Over the last few years, throughout the worldwide coronavirus pandemic that has caused disruption and, in some cases, downright devastation to every sector of industry and business, the world of education has had to quickly and as effectively as possible change and adapt accordingly.

One element of the education sector, however, that has remained steadfast and constant is the teaching and learning that students across all ages and across the length and breadth of the United States receive is still and always will be, of the highest standards possible.

So, whether you are a teacher, principal, an academic, professional working in the education sector, or you are simply interested in the changing proverbial face of teaching and learning, then continue reading to learn about how the future of education may look for 2022 and beyond.

How Coronavirus Has Changed High School Education

It would not be entirely inaccurate to say that, before the pandemic, the majority of parents throughout the United States and beyond perhaps took the nation’s schools and, subsequently, the nation’s teaching faculties for granted.

When schools, colleges, and even universities were affected by the pandemic, children of all ages were instantly thrown into a brand-new learning environment, where the best outcome was their parents emulating a school setting in the sitting room and the worst… not having a regular educational routine at all.

Now, when the world, the country, and the education sector alike are all starting to recover from the impact of the virus, new additions to the curriculum such as an enhanced reliance on virtual learning and an ever-increasing emphasis on self-guided study.

How Coronavirus `Has Changed Further & Higher Education

Even though universities and colleges were able to more quickly and, therefore, effectively respond to the lockdown and closure measures and were far more well-equipped to switch to distance and online learning, they were still affected quite substantially.

In particular, the general legal status and overall safety and security of their usually high intake of international pupils were in jeopardy.

The main issue for those educational managers and leaders of universities and colleges, however, is that it has appeared, certainly if to no one else, to the media and personal associates of the students themselves, that universities are more than equipped to deliver any and all lectures and classes online. This has raised the question, a question which is currently being discussed in courts and government meetings, whether or not such academic institutions should be arranged like this in a more permanent way.

It is for this reason that the proverbial fight is now on for leaders of universities, as well as the teachers and, to some extent, the students themselves, to remain as relevant as possible in order to keep their buildings, their funding, and even their very status in modern and post-pandemic society.

Problems In Education Caused Or Exacerbated By Covid-19

Unfortunately, but perhaps inevitably, there have been a myriad of new and existing yet exacerbated issues and problems across the vast sector of education, some of which will be hard and even impossible to retract.

One concerning issue with the future of education is the uneven opportunities that will possibly become afforded to students with more privileged and comfortable backgrounds. Whose parents can pay for the top echelons of learning opportunities? There may come a time, perhaps not even in the too distant future, therefore, whereby students who are slightly more disadvantaged may not be able to access the same opportunities.

Another problem with the resulting changes from the coronavirus pandemic that is becoming increasingly worrying for academic professionals and educational officials is, because of the aforementioned emphasis on remote learning, some students may not have the funds or capacity for a strong broadband connection, laptop, and other associated equipment they need.

In addition, another worry for every professional within the sector of education, both in the United States and internationally, is the available future funding for colleges, universities, and high schools alike. Naturally and clearly, especially right now necessarily, available government funding is being directed towards social and health care rather than education, and there is no possible way of predicting how long this situation will continue.

It would be worth noting that some countries around the globe have introduced short-term and already proven to be effective measures in an effort to combat these problems, such as offering financial support to both schools and students, re-appropriating funds towards cleaning and safety equipment, and supplying an advanced and enhanced digital learning service.

The Role Of Teachers In 2022 & Beyond

For the past two years and more, it has not just been students that have experienced strong and far-reaching disruptions to their daily lives but, perhaps equally or indeed even more so, teachers have also had to react and adapt to the changes.

For example, as schools across the United States closed for approximately ten weeks or more, teachers have had to entirely change the delivery of their lessons and lectures, and it is highly likely that the vast majority were not properly trained to do so and had to do this on the proverbial ‘fly’.

A research study conducted in late 2021 by Woessman and Hanushek discovered that, somewhat shockingly, the ongoing economic impact on the educational sector overall may even result in just over a 1.4% loss in GDR, which will last until the end of this century. This is fundamentally due to the fact that the learning loss caused by the pandemic directly links and leads to a skill loss.

Furthermore, if high schools, colleges, and universities fail to recover effectively and quickly from the supreme disruption to their syllabuses, then this GDR loss could be both more severe and last for longer.

Upcoming Trends In Higher Education

Based on the research and studies carried out by academic professionals in this country and internationally, it has been possible to accurately, or at least somewhat accurately, predict some of the upcoming trends in higher education for 2022 and beyond.

Stricter Security Protocols

As online and remote learning has become increasingly popular and more broadly utilized by colleges and universities alike, logically, there is going to be a higher risk of breaches and network attacks in the future.

It is, therefore, probable that academic institutions will start to implement far stricter and more complex policies and procedures to combat this greater risk by the use of network scanning, multifunctional authorization, and spam filtering.

A Greater Emphasis On Students’ Mental Health & Wellbeing

Thankfully, if there could be one good thing to come out of the impact of the pandemic, it would be that matters of peoples’ emotional health and wellbeing have finally arrived in the mainstream media, conversations, and generally, the taboo surrounding such issues has finally, although not before time, been broken.

It is probable that moving forward, there will be a much welcome stronger emphasis on the mental health and wellbeing of each and every student in each academic institution, with more avenues of support and more options for students who are struggling.

A Higher Expectation Of Flexibility & Convenience

As previously discussed, online learning appears to be here to stay, and as a result, even though there were some universities, especially those who cater more towards international intakes, who were more prepared for distance learning than others.

However, as for the past two years or so, students have gotten used to the flexibility, convenience and frankly even the lack of necessary travel commitments and expense that are afforded by the provision of distance learning and as such, they will naturally and quite rightly expect these new levels of satisfaction.

Students across many academic institutions, but specifically in higher education, will want to be afforded the choice between online, in-person, and hybrid learning options, and colleges and universities must adapt accordingly.

• A Greater Emphasis On Skills-Based Learning

Obviously, there will still be a great deal of students who prefer and choose considerably more traditional degree-learning programs, but in 2022, there will certainly be a move towards more skills-based degree programs too.

Skill-based degree programs afford the students to enter the real-life world of work both quicker and better-equipped and are generally notably more cost-effective. In addition, the move towards more skill-based learning will mean that graduates will be able to progress in their chosen career pathway considerably quicker.

Characteristics of more skill-based learning include, but are categorically in no way limited to, the following:

• A more competency-based program
• A stronger emphasis on specialization
• Flexibility
• The continuing education during extended work placements
• Much more of a learner-led program

More Personalized Academic Support On A Weekly Basis

It is has been predicted that for the 22/23 intake of American college and university students, there is going to be a significant increase in the amount of academic support.

Instead of just targeted emails sent out by the faculty and even the lecturer themselves, instead, it is likely that not only will there be more communication to and from the university, but also more digital intranet foundations and services in place to help learners through their programs.

Considerably More State-Of-The-Art Technology Investment

Obviously, colleges and universities across the country have already introduced digital technologies across the entirety of their campuses and offices, but in 2022 and beyond, what funds they do have in their savings bank will be used to invest in more and more state-of-the-art technology.

Examples of state-of-the-art technology that universities are most likely to invest in in the near future include:

• Much more mobile-friendly and interactive websites
• Immediate texting software updates
• Artificial intelligence (in lecture halls and research labs alike)
• Multilingual chatbots
• Accessible recordings of all lectures, webinars, events, and classes
• The addition of virtual reality sessions
• Customized and entirely personalized marketing

More Of An Eco-Friendly Ethos

Finally, people of all ages and from all walks of life are taking climate change and the state of the planet seriously.

It is therefore incredibly likely, then, that college campuses will be changed and adapted to become significantly more sustainable throughout.

How You Can Make A Positive Impact In Education

If you are currently working as a professional and fully qualified teacher, then you are already doing your part to enhance, educate and enlighten the lives of young people.

However, if you have recently found yourself becoming increasingly frustrated with how education has been affected by the pandemic, or else have always harbored a deep desire to be part of the decision-making processes when it comes to setting syllabuses, managing and monitoring educational needs, and generally making the big decisions, then it is time to do something about it.

Becoming aware of the trends in higher education is one thing, but if you want to make a difference, then it is important to further your own academic knowledge and teach others.

One of the most effective and impressive ways to climb the ladder of influence within the educational sector is to enroll in postgraduate and then subsequently a doctorate degree with a major in educational leadership.

The subjects intensively covered in a PhD in educational leadership will provide you with a myriad of incredibly important and useful tools and a wealth of substantial knowledge that is virtually impossible to get elsewhere.

Example dissertations of students who have successfully gained a PhD in educational and leadership could include:

• ‘The improvement of professional skillsets for teachers who are working with adult, unemployed learners in Germany’
• ‘The evaluation of both negative and positive traits in comparison to lecturers in the same subject area’
• ‘The vital role of women lecturers as educational leaders’
• `’The compassionate development of students with dyslexia during a postgraduate degree.’
• ‘Accountability, Control, Quality, Autonomy: Perceptions from higher education lecturers of their professional working lives’
• ‘The benefits and downsides of social media on higher education’
• ‘Methods to eradicate institutionalised racism in American colleges’
• ‘The ways in which technology has impacted high school learners’
• ‘Professional development motivators and influencing factors for academic staff and management’