Remote access to classrooms through digital platforms has seen a huge spike during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing students to continue learning during lockdown. But could online lessons be here to stay, even after traditional on-site education resumes?
According to a new study by Future Learn, which surveyed adults in the UK, Australia and the United States, many adults think it may play a crucial role in the classrooms of the future. The report found that more than a fifth of millennials think online learning can provide similar benefits to the classroom, and around half of all those surveyed think education will be delivered digitally in years to come.
Not only do respondents think online lessons can provide similar benefits, but many suggested it could offer improvements, with nearly half of the UK’s population thinking it will mean better access to education for disabled people – a statistic that increased to 55% for Australian adults.
Matt Jenner, of FutureLearn, said: “Online learning grew in popularity during the pandemic and is set to continue doing so as technology advances. The current advancement in technology means that the population expects bigger and better tech, such as virtual reality, by 2030. But the latest technological innovations much be provided with universal access to learning. This ensures their utilisation is integrated with our understanding of the issues that impact our world today, as evident by the proportion of people wanting to learn about environmental issues, inclusivity and diversity.”
Along with the report, FutureLearn also produced a unique interactive look at the history of education, placing their Future of Learning report in a global historical context.
From Europe’s first school in 597 AD, through to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/21, the interactive tool allows you to view the key milestones in the history and evolution of education through the year.
You can view both the full report and the interactive tool via the Future of Learning page on the FutureLearn website.
