Covid-19 has accelerated the change in the way we Learn

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s estimated that technology has moved on 5 times quicker than it would have without the crisis. Although it’s difficult to know how that is measured exactly, or what it means, it’s easy to see in our own businesses and communities how technologies are playing a crucial role in keeping our society functional. Where there was once an air of tolerance for technology, it is now increasingly becoming more of a necessity in the way we live from online shopping, banking, to remote working, learning and disrupting many other traditional methods of everyday life.  

Thanks to social distancing, self-isolation and lockdown, the use of electronic communication tools has taken on a bigger part in our daily living and working. As an example, hospital nurses from the Surrey Trust incorporated mobile technology to allow them to conduct remote ward rounds and virtual visiting for patients (source Nursing Times). I’m sure many of you are now also aware that appointments with GPs are virtual.

For over 40 years, my interests and profession has centered around how we learn. Gradually, we’ve built up limitless material on how to learn anything from cooking eggs to watching a degree level presentation from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. However, the above example shows how technology can be used in deep, profound ways and in many cases life-changing.  

Whether we like it or not, learning how to live in new ways is essential for our survival and is within reach at a click of a button.

What does the future look like for learning?

Through isolation and furlough, many took to explore online courses to fill their time. Not forgetting how universities and colleges opted to deliver online education, to prevent any further interruption to the approximate 1.57 billion students, who’d been impacted by the closures. This has driven the message home that we no longer need to attend live classes to learn. Indeed, we can now learn from wherever we want including in the comfort of our own homes - whatever we want!

Of course, making the switch highlighted some pressing concerns including how many were and weren't digitally ready due to lack of income and technologies available. That said, the technology market is a competitive one and it will force communication providers to develop even further user friendly, affordable and accessible technologies to avoid digital exclusion.

It is estimated that over the next 5 years the learning/on-line training/teaching business is going to expand to ￡350 billion!

Already, there is a multitude of free and / or low-cost communication technologies including Zoom, Skype, Webex and Facebook live available:

• Making learning accessible from home
• Suiting a variety of learning needs 
• Cutting out the need for travel and thereby the costs involved with training courses
• Allowing for social distancing compliance
• Taking into consideration mental and physical health 

The learning organisations which invested in electronic platforms at the time of Covid-19, have essentially contributed to weaving the fabric of technology further into these institutions, rather than just making them a time saving and efficient option. This is a critical time to have a conversation and put some steps in place to prevent any future barriers - how we do this, is a topic for another day.

Will economic troubles encourage better education in the long run? 

An economic tsunami is heading our way, one which is going to change and affect many things including our financial wellbeing. Ask yourself this question: What happens when the number of workers losing their jobs increases rapidly at the end of furloughing and what about all that comes with that, repossessions, debt, missing mortgage payments and rents? It has not passed the bounds of possibility to expect social upheaval, indeed signs of that are already evident in many places...

The amount of money owed by countries is spiraling. We are talking in figures of trillions. It’s no secret that governments are going to be actively searching for ways to find more money to pay these debts. Vital spending will be cut including services like education. Given the fact that schools were not in that good shape before Covid-19, how bad could it get?  

Universities have lost their high fee-paying foreign students and instead are rifling through the chaos of exam results trying to decide who to take. I am betting that the income from these is nowhere near what they would need to continue running. 

Increases in the apprenticeship route means people can learn while they earn, and that seems to be playing a bigger part in what we do, the UK government has already promised funding for companies to take on young people. Going to university is not the no brainer path to a decent job that it once was. 

It is a screaming certainty that remote online learning is going to become more of a standard- eventually we won’t have to be in a physical location to learn anything ever again. This may sound to some, as another aspect toward a dystopian future and possibly could be with many not venturing out of their homes but that’s a topic for another day too... For others it's an exciting time in the progress of technology and as teachers/trainers/individuals involved in the growth of skills, we have to adapt to the online world.  

Whilst the everyday person may not be as ready as they need to be to adapt to working and learning online fully, especially with the array of technology glitches, it provides an ample opportunity for those in the sector to make technology better and enjoyable. It certainly invites those in the learning and development markets to dig deep, think outside of the box and put the learner at the centre of the experience.

There isn't any going back and it’s our job, my job, to muster these technologies and present them to an ever-changing world, in a quest to enable people to make the most of their abilities.  

Peter Apostolou

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