In the past, students who did not fit the one-size-fits-all model–those who had to work multiple jobs to pay for tuition, had family or childcare obligations, or simply could not attend classes on a traditional schedule for a variety of other reasons–were limited in their options with relative few choices among the more innovative institutions. Through the growing realization of the value of online and remote learning, this reality need never be repeated as more schools create flexible education models that meet the needs of all students in an inclusive and accessible way.
Students as active participants in the process
One fundamental shift in education from the pre- and post-pandemic landscape is the degree of influence students now hold in relation to their own educational experience. Students now have a unique and powerful voice in terms of the key decisions that will be made in the near future of higher education. Demands for varied learning options, in-person courses, fully remote classes, and synchronous and asynchronous models will shape how school administrators and university leaders plan for the future of their institutions.
This same influence applies to what available technology, resources, and networking opportunities will become commonplace staples for future students. Education in 2020 revealed the need for, and potential behind, teleconferencing options, digital presentations, chatrooms, virtual polling, and countless other tech solutions to modern problems, and a host of tech companies have stepped up to meet this need. Competence in the integration and use of these tools will be not only sought by, but quite possibly expected by, students in a post-pandemic world. The academic institutions that pivot and adapt to authentically address the stated needs of their students will lead the future of education .
A focus on overall student well-being
Though student wellness and advocacy have largely been supported in the past, the educational landscape brought forth by COVID-19 has highlighted more work to be done in regard to the way learning institutions assess, address, and provide ongoing support for student well-being. With the greatly increased emphasis on remote online learning throughout 2020, students came to find themselves virtually connected at all times of the day.
This constant connection was something that most students, teachers, or school personnel had experienced. The pandemic brought with it a number of issues that affected much of the population, including isolation, loneliness, fatigue, eye strain, and lack of focus, and brought new dimensions to the challenges of work-life (or work-school-life) balance. In a world where students and teachers are online for work, for school, and for personal recreation, lines that could be more clearly defined in the past became blurred and unstable. During the pandemic, a desk or dining room table could plausibly be the same location where a student may sit with their laptop working for eight hours a day, taking classes at night, and eating their meals while trying to decompress–one physical location that is unchanging from need to need, from task to task, in a given day. In this light, separation and disconnection becomes simultaneously important while remaining incredibly difficult to achieve.
Though the social distancing required by the pandemic will not be a constant in the years to come, the lessons we have learned from this experience showcase the essential need to adapt to the flexibility brought about by an increased acceptance of remote learning while also being actively attentive to a new paradigm on student wellness. Learning institutions must support their students in their pursuit of an education–whether remotely or in-person–while promoting healthy behaviors, available resources and actions that emphasize holistic well-being.
Matthew Hubbs, Ed.D., serves as dean of academic operations at Westcliff University. Westcliff University (WU), founded in 1993 is a private university in Irvine, Calif. offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees spanning 21 areas of study, including business, education, STEM – and most recently law – after its 2019 acquisition of Western State College of Law.
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