CHANGE IS HERE

4 ways COVID-19 could change how we educate future generations

• Technology has stepped into the breach, and will continue to play a key role in educating future generations.

• In a world where knowledge is a mouse-click away, the role of the educator must change too.

Not since World War II have so many cancelled exams, sporting events and even countries around the world seen schools and graduation. This generation is defined by educational institutions go into lockdown at technology, where the terms FOBA (Fear of around the same time and for the same Being Alone) and FOMO (Fear of reason. While we know that the impact of Missing Out) express their expectation of this virus will be far-reaching, what might it instant communication and feedback – mean in the longer term for education? effected through apps like Instant Messenger, Snapchat and WhatsApp. That includes from For a while now, educators around the world parents and educators, something being have been talking about the need to rethink amplified with the current remote learning. how we educate future generations. This This is also a generation that sees the power might just be the of working disruption that the collaboratively to sector needed to solve the world’s get us all to rethink biggest how we educate, challenges – and question what we need to teach climate change and and what we are mental health being preparing our top on their students for. So, as agenda, and at we educators grappresent their ple with the new collective ways of responsibility to communicating with our students away from self-isolate to protect older members of the our classrooms and lecture theatres, it is a community. good time to reflect on how this disruptive crisis can help us define what learning should Generation Alpha, the children of look like for Generations Z, Alpha and bemillennials, are the most racially diverse yond. generation across the world, and one in which technology is simply an extension of The majority of students in our educational their own consciousness and identity, with institutions today are from Generation Z, social media being a way of life. These young a generation that has grown up in a truly pre-schoolers are also the generation with the globalized world. This generation, the oldest most non-traditional family structures, often of whom are now 25 years old, is likely to be with “bulldozer parents” who move obstacles reflecting on their education as a result of a out of the way to create a clear path for their truly global pandemic, with many facing kids. While Generation Alpha is at this point

possibly oblivious to the impact of the global pandemic on their education, the impact will surely be felt even for our youngest learners for years to come.

In the midst of this COVID-19 crisis, we are sure that fellow educators, like us, are wondering what we need to be preparing our students for in the future. According to a Dell Technologies report, 85% of the jobs in 2030 that Generation Z and Alpha will enter into have not been invented yet. According to this World Economic Forum report, 65% of primary-school children today will be working in job types that do not exist yet. The COVID-19 crisis may well change our world and our global outlook; it may also teach us about how education needs to change to be able to better prepare our young learners for what the future might hold.

These lessons include: 1. Educating citizens in an interconnected world COVID-19 is a pandemic that illustrates how globally interconnected we are – there is no longer such a thing as isolated issues and actions. Successful people in the coming decades need to be able to understand this interrelatedness and navigate across boundaries to leverage their differences and work in a globally collaborative way.

2. Redefining the role of the educator The notion of an educator as the knowledge-holder who imparts wisdom to their pupils is no longer fit for the purpose of a 21st-century education. With students being able to gain access to knowledge, and even learn a technical skill, through a few clicks on their phones, tablets and computers, we will need to redefine the role of the educator in the classroom and lecture theatre. This may mean that the role of educators will need to move towards facilitating young people’s development as contributing members of society. Resilience and adaptability will be crucial for the next generations entering work.

3. Teaching life skills needed for the future In this ever-changing global environment, young people require resilience and adaptability – skills that are proving to be essential to navigate effectively through this pandemic. Looking into the future, some of the most important skills that employers will be looking for will be creativity, communication and collaboration, alongside empathy and emotional intelligence; and being able to work across demographic lines of differences to harness the power of the collective through effective teamwork.

4. Unlocking technology to deliver education The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in educational institutions across the world being compelled to suddenly harness and utilize the suite of available technological tools to create content for remote learning for students in all sectors. Educators across the world are experiencing new possibilities to do things differently and with greater flexibility resulting in potential benefits in accessibility to education for students across the world.

These are new modes of instruction that have previously been largely untapped particularly in the kindergarten to Grade 12 arena. Most importantly, it is our hope that for Generation Z, Alpha and the generations to come, these experiences of isolation and remote learning away from their peers, teachers and classrooms will serve as a cautious reminder of the importance of our human need for face-to-face social interaction.