Do you think the health crisis presented an opportunity to modernize education? Or are we still facing the same challenges and issues we had before the pandemic?
I believe the challenges in the region have grown. We face greater social and educational deficits than before, due to the rise in inequality caused by the pandemic and the enormous impact it has had—and will continue to have—on learning, the development of social-emotional skills, and the interactions of children and young people.
It has been truly devastating, and it will take us a long time to fully grasp the scale of what it has caused. This means we must redouble our efforts and rethink our strategies. The old tools are no longer effective, and we need to consider viable ways to transform our education systems.
After two years of COVID-19, what lessons have we learned? Of all the measures we’ve implemented and lessons we’ve learned, which ones can we continue to apply in the classroom in the future?
The pandemic opened up new opportunities. This is because, on a global scale and quite abruptly, it triggered a necessary and inevitable reorganization of all areas of education. For a system that struggles to change, it has forced these changes upon it. Most importantly, many of these changes have the potential to endure and expand over time.
It is worth noting the advancements in technology and the exposure that much of the teaching community had to new teaching strategies and technological tools. The health crisis also spurred changes in teaching methods and pedagogy. New approaches to grouping students and monitoring their progress remotely were implemented.
There have been many aspects to this. It has spurred a new way of thinking about assessment formats, student promotion, as well as the use of time and space in schools. It has also highlighted the importance of project-based learning, instructional planning, peer learning, and collaborative work among teachers.
All of these seeds are waiting to be nurtured and transformed into more sustainable practices—in more normal times and with sound public policies and effective school leadership—so that they may grow stronger, receive more support, and have greater impact.
Thinking about the students who experienced the closure of schools and that emergency remote learning, what distinctive and positive traits do you think they will have in 20 years, compared to other generations?
Of course, every change brings with it a new way of learning. I don’t think it’s been a positive experience in this case, because there’s been so much hardship. Perhaps what they’ve learned is to appreciate school more, as well as their interactions with their classmates and teachers.
But I also think there’s a lesson here—one that I hope will prove useful—which is that learning at home can be a form of self-directed learning. It’s something the pandemic allowed us to explore, and I believe it will be important to continue in the future. In particular, we need to keep developing the skills needed for independent study and learning outside of school hours and the classroom.
Envisioning an expanded classroom at home—not through homework or routine activities, but through invitations, recommended readings, websites, educational video games, or exercises that students can pursue on their own. This allows them to see that they are capable of learning independently, and that not everything depends on having a teacher in front of them all the time.
It is important to take learning out of the school setting—in the best sense of the word. And, at the same time, we must recognize that school is irreplaceable. The social experience of learning during set hours, at a certain pace, and with a specific group of peers is a very powerful thing that we must not lose.
What do you think teachers should focus on today in order to mitigate the negative aspects of education during the pandemic?
There are several areas we need to focus on strengthening in order to mitigate the effects that this extraordinary period we have experienced—which is not yet entirely over—has had and will continue to have.
It is very important for teachers to establish a genuine connection with their students. They need to foster emotional bonds, recognizing that learning depends on each student’s well-being, how they feel, and how they are doing in school. It is crucial to connect with them on that level—with their life stories and their unique journeys.
And we must also foster a learning environment where everyone feels heard and valued, and where there is mutual respect for what others say—and for their silences. This atmosphere of care, of trusting in each student’s abilities, and of creating learning opportunities is the first step.
In terms of teaching, it is necessary to develop strategies that can accommodate this diversity and foster mutual, collaborative, and independent learning. Above all, we must encourage the desire to learn new things and the social value of students raising questions, dilemmas, and doubts, as well as their desire to seek new knowledge—which is what holds the greatest potential when we work in the classroom.
During the first half of 2022, Dr. Axel Rivas was one of the instructors for Doctoral Seminar 2 in the Doctor of Education program at Universidad ORT Uruguay.