Reevaluating the Social Dimension of Education in the Post-Pandemic Era

Adrian Lo, Director, Urban Design & Development (International), Thammasat University

Born in Hong Kong, Dr. Adrian Lo has spent most of his life in New Zealand, achieving his PhD in architecture from the University of Auckland. He has built a distinguished career as an academic professional, contributing his expertise in various countries, including New Zealand, Hong Kong, Nepal, Australia, and Thailand. In 2021, Dr. Lo took on the role of international instructor for the Urban Design and Development International Program at Thammasat University in Thailand. Following this, he became the program director, where he is responsible for overseeing the master's and bachelor's curriculum, as well as managing teaching resources within the program.

In this feature with Education Technology Insights APAC, Adrian Lo, Director of Urban Design & Development (International), Thammasat University, discusses the latest Education technology and how it enhances online and on-campus learning for both students and teachers alike.

How do crisis scenarios impact in-person and online instruction debates, especially in fields like architecture and urban design?

While organizational and institutional directives have mandates, particularly in relation to pandemics and environmental issues like air pollution, some instructors have persisted with in-person instruction, especially in fields like architecture and urban design, where practical, hands-on learning is integral. In-person learning offers distinct advantages, notably enhanced engagement and practical understanding. With smaller class sizes, students can actively participate in fieldwork, interviews with low-income communities, and engage in highly collaborative design projects. These experiences foster tangible comprehension and better socialization skills, which are essential for professions involving community engagement and design interventions.

Conversely, online learning provides extensive outreach and accessibility, albeit contingent on technological availability. The digital divide remains a pertinent issue, underscoring the need for inclusive approaches. Nonetheless, specialized tools like online whiteboards facilitate interactive activities and promote diverse forms of engagement. Platforms such as Miro or Jamboard enable collaborative brainstorming sessions, fostering a conducive environment for sharing ideas and perspectives. This particularly benefits students who may feel inhibited in traditional classroom settings.

Online learning offers flexibility, allowing students to manage their study and life commitments more effectively. However, its effectiveness varies depending on factors such as student experience and context. While research suggests its suitability for senior students with prior university experience, first-year students may find it challenging to navigate the online environment without established social connections and familiarity with university dynamics.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated digital equity hurdles and inclusion issues for education?

According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 31 percent of school-age children, approximately 460 million, do not have access to digital or remote learning since the COVID-19 pandemic. This brought about the question of digital equity and inclusion for children.

Although online learning helped avoid disruptions and allowed students to continue their education, children from lower-income families and underdeveloped countries were falling behind. Hence, while technology presents a solution, it's not an amenity that everyone has. In the most extreme cases across South and Southeast Asia, the lockdowns resulted in children missing out on their entire school year and dropping out altogether. Moreover, parents who had lost their jobs found paying for their child’s education difficult. This resulted in many kids working at a young age or even marrying off; education was no longer their primary objective.

Due to these reasons, governments should invest in more than tablets and smartphone distribution. They must provide devices with high-speed internet access for video calling while implementing proper policies and principles to equip children from low-income backgrounds.

How do you anticipate the younger generation's attitudes toward traditional classroom settings evolving in light of their online learning experiences?

The shift from pandemic-driven online teaching back to in-person learning brings its own set of challenges. At the forefront is a social dimension that stems from the history of peer-to-peer learning. Typically, during on-campus learning, students could address queries or doubts with fellow acquaintances and teachers. The social aspect of such engagements is almost entirely lost with online education as they are limited to online chat platforms or forums.

We must ask ourselves why students even go to school or university. We need to understand that schooling or learning is not just about education or the content. It extends to developing social and soft skills, like how courses in my program help children and students from informal settlements and diverse backgrounds. It's not just about teaching, giving assessments, getting a grade, and graduating, but also about how universities and schooling can help children who will become adults in the future to make a societal impact.

How will teaching approaches need to evolve in response to the younger generation's preferences for online technology integration, and how do you foresee the future educational landscape adapting to meet these changing needs amidst the increasing integration of technology in education?

The crux lies in balancing online and in-person education to cater to the new generations. Students engaging in online education for five days a week may encounter boredom stemming from limited interaction. On the other hand, long lectures and monotonous monologues fail to captivate students in university settings. Generation Z, comprised of digital natives, craves diverse, hands-on experiences. Combining these aspects can be the solution to achieving a comprehensive learning model.

Today, remote learning and online technology are improving, enriching the learning experience, and supporting this generation. Technologies such as learning management systems (LMS) have helped track lectures, online assignment submissions, and classroom communications further advance to become more customizable for lecturers and students.

Little more than a decade ago, tablets were not so well used in educational settings. Now, students can download my slides before class and make notes on their tablets during my presentations. This proves to be more efficient than providing the slides post-lecture for absorbing the content. They can do it live, watch the lecture, and take notes all at the same time. Engagement such as this showcases how technological support has potentially changed how education is delivered.

Would you like to share any advice with other senior team leaders and CXOs in the space?

As we contemplate the social significance of education, assessing the educational values sought by the younger generation becomes crucial, particularly as they prepare to enter a future workforce characterized by the prominence of AI, technology, and hybrid or remote work opportunities. The evolving landscape of education necessitates reevaluating traditional educational values, considering the shifting dynamics of the modern workforce. Amid these changes, it is essential to recognize the social dimension of education and its role in shaping how individuals socialize and interact within society.

Learning Management