COVID-19: 18 months later and still learning

The lessons that we learned over the course of the past year and a half will continue to inform pedagogy going forward. Indeed, while some believe we will be returning to "normal" this upcoming 2021-22 school year, the truth is there will be a "new normal." Across the nation, teachers and administrators have learned how technology integration and instructional modalities such as hybrid/blended and online instruction, can augment traditional face-to-face teaching and learning. The pivot K-12 education experienced during the pandemic also resulted in the following takeaways:

Internet access for all students provides an opportunity to learn outside of the school day. Creative solutions such as mobile hotspots and coordinating with local businesses to put Wi-Fi routers in place will help bridge the digital divide.
Teachers may have been thrust outside of their comfort zone initially, but they embraced the challenge and developed engaging and creative activities that enhanced the learning process, both in an online and in-person classroom environment.
Professional development can be delivered in an efficacious manner both online and in-person.
Technology can serve as an effective conduit to further build the connection between schools and the community.
A final takeaway is that all of this will require government funding, as well as support from the business community. The digital divide that existed before the pandemic will only become wider if we do not invest in high-speed, WiFi, which has to be maintained and upgraded throughout its lifespan.

Make no mistake: all of these initiatives were in various stages of development. The pandemic, however, expedited their implementation and compressed the timeline for adoption. It is now our responsibility to make sure that the lessons we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic will allow us to fulfill our promise of achieving digital equity, which has eluded K-12 education since the inception of the Internet.

Instant Insights /

5 lessons learned about the digital divide from the COVID-19 pandemic

Related Stories

Recommended For You