Schoolhouse Rock; Let’s Talk Education
As we reach the halfway point in 2020, schools across the country are grappling with an unforeseen enemy of the next school year; will it be on campus, and if so in what form? Although some schools have already announced their intention to return to in-person in the fall, many have held off until the risks are further understood. Those that have offered plans for returning have ranged from moving the semester earlier and removing fall break, as Notre Dame has decided, to smaller classes capable of physical distancing and daily sanitation as California public schools have announced.
As administrators grapple with how the fall semester will look, companies have been hard at work attempting to alleviate the issues seen in the abrupt switch to remote learning. Microsoft Teams is beta testing a 7x7 speaker grid, as well as breakout room and attendance reporting capability to rival Zoom (maybe “zooming” will soon become “Teams-ing”), while Zoom expands its end-to-end encryption services (albeit not for free users). McGraw-Hill Education is designing online classes to teach teachers how to teach online, while Coursera is offering free classes for the entire summer to keep students engaged during a season without the typical camps and trips.
Any of these solutions, however, hinge on the student’s access to a reliable internet connection at home. For many low-income and/or rural families, this could be a problem. During the hectic move to remote learning in March, companies such as Comcast offered families without adequate internet connectivity free internet for two months. As schools negotiate the return to campus, the inequities at home, not just in internet capabilities, but in food accessibility, familial responsibilities, etc., must not be overlooked. If families are unable to acquire reliable internet service in time for the return to remote school, the social inequities we already see in schools could be magnified.
There are, however, some bright spots in the future of education. The rise of remote learning could help alleviate some of the massive amounts of debt that students hold as more bootcamps and online courses pop up — drastically cheaper options than an advanced degree. Adult learning is another area where the rise of remote learning is a pleasant surprise, allowing adult students to take classes on their own time, and if they sign up now, possibly for free.
Overall, the pandemic has shown some glaring holes in our current education system, but it has also shown us that education is able to be changed. Who knows, maybe in 15 years the schoolhouse will no longer rock as it once did.
Jack Shane, Summer Investment Analyst Intern
Even if classes and schools do open in the fall, it seems there might be an issue with populating those classrooms. A new survey shows 1 in 5 teachers are unwilling to return to classes in the fall, and 6 in 10 parents say they are likely to pursue at-home schooling instead of sending students back to school.
Head to Coursera and find a free class to take this summer.
Check out Teaching When the World is on Fire by Lisa Delpit which sheds light on how to engage students and support them in navigating the current events, cultural shifts, and social dilemmas that shape our communities and our country.
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