Learning from the Pandemic – Different Students, Different Needs

The recent pandemic along with recent advances in internet and web based technologies has promoted the emergence of pedagogical constructs and models such as distributed learning, open/flexible learning, asynchronous learning networks and knowledge building communities. Seemingly small (and sometimes unconscious) choices about the technologies we use can have a big impact on how inclusive and effective our teaching is. The more aware we are of this, the more we can ensure we’re choosing the right tools for the right reasons. Educators need to evaluate carefully the impact of technology on the real experiences and learning outcomes of students, moving beyond rhetoric and intuition.

Asynchronous methods that have attracted researchers interest in the past rely heavily on high tech solutions that assume easy access to eLearning platforms. Unfortunately, videoconferencing is one of the most inflexible and bandwidth intensive activities that students do. The issue of accessing high tech platforms can create problems, especially for students with disabilities. Similarly, for teachers, learning how to create pre-recorded lectures can be intimidating, especially if they don’t have prior experience with video production. High bandwidth technologies work great for students who have newer computers, fast and reliable internet access at home, and unlimited data plans on their phones. For other students, courses that require frequent use of high bandwidth technologies can limit their ability to fully participate in course activities and create a sense of shame and anxiety, and leave them feeling like second-class citizens.

According to Cyndi Wiley, digital accessibility coordinator for Iowa State University’s Information Technology Services, “students who are deaf or hard of hearing, have low vision or are blind, those with learning disorders,…students with mental illnesses or various other challenges, have been put on the backburner ‘en masse,’ as instructors scramble to transfer two months’ worth of teaching content to a digital format.” The issue of accessing high tech platforms can create problems, especially for students with disabilities.

We have seen that existing research fails to pay attention to the contexts, learning styles, and psychological characteristics of the learners when assessing the effectiveness of asynchronous methods. There are only a few notable exceptions, for instance (Loomis, 2000), where the author attempts to look at student learning styles and effectiveness of asynchronous methods. 

In Pakistan’s context, teachers and students were forced to shift on to the eLearning platforms during COVID-19 crises despite having the required technological infrastructure in place. Internet without which the concept of asynchronous and synchronous learning is not possible and is only available in the urban cities of Pakistan. Well trained people for the maintenance of eLearning systems are not available; if some problem occurs there are very few people who are able to fix the problem. Language, conflict, local context, social context, religion have also brought limitations. There is a common perception amongst several Pakistani students that courses taught online may not benefit them and there has been a notable decrease in student attendance in virtual classes conducted during the recent crises. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is triggering the need to encourage learners to reconceive what could otherwise be isolated learning fragments as part of more coherent and longer term learning journeys. When educators discover the right combination of tools for the right combination of students, they’ll be able to provide a riveting online learning experience – not just another Zoom meeting. For many people, mobile devices have been integrated into their daily lives providing many opportunities for technology-supported incidental learning.