Looking Ahead: What Could 2021 Hold in Store For Your Student’s Education?

With school closures early in 2020 students have seen unprecedented interruptions to their education, which has caused many to lose out on learning they should have achieved. As students continue to work through this academic year, we will begin to fully see the impact that the COVID slide has had on students and their education. This means more students, and their families, than ever will be turning to educational and tuition support services, like Tutor Doctor, to help them catch up lost learning and fill in the gaps left by the pauses and changes to their education.

For the average student, the educational effects of the pandemic and school closures won’t be long lasting, but for those students who are struggling, it could take years for them to catch up. As teachers work very hard to give students the education they need this school year, as well as the learning they missed last year, students who were behind and/or those with learning difficulties/disabilities may have trouble keeping up with the increased pace of instruction.

It could also mean that teachers don’t have the time and/or resources necessary to accommodate the learning needs of these students, especially if they are working online. These students tend to have difficulty with the executive functioning skills necessary to be successful learners in an online space and are often the most impacted by unpredictability and change. As a result of all of these challenges, we are likely to see the gap between the highest performing students and those who struggle widen significantly, while struggling students try to catch up and keep up and their peers will charge ever onward.

Educators and students around the world were plunged into the online learning space in 2020 and though there have been some challenges, teachers have done a remarkable job at bringing their classrooms and teaching practices into the virtual world. Schools and teachers have brought educational technology to the forefront and have incorporated it into the classrooms, across all year levels, in ways that we never would have expected. From this, there have been many positive gains, like greater student independence, increased student ownership and accountability for their work, and more student directed learning. These are all essential skills and educational pieces that educators want to develop in their students, so expect to see technology playing a substantial role in your child’s education to continue seeing these positive effects.

With all of the uncertainty that 2020 has brought the world, it’s hard to know for sure what 2021 will bring. We hope it will be a year of revitalisation, but no matter what 2021 has in store for your child’s education, Tutor Doctor will be here to help!