The COVID-19 pandemic has altered almost every institution known to man and education is no exception. Whereas schools once thrived as activity centers for students and faculty members, colleges and universities have been forcibly shut down. Across the globe, large-scale universities and local community colleges alike drastically put an end to all campus activities. The widespread transmission brought the academic schoolyear to an abrupt end.
As government restriction relaxed, schools were able to re-open with strict adherence to health safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus. However, many campuses that opted to open are once again forced to shut down due to localized outbreaks. All of this has resulted in a widespread migration from traditional classroom instruction to online platforms.
While the current pandemic is far from over, situations around the world are gradually improving. Work and other activities are now permitted, and schools are slowly reopening for students to continue their studies. As the virus continues to threaten countries around the world, schools must continue to formulate strategies to cope with the impact of COVID-19 on the institution, its students, faculty, and its community as a whole.
Dwindling admissions, tuition refunds, technological capacity, and student engagement challenge colleges and universities that serve as areas of focus for higher education institutions as they prepare and plan for contingencies to ensure the future of education.
Immediate Impact and Response
Schools were among the first institutions to be closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Colleges in the United States began closing its doors by the third week of March. Students from China, Italy, and South Korea were advised to go home and complete their studies online. Across the globe, colleges and universities followed suit, suspending in-campus classes indefinitely and turning to Zoom meetings and conferences in an attempt to finish the semester despite the raging pandemic.
As countries and communities closed their borders to prevent further transmission, international and domestic students alike were stranded-some were even left homeless as campus housing closed down as well. Colleges and universities had to find safe accommodations for students or extend help in some other way. A number of colleges offered to shuttle students to their hometowns and some announced tuition fee refunds.
As the months went on, online classes became the predominant set up for continued learning. Unfortunately, the sudden transition caused ‘a great divide’ between students who could afford internet connection and online learning equipment and those who struggle to obtain needed resources. In an August briefing, the United Nations estimated that nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries were affected by school shut downs and have affected 94% of students in high-income countries. The number is even higher in low- to middle-income countries as almost all learners were affected by the closures.
Widespread disruption is considered an immediate impact of COVID-19, and it has challenged the capacity of institutions to deliver a quality education using non-traditional methods.
Virtual Learning
While large universities and colleges already had online learning capabilities in place prior to the pandemic, smaller higher ed institutions needed to create material for their online classes from scratch and had to grab whatever technology was available to reach students. Virtual classes became the norm and students participated via smartphone or laptop for real-time meetings while others result to asynchronous modes of learning.
Attitudes regarding virtual learning also shifted from being skeptical at the beginning of the pandemic to positive responses towards the latter end of the year. It appears that students now appreciate e-learning as a medium of instruction for colleges and universities. Though it is an entirely different environment from the ones they were previously exposed to, virtual learning has allowed students to participate in their classes at their convenience.
Higher education institutions also bank on this technology for continued delivery of course offerings and curricula. Colleges and universities are keenly aware of the weaknesses of these platforms, so they continue to innovate ways to ensure that students do more than just attend online classes and actually engage in collaboration with fellow students and educators. They now realize that students need to achieve optimal learning experience through the innovative use of technology.
Student Engagement
Colleges and universities acknowledge that technology is an indispensable tool in delivering quality education amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in developing additional mechanisms to ensure that learning outcomes are achieved in a virtual environment. Apart from online classroom set-ups, colleges and universities now use social media and various chat group applications to connect with students, giving them real-time updates regarding their classes and courses. Schools also use social media to establish a sense of community with their students, providing appropriate means to assist students achieve a state of well-being amidst pressures and uncertainties brought about by the pandemic.
Impact on Admission
Online learning enabled the spring semester of 2020 to end well, but admissions seemed at risk given the restrictions governments imposed on in-campus enrollment and a continuing travel ban barring international students and any other international travelers. As expected, college admissions will dropped, but it didn’t hinder the continued existence of academic institutions. Colleges and universities announced deadline extensions for admission, which provided students ample time to prepare for a very different college experience and also to recover from any displacement brought about the pandemic.
In truth, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed colleges and universities across the world to change their policies to become more accommodating and inclusive. Students who previously could not enter a university due to financial constraints, geographical constraints, or disability could now access their preferred university with ease. And while international student enrollment may not be possible in an in-campus setting, virtual admissions can even pave the way for extending education across boundaries towards diverse populations.
Immediate impacts of the pandemic on students appeared negative in the beginning and it has surely exposed the weakness of colleges and universities in terms of IT infrastructure, but it can also be seen as the avenue to initiate changes in college and universities for good.
Impact on Faculty and Training
Students are not the only ones affected by the pandemic. Educators also face challenges brought about by new modes of learning. Just like students, faculty members also experience disparities in technology and skills related to virtual education environments. Not all teachers have access to resources for online learning as some may only have access when on the school premises.
Apart from connectivity, instructors now have to become tech-savvy, almost in an instant, to navigate virtual classrooms and online submission of course requirements. Professors also need to become a little more creative to develop engaging class content to maximize learning and ensure classes are more than just Zoom.
Colleges and universities strive to address these issues by providing continuous training to their faculty regarding the use of technology and re-imaging content to become more engaging. While traditional lectures suffice in on-campus settings, educators can explore and incorporate interactive tools and even enhance lessons with videos or graphics to capture and retain student’s attention during a virtual learning experience. Educators can also do well to utilize technology to advance their research and administrative skills.
In addition to the technical aspect of online learning, faculty will also need to be trained to accommodate students from diverse backgrounds. Teachers must also be able to convey both professionalism and empathy when dealing with students from underrepresented populations. Emphasis is placed on a student-centered approach. They may also need to exercise their patience and enforce flexible due dates for course requirements.
Impact on Institution
The COVID-19 pandemic not only impacts students and their professors-it also affects higher ed institutions as a whole. The pandemic has substantially altered the way education is delivered and it has compelled colleges and universities to change for the better. The impacts of COVID-19 on higher ed institutions can be seen as avenues for improvement. Some examples include:
Strengthening technological and IT capabilities. This serves as a paramount agenda for higher education. Schools need to bolster the accessibility of digital formats and platforms to enable learning opportunities to a diverse student audience.
Ensure data privacy and security. Technology not only plays an essential role in delivering education, but it also requires developing safety measures to ensure that data collected and distributed are secure. Student information must remain confidential and mechanisms must be in place to ensure data is not compromised due to the use of learning technology.
Refocusing research and development studies to assist in the worldwide understanding of COVID-19. This leads to networking opportunities between educational institutions, government agencies, and affected communities to inform about the virus and develop remedies to stem the pandemic.
Rediscover the inherent value of their teaching staff. Educators are the frontliners of the college education system and their adaptive techniques in ensuring education remains to be rewarded. Apart from enhancing their digital skills, universities must also extend support to their academic staff in assessing their needs and provide adequate resources to help them fulfill their assignments.
Post-Pandemic Adaptations
The impact of the pandemic on educational institutions will be far-reaching. Colleges and universities need to plan for contingencies in case countries allow schools to reopen for admission and in-campus education.
In this, health protocols must be put in place to ensure that students and academic staff are protected from the virus. Simple basics such as hand washing and social distancing are to be strictly enforced. Self-quarantine must also be encouraged in case students develop flu-like symptoms. while travel monitoring can help universities with contact tracing procedures should infections arise.
Universities and colleges may also look into the possibility of developing hybrid learning models where a combination of online and in-campus settings result into holistic methods of delivering quality education.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted colleges and universities on an individual and institutional level that necessitates change and innovation of existing policies and procedures as to how education is delivered.
On an individual level, it has caused the disruption of classes and activities as students are compelled to leave campuses and result to online learning. It has also resulted in the displacement of students who may have become stranded or homeless as a result of campus lockdowns. The pandemic also shifted perception regarding virtual classes with more and more students preferring online classes to ensure their safety.
At an institutional level, the pandemic has challenged traditional models of teaching and administration. Classroom lectures are no longer the norm as educators now incorporate videos, graphics, and other supplemental materials to improve student engagement. Data privacy is now imperative, and enhancements to IT capabilities are now the main priorities.
The pandemic has also led to college and university management looking for innovative ways to build community with students and faculty despite social distancing requirements and travel ban restrictions. In a way, the pandemic has made colleges and universities more humane and caring as they go out of their way to lend distressed students a hand. Colleges and universities now use technology not just for course updates but to more effectively to reach to their students and address their needs.
While the future remains uncertain regarding when schools will be allowed to fully reopen and classes will eventually resume, the pandemic has highlighted the remarkable resilience of higher educational institutions. Their ingenuity has allowed students to continue to receive their education despite their physical displacement. The instant adoption of new technologies, although by no means perfect, serve as effective mechanism in this crucial time. It has also led to renewed interest in research and development to further studies regarding the COVID-19 virus and how to combat the disease.
In essence, the impact of COVID-19 to higher education institutions is the exposure the vulnerabilities of the education system. The discovery of these flaws now paves the way to eliminate out-of-date traditional structures to make way for innovative methods to deliver quality education across continents, beyond borders, and into needy communities.
