COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on our societal norms even with minimal active cases in our region. No large gatherings, limitations on how we complete day-to-day tasks, and much less opportunity to progress as a generation.
When our economy and social lives came to a screeching halt in mid-March, none of us could have imagined what we would be dealing with six months later and how it would look — especially schooling. Would there be school? What will it look like? Will we get our money's worth? Will I be paying thousands of dollars for a zoom class? Will I have the capacity to e-learn remotely?
One would assume that when universities across the country announced they would be switching to an almost 100 per cent online curriculum, this would open up the chance for much more innovation. Pre-recorded lectures, the ability to do coursework when it was convenient for the student, and increasing overall accessibility to those looking to further their education.
The majority of post-secondary and graduate students must work full-time or close to it to provide for themselves, their families, and avoid obtaining a crippling student loan bill. I would have to think many individuals are forced to choose between the next milestone in education or working 9-5, especially if courses are held on campus. COVID-19 has created a unique situation where institutions could have made greater strides for learning by providing more flexibility and adaptability for students wanting to expand their education. This is where schools have missed their golden opportunity — a chance to modernize and innovate the way education is delivered.
With the technology available at the click of a button or quick Google search, schools should have the ability to create 24/7 portals for various classes and not force students to sit in front of a computer screen for a set time each day. This would allow working students to complete lectures when convenient for them, allow international students to learn based on their time zone and not the school they attend, and allow for a remote learning environment. There are obvious exceptions for technical courses and hands-on learning, but a majority of classwork can be transitioned into a fully online format.
Sure, it requires investment, as every innovation does. It may require retraining for professors who are not comfortable with technology; however, the economic impact is much more significant. More students would be willing to enrol (and pay tuition) if different options were available to work and study. Not to mention, creating greater economies of scale for each individual institution.
UPEI already offers an extensive list of online programming, and some instructors have made early transitions to online curriculum long before COVID-19 came around. This should not go unnoticed as it has made life much easier when accounting for sick days or snow cancellations. But there is still work to be done.
We understand that professors and some students crave the structure of set schedules, and that's fine. But as something as wide scale as COVID-19 has proven, we must adapt and modernize our old ways of doing things or be left in the rearview mirror.
Friends of mine are moving to different provinces for school to complete online courses at predetermined times for their master's degree. This doesn't seem sensible as they are now being asked to pay significantly higher rent, in addition to astronomical tuition fees, and do the same thing they could be doing from their living room on P.E.I. This issue is due in part to the fact that universities and colleges won't commit to having a second semester entirely online, meaning they would have to relocate in the winter anyway. Without sounding narcissistic, there isn't a hope in hell that the second semester will be in person or on campus, especially with a second wave looming. Even flirting the idea of a fully online, pilot-project-type school year would have been a start.
This is not meant to be a shot at educational institutions; it's merely something myself and many other students are passionate about, and the window to implement change is quickly dwindling. With very little chance of having all sports teams in play, conventions or conferences held on campus, and less overall maintenance, there are undoubtedly some resources and labour available to create an accessible and innovative education model. This does not apply to all schools but does apply to the majority in the Atlantic bubble.
Every so often, we are given an opportunity like the one we have now. Innovation occurs when there is a new technology, an old problem, and a big idea.
So let's not waste it because it requires extra time and effort to implement, but instead embrace our post-secondary system's modernization for the 21st century.
Sam MacPhail is a recent bachelor of business administration (BBA) graduate and class valedictorian from UPEI. He now works as a consultant with Confederation Group in Charlottetown.
