By Dr Felicity Coughlan
Covid-19 and global lockdowns will have an enduring impact on how prospective students make decisions about higher education options.
Previously, students opted for tradition, legacy and a particular mode of learning, being either contact or distance, depending on their circumstances and social perceptions. It is clear that not only history matters – institutions must be able to respond to the uncertainty of the environment, without compromising the learning experience. The ability to switch between methods without disrupting learning has become a differentiator.
One of the major considerations will be the ability of a higher education institution to continue providing the highest quality academic excellence, regardless of mode of delivery.
As the economy struggles, students are likely to be asking more questions about the link between qualifications and employment than they have before. The institution of choice for the future will therefore be one that offers qualifications that result in work-ready graduates, as well as a teaching and learning environment that can shift seamlessly from the class to online and back.
This is about future-proofing contact education. The ability to deliver a quality and resilient offering when face-to-face delivery is not possible, has become non-negotiable. The world has changed. Some form of physical distancing and responsiveness to epidemic outbreaks needs to be integrated into how we live. The future is about the best of both alongside proven capacity to change tack quickly without disrupting learning or assessment. This is the new normal.
For some time, students on many campuses have been able to blend their class learning with some online engagement with the content, the lecturer and peers on a digital platform. Where this has been structured and planned to support and supplement contact teaching, it is known as blended learning.
The pandemic has also highlighted the development of hybrid learning where classroom and online sessions are happening at the same time, to give those students who are online, direct person-to-person engagement with those who have opted to be in the physical class. When done well, the learning outcomes are good.
We are great supporters of contact education as we believe in campus life and the value it adds, but we are realistic about the uncertainty and excited about the possibilities of making hybrid learning meaningful and engaging.
For those matrics who are investigating their study options for next year, speak to students at various institutions to evaluate how their institution ensured continuation of learning and how well it supported students.
Consider whether students will complete their academic year, or have their studies been thrown into disarray? How much was invested in technology and development prelockdown? Did institutions support students who did not have resources and data? Does the institution have a strong work-integrated learning focus and industry-connect curriculum, or is it focused on (sometimes outdated) theory?
In addition to the usual questions about registration, accreditation and employer recognition of qualifications, the question about the ability to continue delivering at the highest level has become crucial.
Coughlan, is director of the Independent Institute of Education.
The Star