Now that the path out of lockdown has been set out by the Prime Minister, we can begin to consider what college life might look like in the ‘new normal’. It’s fair to say that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the shape of education for good.
As Boris Johnson was right to highlight during the announcement of his education recovery package, teaching staff have been “heroic” in their efforts to facilitate home learning. In the last 12 months, they’ve had to get to grips with the technology, adjust their teaching methods for remote learning, and find ways to protect their wellbeing without ever truly being able to step away from work.
Colleges have come a long way in a year and there’s no going back now. There’s a general acceptance that, for all the bad that the pandemic has done, there is some good to take away from it – even if it takes a while for this to show itself as colleges battle with the effects of significant learning loss.
So, what can we expect once the dust has settled?
Remote learning is here to stay
Although remote provisions were thrust upon colleges by lockdown, many leaders believe the work that has gone into making the adaptations will have long-term benefits. For instance, it could help provide teaching for snow days, or extended periods of illness or absence, in order to minimise learning loss.
In a survey of more than 400 headteachers and multi-academy trust finance managers – conducted by IRIS Software Group – the vast majority (81%) said software that enables remote learning among students will be integral to ensuring a quality learning experience going forward. Meanwhile, almost half (49%) believe software that facilitates remote working for office staff will be integral post-lockdown.
“The education sector is preparing for a complete digital shift in operations as we enter the next normal,” said Winston Poyton, senior product director for education at IRIS.
“MATs and schools are finally seeing online tools and software as a necessity and not a nice to have. Remote working, home schooling and the closure of schools [and colleges] have been a real test for the sector. However, those who have invested in the tools and software to streamline [processes] and maintain engagement with parents and pupils have been able to manage the effects of the pandemic smoothly.”
Virtual parents’ evenings, which allow parents to have “a more confidential conversation” in the privacy of their own home, and greater flexibility for older students to learn from home, are set to be the norm even after restrictions have lifted.
What we can expect, however, is for colleges to take stock of whether the technology they’ve had to hastily adopt is right for them in the new normal. In the rush to move online, colleges had no choice but to adopt existing commercial offerings and the use of digital platforms not always designed for education. Lecturers are sure to provide some valuable input here.
Staff wellbeing to be taken more seriously
The impact of college closures and exclusion from national policy decisions on the wellbeing and mental health of lecturers, non-teaching staff and college leaders cannot be underestimated.
A recent report by the national charity Education Support (2020) demonstrates that:
- 50% of all education professionals felt their mental health and wellbeing had declined either considerably or a little.
- 50% cited the lack of timely government guidance as being one of the most challenging aspects.
- Only 15% felt greatly or somewhat appreciated by the UK government.
- Only 25% felt greatly or somewhat appreciated by the general public.
Lecturers have felt neglected by the government. Unlike office workers, who can maintain safe distances from colleagues, social distancing in colleges is extremely difficult to achieve, and it is impossible to teach wearing full PPE. This has worn away at many lecturers’ health and wellbeing.
Meanwhile, college leaders faced specific challenges, including digesting and responding to frequent policy directives which were often untimely and confusing.
Education Support has spelled out the importance of ensuring education professionals are supported as we move into the new normal.
“It is time to start taking the mental health of our teachers and educators seriously,” said Sinéad McBrearty, CEO of Education Support. “The first step is investment. We ask the UK government to act now, by providing education institutions with the resources needed to perform their duties effectively. If we don’t, we risk losing the much-needed talent and experience that can guide the education sector through recovery from the pandemic.”
Employer branding to take on new importance
With half of all teachers and lecturers (51%) and 59% of senior leaders admitting they had considered leaving the profession this year due to pressures on their health and wellbeing, colleges will surely put greater emphasis on presenting themselves as a good place to work.
On top of trying to retain their current staff, there could very well be a need to ramp up recruitment efforts, if lecturers start to firm up those plans to exit the industry.
In many ways, the pandemic itself has been an employer branding exercise for colleges. Those that adapted quickly won’t have gone unnoticed. Virtual open evening videos will have also been used by candidates as a barometer of what colleges are like as places of work. Indeed, you can expect candidates to continue to seek these out as they do their research on a college prior to applying for a vacancy.
Colleges can no longer rely on results, Ofsted reports and local reputation to carry them. They will need to do everything in their power to show candidates what elevates them above other colleges in the area.
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Content originally published on Eteach.