It is clear that there are countries that have more resources than others, which significantly affects the quality of education a student may receive at this time. We must learn to understand and recognize our privilege as not everyone may not receive the same education–especially now.
Works Cited:
“How Countries Are Using Edtech (Including Online Learning, Radio, Television, Texting) to Support Access to Remote Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” World Bank, www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/brief/how-countries-are-using-edtech-to-support-remote-learning-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.
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