Coronavirus: how Covid-19 hastened the arrival of a once distant learning dream – The National

Coronavirus: how Covid-19 hastened the arrival of a once distant learning dream – The National

Distance learning was scoffed at a decade ago but is now crucial to the UAE's efforts to educate its pupils amid Covid-19 concerns. More than 300 million children worldwide are affected by classrooms shutting, and that number will almost grow as the virus spreads.. School closures are putting a spotlight on education technology and its ability to replace the physical classroom.. When I was in those classrooms in RAK, educational technology was still being scoffed at in many circles.. In the United States, for example, some school districts embraced Silicon Valley's promise of a brave new world of education infused with technology.. Seesaw is another popular example of a technology solution for distance learning.. Over the last decade, Google has become a heavyweight of educational technology through its suite of products in Google Classroom.. Other platforms, such as Alef Education in Abu Dhabi, leverage advancements in machine learning to give students, teachers and parents real-time feedback and adjust lessons .. The long-term results of the school closures could be surprising.. In order for technology to truly augment (and even replace) the classroom, the sector needs a shock test.. Without the mandatory school closures tens of millions of children are currently