Opinion: Academia Must Acclimate to Distance Learning

It is possible that if establishments of education were to work on altering learning
styles to be more interactive, there would not be a need for a complete halt to the
academic year.

Original Hebrew Article: https://iglob.es/?1001323466

On an average day, with no coronavirus, it is easy to understand why students and professors prefer a “frontal” education style. For one, there is a technophobic population, for which it is not easy to operate tools for distance learning, for whom it is much easier to open dialogue and discussions within the class, there is an element of “supervision” on the part of the professor – who pays attention to what the students are doing during the class, and then there is the campus life and social aspect which is an inseparable part of the identity development of a student.

In addition to all of this, we must admit that for veteran establishments, as for all
of us, it is difficult to alter habits. Furthermore, the academic establishments are
fighting for their existence, constantly dealing with marketing themselves, and
find it difficult to focus on infrastructure development – which is exactly the story
amongst hospitals who avoided bringing in innovative technology under normal
operation, because of the constant pressure under which they are working. And
suddenly, along came the virus and compelled all of us to stop, and think a step
forward.

In addition to all of this, we must admit that for veteran establishments, as for all
of us, it is difficult to alter habits. Furthermore, the academic establishments are
fighting for their existence, constantly dealing with marketing themselves, and
find it difficult to focus on infrastructure development – which is exactly the story
amongst hospitals who avoided bringing in innovative technology under normal
operation, because of the constant pressure under which they are working. And
suddenly, along came the virus and compelled all of us to stop, and think a step
forward.

So, where does Israel stand amongst all of this? In the field of academic studies,
with the exception of the Open University which combines classic “frontal” style
classroom with distance learning, Israel is lagging behind. It is possible that if
establishments of education were to work on altering learning styles to be more
interactive, there would not be a need for a complete halt to the academic year.

In a survey initiated this week, hundreds of students were asked about their
preferences about their learning environment for the upcoming year and the
results show that 59.2% would like to begin the semester from home. In addition,
33.5% prefer to wait until the Corona crisis has ended to start the semester from
their classrooms, while only 7.3% prefer to cancel the semester completely for
risk of the Coronavirus outbreak.

In a survey initiated this week, hundreds of students were asked about their
preferences about their learning environment for the upcoming year and the
results show that 59.2% would like to begin the semester from home. In addition,
33.5% prefer to wait until the Corona crisis has ended to start the semester from
their classrooms, while only 7.3% prefer to cancel the semester completely for
risk of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Just as in the workplace, academic institutions are facing a serious challenge.
Whether or not the Coronavirus will be eradicated, we expect to see a decrease in
applications for the upcoming academic year, and thus it is imperative to make
haste and formulate academic programs based on distance learning in the spirit
of the Open University.

Just as in the workplace, academic institutions are facing a serious challenge.
Whether or not the Coronavirus will be eradicated, we expect to see a decrease in
applications for the upcoming academic year, and thus it is imperative to make
haste and formulate academic programs based on distance learning in the spirit
of the Open University.

The universities must focus entirely on “stopping the bleeding.” They must use
this timeout from studies to provide professors accelerated courses on presenting
before a camera, and to begin to create digital, video-based materials
step-by-step together with the development of technologies and means for
distance learning.

We advise academic institutions in this time period, to invest full vigor in
converting the study methods to interactive; not only to overcome the
Coronavirus crisis, but because the world is headed in that direction either way. In
order for academia to overcome the “crisis” of technological development, it
must roll up its sleeves and innovate the techniques used.