Integrated learning in times of COVID-19
Life is a lesson in learning; everything we experience and encounter can teach us something new, but only if we’re willing to learn. When the pandemic struck, practising social distancing caused a major upheaval of our usual routines. Various facets of life have been disrupted and one major concern has been the abrupt change in children’s learning trajectory and environment.
As many schools have transitioned to online learning, the evident shortcomings of virtual education are becoming more apparent; following a fixed curriculum, maintaining class interaction and engagement, and keeping up with a schedule have proven to be significant hurdles. However, given the nature of the transition, the aptitudes for overcoming these limitations seem improbable, at least if we persist in sternly following the same age-old approaches. But could appropriating different means of learning through relevant connections and experiences in life serve better to aid student education?
Integrated learning helps students make real-life and relevant connections with curricula, so that information and skills can be applied to complex and practical issues and challenges. Can we imagine how much our children would learn if we create direct connections to the circumstances that they’re experiencing at this very moment?
Consider the following as a means to aid student education:
1. Using daily indicators of the spread of COVID-19.
The news is currently plastered with charts and graphs on the coronavirus. Can we use these easily-available sources of information to teach children statistics? The graphs that are indicated in curves and bars can serve as a relevant means to learning, offering a clear purpose as to why students need to understand the functionality and mentioned elements.
2. Using speeches and other reports.
High-profile personalities, like Donald Trump (The President of the United States of America) and other esteemed leaders of society, are regularly giving out updates and speeches to inform the public of the current situation and to motivate them. Can we use these speeches and reports to teach children English? Can we help them learn the art of language by making them listen to the people who have the most impact on the world? Listening to and reading these speeches can be more impactful than reading a random passage for comprehension.
3. Using maps outlines in digital and paper media.
Can learning geography through maps that are used in the media serve as a better base for learning? Perhaps students will remember more when they have a context to aid their learning. Maps immediately transform from scattered bits of information to memorable connections when they have associated relevance.
Today, we’re at the cusp of entering a new way of life. But could it also be the turning point for us to explore different approaches to education? Integrated learning has a lot to offer to both teachers and students; it helps make learning material more engaging while merging the why and what of education. It creates relevance in education and connects theory to practical life. Overall, integrated learning can be a meaningful and effective means to aid education. It creates an opportunity for lifelong learning, especially since circumstances often take hold of our lives. So, shouldn’t we start using connections with the current pandemic to aid our teachings?
