Covid-19 has accelerated the digitization process of education and academia. We are living in a time of changes and uncertainty that constantly requires our adaptation.
In fact, in the last months we have all been pushed to learn and use new digital tools in both our professional and personal lives.
Online education is here to stay, at least for a while…
We tend to think that this new paradigm is fully related to the use of new digital tools. This is not the case!
In this era of “digital transformation” not only the term “digital” counts, your attention should be directed to the term “transformation”.
Online education has been in the market for a while. However, not everyone had the opportunity to experience it. Until now it was an “option”, now it is the most common, and in many of the cases, the only way to learn.
Do you think that everything will spin around a magical software that will facilitate lessons’ teaching and everything will be solved with this?
I wished but unfortunately not! Let me tell you that it is not all about technology… Software and other digital tools are important, but they are not the most important assets for successful online teaching, meetings, mentoring…
We have all experienced online meetings. Of course, the meeting platform is very important, but it does not guarantee a good and productive meeting, right? The same happens with online teaching.
Those institutions that offer online learning for many years, and that are considered as successful, do not rely only on technology. Their success is due to an in-depth reflection and the creation of a thoroughly thought strategy where persons and not only digital tools are key.
Do you think that you have no time for learning new technologies, and for learning new ways of working adapted to this digital transformation?
Are you struggling with this new online education system?
We are in a transition process in which not only technology matters, but also, and above all, the human factor.
Digital transformation requires accepting changes, being open to new learnings, new working habits, new processes and new ways of relating. And of course, using the right tools.
Thus, it is of paramount importance to open your mind to adapt to new situations; be flexible and creative to redefine the teaching strategy, always focusing on human assets, designing new tasks and processes, identifying new ways of communication and engaging students, developing new ways of communicating with lecturers and participating in the virtual classroom, and defining new ways of tracking your students’ performance and engagement.
The online approach has pushed us towards more impersonal relationships. Thus, not all effort should be put into learning and mastering digital tools. We must make a greater effort to keep personal relationships, and in making sure that our listeners, whether they are students or other co-workers, receive the information and message that we want to convey to them in the best possible way.
No matter if you are a teacher, a student, or the head of a group, the success of this new education paradigm depends on all of us, it depends on you!
Melba