What is the state of education after two years in a pandemic? A professor’s perspective
The pandemic has changed daily life in more ways than one, ranging from how we work to what we do for leisure, but some of the most significant changes have been in schools. Preschools, elementary schools, middle and high schools and universities have all been massively impacted by repeated lockdowns and variant surges, to the point that the way schools are approaching education is almost unrecognizable. To get a better understanding of how the pandemic has affected the American education system, I interviewed SCAD writing professor Christopher Bundy, PhD, for a college professor’s perspective.
The pandemic has made everyone rethink their values and priorities in their personal lives. Do you think the way students value their education has changed since March 2020?
I hope so. At least they have a clearer idea of what goes into teaching a course and just how important engagement and communication are in a class environment, whether it’s on the ground or in-person. Certainly, more value has been placed on in-person teaching. Blackboard, Zoom and other digital platforms can help make course material more manageable and accessible. But there seems to be no substitute for what goes on in an active classroom.
Schools have adjusted to function completely differently since the pandemic started. Do you think the way teachers approach education has changed since March 2020?
Similar to my answer above, I think faculty better understand the value of what they do in a classroom and just how lucky we are to have that intimate access versus staring at 20-30 framed student profiles on Zoom via a computer.
Pandemic life has taken its toll on everybody. In what ways has the pandemic negatively affected students in their education?
The switch to Zoom initially went very well. I think SCAD helped students and faculty alike make that nearly instant transition to a digital classroom. However, Zoom fatigue eventually settled in and students became less and less engaged as they began to adapt almost too comfortably to receiving an education from their bedrooms.
In what ways has the pandemic negatively affected teachers and administration?
The loss of connection we normally have with students and other faculty. We didn’t realize how much happens when we’re on campus, how many relationships are formed and developed because of that constant interaction with others. I felt that I really lost touch with students and faculty both.
Many people are calling for “a return to normalcy.” Do you think education will ever go back to what it was pre-pandemic?
The Zoom classroom is here to stay, at least as a viable option when we can’t meet face-to-face. It has already changed the nature of how we deliver e-learning, which is now synchronous learning vs. the old model of asynchronous learning. Apparently, students overwhelmingly wanted that synchronous learning environment, even if only via Zoom.
The world’s understanding of the role of education in society has changed massively since the pandemic started. Do you think education has been changed for the better in any way?
If anything, those outside of education have a better understanding of what it takes to engage and educate a classroom of students. Let’s hope they don’t forget just what a challenge it really is and begin to value both education and teachers. I also believe that as faculty we have had to take a much closer look at how we deliver material. I know it’s made me more self-aware of what I’m doing in the classroom.
After looking back over this interview, I wish I had gotten the chance to ask Professor Bundy what his hopes are for the state of education in the future. The pre-pandemic education system was far from perfect, so one can only hope that we can take what we’ve learned from these past two years and start building a better system with staying power.
