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What we learned about the future of education from COVID-19

What we learned about the future of education from COVID-19

What is learning and where and how does it happen? The pandemic let us consider these questions in new ways.

COVID-19 disrupted and transformed our education system. As part of the Ethics of Digitalization project, the Berkman Klein Center gathered experts and students to explore what we’ve learned about the future of education during a recent Research Sprint. In Fast Company, Elisabeth Sylvan and Sandra Cortesi share key lessons from the Sprint, with insights from Sabelo Mhlambi and Malavika Jayaram.

Takeaways from the Sprint include: 

  1. Learning can happen anywhere, not just in the classroom. From museums and libraries to social media and online learning platforms, informal learning spaces are more important than ever.
  2. Access requires skills and resources in addition to technology. Handing students a device and Internet access just scratches the surface. If students don’t have the skills and resources to navigate online learning, technology can worsen existing inequalities.
  3. Our education system also serves social and emotional needs. Schools are about much more than book learning, but the social and emotional functions schools serve don’t translate easily to the online world.

Read more in Fast Company

Thank you to Footnote for its collaboration on this article and assistance with placement.

Illustration by Claudia Thomas

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Youth and Media

Youth and Media (YaM) encompasses an array of research, advocacy, and development initiatives around youth (age 12-18) and digital technology.

The Ethics of Digitalization

Led by the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), the Berkman Klein Center, and the Digital Asia Hub, and in collaboration with the Global Network of…

Past

Digital Ethics in Times of Crisis: COVID-19 & Access to Education and Learning Spaces

A global research sprint explores digital transformation at a pivotal moment in time


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Feb 8, 2021

Digital Ethics in Times of Crisis: COVID-19 and Access to Education and Learning Spaces

A collaborative contribution by the participants in an “Ethics of Digitalization” Research Sprint

A collaborative contribution by the participants in an “Ethics of Digitalization” Research Sprint