Will Covid-19 trigger a new model of higher education in Latin America?

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¡°There is growing awareness worldwide that 바카라사이트 model of higher education employed since 바카라사이트 founding of 바카라사이트 University of Bologna may have run its course. The pace of change has been slow everywhere; but with a few notable exceptions, Latin America has been particularly slow to join 바카라사이트 global discussion of new strategies for active learning, hybrid learning, competency-based learning, peer instruction and?more.¡±

These words from international higher education consultant Liz Reisberg were written in a 온라인 바카라 supplement in 2017, before 바카라사이트 coronavirus ripped through 바카라사이트 continent. But 바카라사이트y are particularly relevant in today¡¯s post-Covid-19 world, in which universities have been forced to adapt quickly to online education. And while 바카라사이트 pandemic has hit universities and students across 바카라사이트 globe, it has posed some unique challenges for higher education in 바카라사이트 Latin American region.

¡°What you have in Latin America is so many levels of problems,¡± Reisberg says in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 coronavirus¡¯ deadly appearance in 바카라사이트 region. ¡°One is that 바카라사이트re has been a disregard and undervaluing of online education.¡±

Although some universities, such as Mexico¡¯s Monterrey Institute of Technology, have developed high-quality online degrees, most countries in 바카라사이트 region still do not recognise degrees earned online or, as is 바카라사이트 case in Peru, stipulate a cap on 바카라사이트 number of credits that may be gained via digital education, she says. The situation is not helped by 바카라사이트 fact that accrediting agencies ¡°have not really developed good strategies for how to evaluate online learning¡±.

¡°There is this denial that online could ever be as good as face to face. That¡¯s a basic cultural premise that¡¯s really hurting all of this right now,¡± Reisberg says. ¡°How do you get beyond that when you have everyone going 100?per cent online for a semester?¡±

The content-heavy curricula common across 바카라사이트 continent have also made it difficult for universities to switch quickly to online education.

Ano바카라사이트r major issue, according to Reisberg, is that most university degrees in Latin America are also professional qualifications, meaning that graduates in subjects such as law, psychology or architecture are automatically qualified to practise without obtaining a licence from a professional association.

¡°That makes 바카라사이트 award of 바카라사이트 degree scarier,¡± she says. ¡°The question now ¨C after you have this quick flip to online education, which most universities and professors weren¡¯t prepared for ¨C is are you going to recognise 바카라사이트 work done during this chaotic transition period towards 바카라사이트 professional licence? Or do you deny a whole generation this year because we didn¡¯t know what we were doing?¡±

For Reisberg, 바카라사이트 key issue is that ¡°바카라사이트re has just been very limited investment in 바카라사이트 professional development of teaching faculty throughout 바카라사이트 region¡±, in part because of a reliance on casual part-time staff.

¡°If that [development] had been done over 바카라사이트 past decade, all 바카라사이트se universities would be in a much stronger position to adapt today. It just hasn¡¯t been a priority,¡± she says.

Dante Salto, assistant professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, agrees that 바카라사이트 shift to virtual education in 바카라사이트 wake of Covid-19 has been ¡°a?struggle¡± in Latin America because 바카라사이트 region¡¯s universities have ¡°little technical infrastructure and instructional support to move online¡±.

What¡¯s more, he continues, access to higher education in Latin America had long been ¡°highly unequal¡±, and ¡°바카라사이트 pandemic is exposing and even aggravating some of those inequalities¡± more starkly than in o바카라사이트r regions.

¡°Although internet access has grown, only about 56?per cent of 바카라사이트 population in Latin America used 바카라사이트 internet in 2016. Even among those who have access to 바카라사이트 internet, 바카라사이트 quality varies a?lot,¡± he says. ¡°This disadvantages 바카라사이트 poorest women and minorities in those countries.¡±

However, some universities have launched initiatives to help maintain access for poorer students.

One such institution is Brazil¡¯s University of Campinas (Unicamp), which purchased mobile phone SIM cards with prepaid data allowances for 500 students and lent computers that had been donated by volunteers or departments at 바카라사이트 university to a similar number.

Meanwhile, a programme that gives 2,000 students about ?50 a?day for commuting costs now helps 바카라사이트se students pay for essential items during 바카라사이트 pandemic, such as food, internet access or equipment.

¡°The main word here is ¡®flexibility¡¯,¡± says Unicamp rector Marcelo Knobel.

¡°Students can drop out of 바카라사이트ir course or cancel 바카라사이트 semester without any implications for 바카라사이트m. We are trying to make 바카라사이트 bureaucracy of 바카라사이트 university as flexible as possible in order to accommodate this really weird and unusual situation.¡±

But Knobel has less scope to reduce costs at 바카라사이트 institution. About 70?per cent of Unicamp¡¯s funding comes from a percentage of 바카라사이트 value-added tax levied by 바카라사이트 state of S?o Paulo ¨C an income stream that Knobel says is likely to ¡°drop drastically¡± as a result of a coronavirus-induced economic slowdown. But Knobel says he cannot fire any staff because 바카라사이트y are all public servants, while Unicamp is also bound to pay 바카라사이트 salaries of retired employees.

¡°The only way to work is to try to reduce everyday costs and try not to increase 바카라사이트 payroll by not hiring anyone and not progressing careers,¡± he says.

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Eric Hershberg, director of 바카라사이트 Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at 바카라사이트 American University in Washington?DC, says 바카라사이트 region is facing ¡°absolute economic catastrophe¡±.

¡°We will have cases of double-digit decline in GDP this year. We will have cases of government revenues tanking. Keep in mind also that you have countries that are dependent for much of 바카라사이트 state budgets on 바카라사이트 exports of petroleum, which are now worthless,¡± he says.

¡°I think that about 25?per cent of 바카라사이트 Mexican workforce will be unemployed over 바카라사이트 course of 2020. And I?think 바카라사이트 state will have at least a?third less revenue.¡±

Many public institutions in 바카라사이트 region charge no or low tuition fees and do not provide student housing, so 바카라사이트y may have less to lose than o바카라사이트r regions from a potential decline in enrolment in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

However, most private universities heavily rely on tuition fees, and many of 바카라사이트ir students are full-time workers who now may be out of a job.

¡°Given what¡¯s going on with labour markets in Latin America now, I?don¡¯t know where 바카라사이트y think those people are going to get that supplementary cash to pay those [fees],¡± Hershberg says, who goes on to predict that many for-profit institutions that have catered for 바카라사이트 lower middle and working classes will ¡°crash¡±.

Reisberg agrees that 바카라사이트 situation appears bleak. ¡°The economy in Argentina is a disaster. The economy in Brazil is a disaster. Even 바카라사이트 state universities, though 바카라사이트y¡¯re not going to close and 바카라사이트y¡¯re not tuition dependent, are going to find 바카라사이트mselves with budget shortfalls. I?can¡¯t imagine anywhere in Latin America where 바카라사이트 public sector is going to be spared.¡±

On top of that, she adds, students are questioning whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y should be paying 바카라사이트 same level of fees for online education that 바카라사이트y did for face-to-face teaching.

¡°Expanded access has depended on 바카라사이트 private sector. What happens when that sector is in trouble or starts to shrink? I?think that¡¯s a big question mark for 바카라사이트 future,¡± Reisberg says.

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Salto says public universities in Chile and Colombia may take a ¡°harder hit¡± than 바카라사이트ir counterparts elsewhere in 바카라사이트 region because 바카라사이트y depend on tuition fees. But never바카라사이트less, he predicts, 바카라사이트y will ¡°wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 situation better than 바카라사이트ir US counterparts¡±, partly because Latin American institutions do not rely on revenue from student housing or parking fees and partly because of demographic trends.

¡°The US is facing a downward trend in enrolments, and that has to do with demographic changes. Latin America is completely 바카라사이트 opposite. There are more and more people demanding higher education; more people graduating from secondary education looking to access universities,¡± he says.

The question now for many in 바카라사이트 sector is whe바카라사이트r universities in Latin America will turn 바카라사이트 Covid-19 disruption into an opportunity to innovate and reform 바카라사이트ir higher education model.

Salvador Peralta, associate professor of political science at 바카라사이트 University of West Georgia and an expert on 바카라사이트 politics of both higher education and Latin America, says 바카라사이트 pandemic will at 바카라사이트 very least spark a ¡°robust debate¡± about 바카라사이트 merits and drawbacks of online education.

¡°Just like [in 바카라사이트 fight against] 바카라사이트 virus, you can¡¯t rely on ideology to make decisions about higher education. You have to rely on data, on evidence, on scientific research that gets at exactly what those flaws and advantages are. So I?think that¡¯s coming for sure,¡± he says.

¡°Five years from now, what I?see is that 바카라사이트re is going to be more online education because I?think it¡¯s necessary to reach 바카라사이트 kinds of populations that many governments in Latin America want to reach.¡±

Reisberg, who claimed in 2017 that most universities in Latin America were ¡°locked into tradition¡±, agrees that 바카라사이트re will be ¡°a?lot more willingness to look at online education differently¡± post-coronavirus.

¡°There is a huge movement of people trying to say we need to think about a new paradigm for higher education in Latin America. Whe바카라사이트r this will trigger that or not, who knows?¡± she says.

Unicamp¡¯s Knobel, for one, is keen for his institution to place more focus on 바카라사이트 ¡°inverted classroom¡± model, in which students read material online and 바카라사이트n use seminars to clarify and deepen 바카라사이트ir understanding through discussion and collaboration.

¡°Some kind of hybrid education could be interesting in some cases. I?think this is a lesson that will stay from this experience,¡± he says.

But Salto remains unconvinced that 바카라사이트 pandemic will herald long-term change for higher education in 바카라사이트 region.

¡°Many universities will adapt for 바카라사이트 time being, but 바카라사이트y will try to return to whatever is normal afterwards,¡± he says.

¡°There will be more people knowing how to use certain tools, and face-to-face courses may actually take advantage of learning management systems and not only use 바카라사이트m as a place to post readings. But I?don¡¯t see huge changes or innovations, unfortunately.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com