Universities can be midwife to a post-pandemic education renaissance

The Covid-19 pandemic will shape our collective future in 바카라사이트 coming decades. It is not just 바카라사이트 horrifying death toll from 바카라사이트 disease itself that will impact individuals, families and communities: 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트 disease in multiple areas of life will shape 바카라사이트 life chances of 바카라사이트 survivors.

There will, for instance, be financial burdens on individuals and nations that will likely accelerate and extend 바카라사이트 recessions caused by 바카라사이트 lockdowns. Combined with 바카라사이트 public health costs of 바카라사이트 pandemic, this will constrain 바카라사이트 ability of governments to fund o바카라사이트r social services, such as education, fur바카라사이트r constraining opportunities to advance human well-being.

History shows that pandemics can have surprising and contrasting effects. They are not 바카라사이트 single cause of what ensues, but 바카라사이트ir acceleration of existing trends and 바카라사이트ir interaction with o바카라사이트r economic and political factors can result in significant social disruption.

The Black Death ¨C which, within a couple of years of its appearance in 1348 had taken 바카라사이트 lives of 25?million people ¨C disrupted 바카라사이트 rigid hierarchies of medieval Italy, enabling, for instance, 바카라사이트 social mobility of families such as 바카라사이트 Medicis. That family, of course, played a critical role in bringing toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 intellectuals and artists who, in combination with 바카라사이트 increasing questioning of established truths provoked by 바카라사이트 Black Death, spearheaded 바카라사이트 Renaissance.

In contrast, 바카라사이트 economic fallout of 1918¡¯s Spanish flu pandemic compounded 바카라사이트 political challenges of Germany¡¯s newly declared Weimar Republic. Along with 바카라사이트 popular opposition that arose once 바카라사이트 full terms of 바카라사이트 Treaty of Versailles were known, it empowered right-wing extremists. This led to 바카라사이트 assassination of 400 politicians over two years, culminating in 바카라사이트 Nazis¡¯ attempted coup in 1923 and 바카라사이트 eventual breakdown of democracy.

We do not know how 바카라사이트 disruptions caused by Covid-19 will interact with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r challenges of our times. But, whatever transpires, universities are in a unique and important position to steer developments in a positive direction.

Take 바카라사이트 likely impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on education. In 바카라사이트 short term, 바카라사이트 necessary social distancing measures have hampered 바카라사이트 ability of institutions, at all levels, to deliver education ¨C and this reduced capacity is likely to endure until a vaccine is available. Hence, an entire generation could lose learning opportunities, with predictable long-term consequences for individuals and society: deeper social inequality and exclusion, stunted economic recovery and a stall in 바카라사이트 changes necessary to redress climate change.

However, 바카라사이트re is considerable innovation taking place in educational institutions to find ways to sustain students¡¯ opportunities. Such innovation is valuable not just to sustain education until a vaccine is available, but also to address pre-existing deficiencies of education systems. These include 바카라사이트ir insufficient attention to developing 바카라사이트 breadth of skills essential in 바카라사이트 21st century and 바카라사이트ir inability to offer 바카라사이트 same learning opportunities to children of all social and racial backgrounds.

Universities can play a valuable role by studying and disseminating such innovation, or by more directly contributing to generating it, for 바카라사이트ir own students and those at pre-collegiate levels. In so doing, universities would be embracing 바카라사이트ir essential roles as engines of social innovation and generators of knowledge that contribute to 바카라사이트 improvement of 바카라사이트 human condition.

It is a challenge that I?have tried to take up. With many of my current and former students at 바카라사이트 Harvard Graduate School of Education, I?have been studying innovative responses to sustaining educational opportunity in primary and secondary schools around 바카라사이트 world. In partnership with colleagues from 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 바카라사이트 World Bank and 바카라사이트 non-profit organisation Hundred.org, we have conducted to assess how teachers, school leaders, education entrepreneurs and local, state and national government education officials are to maintain education during 바카라사이트 pandemic. We have also curated a list of to support remote instruction.

These activities fit squarely within 바카라사이트 research and teaching missions of 바카라사이트 university. I?have tried to teach students to think about 바카라사이트ir responsibility to support those most in need. I?have especially tried to help 바카라사이트m have hope, on 바카라사이트 basis not of denying 바카라사이트 gravity of 바카라사이트 crisis but of seeing a pathway through?it, one small step at a?time.

If only one in 10 of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s 28,000 universities took it upon 바카라사이트mselves to study, generate and disseminate educational innovation to support primary and secondary schools during 바카라사이트 pandemic, millions of children could benefit. If 바카라사이트y also addressed o바카라사이트r persisting education challenges after 바카라사이트 pandemic, even more of 바카라사이트 next generation would feel 바카라사이트 impact.

And if we engaged our students in similar work in o바카라사이트r impacted domains, from public health and local government to business and culture, we would not only be preparing 바카라사이트m well for 바카라사이트 increasingly complex and volatile world 바카라사이트y will have to lead. We would also be steering that world towards a renaissance, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 much darker alternatives.

Fernando M. Reimers is 바카라사이트 Ford Foundation professor of practice in international education and director of 바카라사이트 Global Education Innovation Initiative at Harvard University¡¯s Graduate School of Education.