Is online education dead?
In the changing landscape of how councils disseminate waste and sustainability information, the question inevitably arises: Now that the pandemic is over, is online education dead??
Covid-19 and the rise of Zoom
We all saw the acceleration of digital solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption led to the quick adoption of Zoom calls, webinars and online meetings. But now life has returned to a new normal, is that it??
Barriers and Enablers in Community Education Online:
There’s no doubt the digital shift has allowed for wider dissemination of information for many while simultaneously highlighting the barriers. A user-friendly interface, a community of practice, prompt helpdesk support, and interactive elements are crucial enablers for allowing people to access online education. However, poor digital literacy, digital access and a lack of diverse messaging for CALD communities are critical barriers to the success of online education.
The Power of Communities of Practice:
Integrating a community of practice into online education catalyses deeper engagement. Initially, this can mean utilising a community manager to give a human voice to a platform. And enabling residents to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on sustainable initiatives. This sense of community enhances the learning experience, making it more dynamic and impactful.
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Navigating Disinformation:
We’ve seen a lot of community dialogue happening when it comes to a number of topics online. Go to any local group and you’ll find certain waste and sustainability topics that really get people fired up. You probably can already guess them: electric vehicles, getting off gas, synthetic turf on sporting fields, street trees and FOGO are all issues we see consistent digital fires spark up. While healthy dialogue is important and no one wants everyone in an echo chamber of agreement, it’s fascinating and frankly scary how quickly community conversations can descend into a much darker digital dialogue. Having a supportive and moderated community that enables discussion but doesn’t descend into insults is valuable.
The Future of Community Learning:
At Good For the Hood, we believe the future lies in integrated community learning, especially for broad and varied topics like sustainability. Harnessing the power of technology while fostering a sense of belonging and connection with place and participants is key. As councils aim to educate residents on waste reduction, circular economy practices, and sustainability, we believe creating a community of practice becomes an essential strategy.
We’ll explore all this and more in our upcoming free webinar on January 29th, 2024 and we hope you can join us:
#CommunityEducation #SustainabilityEducation #FutureofCommunityEducation #GoodForTheHood
Student at North South University
1 年that's a very good article about the future of online education. But have you given a thought to issue of very poor completion rate of online courses and according to this article : https://www.the-waves.org/2020/07/14/completion-rate-on-elearning-platforms/ it is as low as 5%. What's your take on this issue ?
Waste programs | Circular economy | Bin Queen ????
1 年I’ve witnessed online education enabling rural and regional communities connect with metro communities breaking down the barrier of distance. I see this still continuing as a spin off of lockdowns
Chief hustler and enthusiastic do-er of many things. 2024 Winner FMA Awards for Excellence.
1 年Love this Jo! I have been musing over the same thing recently and totally agree there is something to be said for both f2f connections and online.