The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced so many measures in the wake of trying to combat its spread. Wearing masks and social distancing are but a few. The latter has hit the development of social skills for kids and leaners and meaningful relationships for adults. The result is the crushing of a domino effect for kids.
Everyone is experiencing the pandemic differently. The students’ basic needs are not being met, so are their academic needs that can be analyzed through Bloom’s Taxonomy. Even then the big question for students, families, and educators is, what will happen when the school’s resume falls?
It could be too early to start pre – emptying how schools, colleges, and campuses will look when they resume. However, for sure, life and learning experiences for millions of students in higher education will be altered. A sociologist at Yale University, Nicholas Christakis, clarifies that it will not be business as usual in American learning institutions.
It is difficult to predict the direction COVID-19 will take in the coming months. There is a lot of scare of second outbreaks, more deaths, isolation, and perhaps closure. Nonetheless, amidst all this uncertainty, learning institutions continue to woo students. Reopening of schools is being considered as one of the many ways of easing the economic strain.
There could be delays in the start of semesters, and when all begins, AM and PM schedules could help reduce the number of students on campus.
A combination of virtual and in-person classes could be a strong recommendation for the campus, which does not have enough classes. This could also help in maintaining the social distancing requirement.
Some institutions may adopt block scheduling, whereby students take shorter courses. This will facilitate flexibility and the opportunity of changing class set up. It is also an advantage for students because they can easily focus on a single subject.
While all is said and done, public health remains a priority; hence, it could be a continuous process of rethinking how best this is to be accomplished.