Teaching in quarantine? A winnable obstacle

 

The emergency created by Covid-19 has made educational systems find more technological solutions in a few weeks than in the past 10 years. Digital technologies are playing a key role in providing much-needed continuity and support for teachers, learners and families in ways that would have been unimaginable, if not impossible, only a few years ago.

The school community is in need of helpful tools and teachers require the continuity of pedagogical activities during this unprecedented situation. The ARETE team has identified a range of online resources from various organisations and institutions to support collaboration, professional development and the online safety of teachers and their students: 

  • The European Commission has compiled a list of online learning resources readily available to teachers in a special section on their Education and Training page.
  • European Schoolnet’s actions to support Ministries of Education and education stakeholders are highlighted in the article European Schoolnet and Covid-19: supporting the School Community, offering a list of EUN projects focused on online training and resources to help teachers in their virtual lessons
  • The UNESCO website has published distance learning solutions under its Educational Disruption and Response page

New and emerging technologies certainly play an important role in addressing some of the most pressing challenges of today’s society. But there is also a need, at the European level, to better understand what emerging technologies are available and accessible to citizens and to build a solid knowledge base about digital skills trainings aimed at SMEs and citizens in the use of digital technologies. The European Digital Academy survey makes an important first step in the attempt to start building a catalogue of training on emerging technologies available to citizens across Europe. If you took an emerging technologies course that inspired you recently, fill in the survey and make your contribution to this effort!