tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/covid-19-and-education-85844/articlesCOVID-19 and education – The Conversation2022-08-02T15:57:38Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1865072022-08-02T15:57:38Z2022-08-02T15:57:38ZStudents returning to campus want the ‘university experience’ missed during COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/476600/original/file-20220728-20558-5jmfu8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C363%2C6843%2C4183&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Universities need to offer planned socializing for students who entered programs after 2020 and are less likely to know other people in their cohort.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Universities are <a href="https://covid19.ubc.ca">implementing COVID-19 safety plans</a> to maintain safe and healthy environments — through protocols like <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/utogether/safe-environment">enhanced cleaning</a> or a focus on <a href="https://www.dal.ca/covid-19-information-and-updates.html">ventilation and air quality</a> — for the imminent return of students to in-person learning on campuses.</p>
<p>While these plans include extensive efforts to help students safely return to pre-pandemic learning, focused attention should also be given to “university experience” activities. </p>
<p>We asked thousands of students around the world about what they have missed most from pre-pandemic student life, as part of a <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/625d911bb5b3d215a23a2b95/t/62c87f447a6e61504e5759bb/1657306949007/Back-to-School+%285%29+%282%29.pdf">broader study</a> on COVID-19 and higher education at the <a href="https://www.pearlmunk.com/">Policy, Elections, & Representation Lab</a> at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.</p>
<p>Our data suggests students miss in-person learning and activities which encourage socialization. These social opportunities are important for student well-being. </p>
<h2>Restorative effects</h2>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on student health. Research shows that the pandemic has worsened emotional distress, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2008017">increased risk for mental illness</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2020.152191">raised self-reported anxiety levels among students</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-020-10056-6">negatively affected sleep patterns</a>. </p>
<p>Switching to online classes further exacerbated these problems, as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2020.1769300">online learning forced students to use different coping mechanisms to stay mentally healthy</a>.</p>
<p>Socializing with friends from school, using the campus gym, visiting office hours and participating in campus clubs are important elements of post-secondary life. </p>
<p>On-campus activities can <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02287">improve student well-being</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.0.0099">contribute to positive health outcomes</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.5005">support academic achievement</a>. To support these positive student experiences, universities need to understand what students miss most from being on-campus. </p>
<h2>A safe, social return</h2>
<p>Universities are providing opportunities for new students to socialize during <a href="https://you.ubc.ca/ubc-life/campus-community/orientations/#:%7E:text=UBC's%20orientation%20programs%20are%20your,mature%20students%2C%20and%20graduate%20students">their orientation weeks</a>. Universities have also made in-person learning and important amenities, such as campus gyms and university libraries, available to students once again.</p>
<p>Whether or not universities offer orientation to <a href="https://students.ubc.ca/new-to-ubc/orientations/imagine-ubc#information-for-returning-students">returning students</a> as well as <a href="https://www.ulaval.ca/etudiants-actuels/rentree">new students</a>, all students who experienced fragmented university life since 2020 will need access to planned social activities throughout the year.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Students seen walking in front of a university building." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/476602/original/file-20220728-33778-h94tg3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">All students who experienced fragmented university life since 2020 will need access to planned social activities throughout the year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Lynett</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Activities students missed</h2>
<p>We surveyed 4,812 students in 78 countries at over 1,000 unique post-secondary institutions about the student experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. </p>
<p>We know that students miss on-campus university life, but we wanted to know which activities in particular are most important to students. </p>
<p>We asked students: “Which of the following actions were you unable to do due to the pandemic that you would normally do during the academic year? Rank in order of importance.” We learned that students really missed chances to be together in person, not only due to academic concerns.</p>
<h2>Socializing, studying, clubs</h2>
<p>We recruited our participants via advertising on social media using Facebook and Twitter ads. Our respondents come from countries in Africa (29 per cent), South America (36 per cent), North America (18 per cent), Europe (six per cent), Asia (five per cent) and Oceania (six per cent). </p>
<p>Globally, students overwhelmingly missed attending in-person classes: 42 per cent of these students ranked in-person classes as the most important activity they missed. Universities are right to prioritize a return to in-person classes. </p>
<p>Students in our global sample ranked campus-related social activities, such as socializing with friends from school, studying at the library, group study sessions and participating in campus clubs and organizations, the next highest. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A vertical axis on a graph presents each activity students were asked to rank, and a horizontal axis displays the number of students who ranked the specific activity. The colours in each bar are associated with the ranking; for example, the orange sections represent the number of students who ranked each activity as the most important." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=273&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=273&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=273&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473409/original/file-20220711-23-tkvmqe.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Number of respondents based on survey responses to the question: Which of the following actions were you unable to do due to the pandemic that you would normally do during the academic year? Rank in order of personal importance.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We found similar trends in Canada. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A vertical axis on a graph presents each activity students were asked to rank, and a horizontal axis displays the number of students who ranked the specific activity. The colours in each bar are associated with the ranking; for example, the orange sections represent the number of students who ranked each activity as the most important." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=273&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=273&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=273&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473970/original/file-20220713-20-4vaidi.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Number of students in Canada based on survey responses to the question: Which of the following actions were you unable to do due to the pandemic that you would normally do during the academic year? Rank in order of personal importance.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Missed opportunities</h2>
<p>To better understand student needs, we also provided them with the opportunity to respond to an open-ended question: Is there anything about the student experience during COVID-19 pandemic that you think more people should know more about?</p>
<p>A student from Nigeria told us “the stay-at-home policy though was put in place for good intentions but it affected the mental health of most students.” A student in Poland wrote: “I think online classes is depriving students of social interactions which makes university stay very boring.” </p>
<p>A student in Canada summarized the student experience: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I made a lot of new friends online, but it was difficult not actually seeing them. It was also disappointing to not have many sports or clubs at school. I managed to join a few clubs online, but they weren’t the same as in-person would have been, where we could’ve organized actual events … The most devastating aspect for me was missing out on the opportunities of my first year and the activities, getting to form closer relationships with students and professors, and not having the chance to grow on my own.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Holistic student experiences</h2>
<p>As students who started school in 2020 and 2021 arrive on campus, universities and students organizations must work hard to ensure that students receive a holistic student experience. To this end, based on our data, we have a few simple suggestions for university administrators: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>Increase the number of opportunities for students to socialize. Host special events, such as concerts or talks, with free entrance for students. Encourage academic departments to host student mixers. These efforts are essential for students who entered programs after 2020 and are, therefore, less likely to know other people in their cohort.</p></li>
<li><p>Improve on-campus studying. Consider opening up classroom spaces for students to host group study sessions. Create more library spaces. Provide funding for study groups to buy snacks and reward student leaders for organizing group learning opportunities. </p></li>
<li><p>Provide greater support for student clubs and organizations. Donate on-campus event space for student-led events. Help clubs recruit new students. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>As we return to pre-pandemic classroom learning, we should also return to a (safe) pre-pandemic university experience. Social life is central to education, and universities have an important role in promoting student well-being by supporting “the university experience.”</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186507/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Blake Lee-Whiting received funding from the University of Toronto, and the Policy, Elections, and Representation Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thomas Bergeron received funding from the University of Toronto, and the Policy, Elections, and Representation Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. </span></em></p>Students in an international survey said they really missed chances to be together in person for campus-related activities, not only due to academic concerns.Blake Lee-Whiting, PhD Candidate, Research Associate at PEARL, University of TorontoThomas Bergeron, PhD student, Department of Political Science, University of TorontoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1782862022-03-11T13:18:57Z2022-03-11T13:18:57ZWhy most teachers who say they plan to leave the profession probably won’t do so anytime soon<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450496/original/file-20220307-83891-gxvux3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C106%2C7930%2C5163&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Teachers across the U.S. have been under stress throughout the pandemic.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/nicole-brown-a-second-grade-teacher-starts-class-at-carter-news-photo/1237956733">Jon Cherry/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Every spring, school and district leaders ask teachers about their plans to return to teaching in the fall. They need to know how many teachers to begin recruiting for the next school year.</p>
<p>These career conversations are currently taking place under the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stories from across the country show high levels of <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-stress-hypervigilance-and-decision-fatigue-teaching-during-omicron/2022/01">teacher stress</a> and <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/parenting/the-great-resignation-hasnt-hit-school-teachers-yet-heres-why-it-still-might/">burnout</a> from repeated and long-term disruptions to school routines.</p>
<p>School leaders are worried about whether they’ll <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2022/02/18/how-are-staffing-shortages-affecting-schools-during-the-pandemic/">have enough teachers to keep classrooms staffed</a>. In a January 2022 poll of members of the country’s largest teacher union, the National Education Association, <a href="https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/nea-survey-massive-staff-shortages-schools-leading-educator">55% of educators</a> said the pandemic has made them more likely to leave the teaching profession earlier than they had planned. That’s nearly double the proportion of teachers who <a href="https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/NEA%20Member%20COVID-19%20Survey%20Summary.pdf#page=2">said that in July 2020</a>.</p>
<p>Among Black and Hispanic teachers, the percentages of teachers saying they have accelerated their plans to leave teaching were even greater – 62% and 59%, respectively.</p>
<p>Despite these signals of increased turnover, the past two years have not experienced <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2022/3/9/22967759/teacher-turnover-retention-pandemic-data">mass departures from the teaching profession</a>.</p>
<p>In the past, teachers who were looking to leave didn’t depart immediately, so there’s some hope that the current crop of burned-out teachers won’t either. Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.26300/3aq0-pv52">recent working paper</a> explains why. We looked at national data from over 100,000 public school teachers from 2004 to 2012. Of the teachers who said they would leave the profession “as soon as possible,” 34% had left the field by the following school year, and 66% were still teaching. By contrast, of the teachers who said they planned to remain in teaching as long as possible, just 5% left the profession, and 95% kept teaching the following year. </p>
<h2>Leaving isn’t immediate</h2>
<p>Teachers’ feelings about departure can change throughout the year. The 2021-2022 school year helps to illustrate this ebb and flow in teachers’ career plans.</p>
<p>The high rates of <a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2022/0126/What-happens-to-US-education-if-there-s-no-one-to-teach">teacher absences</a> during the surge of the omicron variant added additional responsibilities on an already strained teacher workforce. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/teachers-burnout-staffing-shortage-pandemic-quitting-schools-education-2022-2">A teacher in Memphis who eventually quit</a> said she was assigned nearly 200 additional students beyond her normal teaching load when a colleague quit midyear. <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/for-anxious-teachers-omicron-feels-like-walking-into-a-trap/2022/01">An elementary school teacher in Brooklyn worried</a> that too many teachers were working in schools without adequate ventilation systems or rules to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.</p>
<p>A beginning teacher in Colorado reflected in <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/teacher-shortages-leaving-school-education/">one report</a>: “I also might want to just do it for one more year, just to kind of be more stable financially. If you asked me if I’ll be in the classroom in two years, or three years, I say those odds are even lower.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An adult approaches a young person in a school classroom" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/450500/original/file-20220307-133446-1epioku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many teachers are evaluating how long they plan to stay in the profession.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/VirusOutbreakMasksReaction/9e3e6314e70341f3897080cee13954cc/photo">AP Photo/David Goldman</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As omicron wanes, teachers’ urgent feelings to leave may ease.</p>
<p>Changing personal circumstances may also influence teachers’ decision to leave. Many teachers depend on employer-provided health insurance and would want to find a job with comparable benefits. <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/2021/4/6/22368846/teacher-turnover-quitting-pandemic-data-economy">A veteran Florida teacher who considered quitting</a> explains: “I need my health insurance, especially as I’m recovering from COVID. And I need the paycheck.”</p>
<p>Some teachers are keeping their jobs while they figure out their next steps. For example, one <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/02/teachers-are-getting-ready-to-quit-due-to-the-pandemic.html">North Carolina teacher</a> says she is thinking about going back to school for a new degree outside of education.</p>
<h2>Likelihood of departure</h2>
<p>Based on our research, we think it unlikely that most teachers who say they plan to leave teaching as soon as possible will actually leave this school year.</p>
<p>However, if even one-third of teachers who say they’re leaving the profession do so, that would be significantly more than the <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/slc">8% of teachers who leave in an average year</a>.</p>
<p>Teachers are clearly sounding the alarm about stress, burnout, dissatisfaction with school and district leadership, and other working conditions – even if they do stay in their jobs.</p>
<p>[<em>Over 150,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletters to understand the world.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-150ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/178286/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Despite signals of increased turnover, the past two years have not experienced mass departures from the teaching profession.Christopher Redding, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, University of FloridaAllison Gilmour, Assistant Professor of Education, Temple UniversityElizabeth Bettini, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Boston UniversityTuan D. Nguyen, Assistant Professor of Education, Kansas State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1748852022-01-18T19:09:32Z2022-01-18T19:09:32ZCOVID and schools: Australia is about to feel the full brunt of its teacher shortage<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441207/original/file-20220118-13-1oqd26j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/many-documents-stationery-on-teachers-desk-1506172133">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Omicron wave is likely to exacerbate Australia’s <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/profession-in-crisis-teacher-shortage-predicted-in-next-four-years-20190417-p51f2q.html">existing teacher shortages</a> and demanding workloads. As school starts at the end of January and beginning of February across the country, many teachers will be at risk of contracting COVID. They will need to stay away from work, while others may choose to leave the profession altogether. </p>
<p>To address parental concerns about teacher absences, the Prime Minister recently announced teachers <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/teachers-fight-easing-of-isolation-rules-for-close-contacts-20220117-p59oug.html">will no longer be required</a> to isolate at home for seven days if they are close contacts, and if they don’t have symptoms and return a negative rapid antigen test. But unions have slammed this relaxation of rules saying it <a href="https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/unions-blast-relaxation-of-covid19-isolation-rules-for-teachers/279433">will only add to safety concerns</a> for teachers and children.</p>
<p>States and territories are putting together a plan to open schools safely, which is set to be <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/teachers-fight-easing-of-isolation-rules-for-close-contacts-20220117-p59oug.html">released on Thursday</a>. But for schools to operate effectively, and avoid remote learning, Australia must also have a long-term plan for recruiting and retaining teachers. This means lifting their professional status, improving work conditions and increasing pay.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-shouldnt-delay-the-start-of-school-due-to-omicron-2-paediatric-infectious-disease-experts-explain-174330">We shouldn't delay the start of school due to Omicron. 2 paediatric infectious disease experts explain</a>
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<hr>
<h2>What’s happening overseas?</h2>
<p>Other countries are seeing <a href="https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/teacher-shortage-predicted-to-drive-more-school-closings-as-omicron-spread-widens">Omicron-fuelled teacher shortages</a>. In <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jan/14/its-been-awful-teachers-at-english-secondary-schools-on-the-first-week-back">England</a> teachers have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jan/02/moves-to-tackle-omicron-in-english-schools-not-enough-unions-warn">told to combine classes due to staff shortages</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1483160953726418945"}"></div></p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/parents-teachers-in-four-provinces-prepare-to-return-to-class-as-omicron-spreads-1.5742089">Canada</a> some provinces had to delay opening schools. In <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-families-to-be-notified-when-30-of-staff-and-students-are/">Ontario</a> families who were previously notified when a teacher or child in their class tested positive will now only be notified when more than 30% of staff and students are absent. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/13/half-of-french-primary-schools-expected-to-close-teachers-strike-protest-covid-education">France</a> teachers have gone on strike over what are described as “<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/13/french-teachers-strike-over-chaotic-covid-19-school-strategy">chaotic conditions</a>”. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1481947954252423170"}"></div></p>
<p>Schools in the United States, like in Australia, suffered from pre-pandemic teacher shortages and have struggled to stay open during the pandemic. Some states have <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/parents-become-substitute-teachers-as-omicron-surge-bedevils-joe-biden-20220114-p59o5o.html">recruited parents as stop-gap</a> substitute teachers, others <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-schools-switch-remote-learning-delay-start-classes-omicron-surge-di-rcna10795">returned to remote learning</a>.</p>
<p>Research in the US has made it clear the pandemic has <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2021/09/08/how-the-pandemic-has-changed-teachers-commitment-to-remaining-in-the-classroom/">changed teachers’ committment to remaining in the classroom</a> and led to <a href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1121-2.html">high staff turnover</a>. Australians may find themselves in the same position.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1481327170433728518"}"></div></p>
<h2>Australia’s teacher shortage</h2>
<p>Australia’s <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3758f6cdad377a5754259c/t/60597e729a6b026b0016beef/1616477832453/gallop_inquiry_report_2021.pdf">teachers suffer from poor professional status</a>. A lack of respect, problems with recruitment, <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=11446">poor pay</a> (relative to other professions), <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=11725">high workload</a>, conflicting demands and now the pandemic, have conspired to create a perfect storm. </p>
<p>A range of data and reports suggest the scale of the emerging teacher shortage will be serious. Low <a href="https://www.nswtf.org.au/files/20042_theprofessionatrisk_digital.pdf">completion rates of teacher degrees</a> (fewer than 60% of those who started the degree) alongside <a href="https://www.nswtf.org.au/files/rorris-report.pdf">rising child and youth demographic trends</a> mean many schools, particularly those in rural areas, will find things even more difficult over the next few years.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/were-short-of-teachers-and-the-struggles-to-find-training-placements-in-schools-add-to-the-problem-172486">We're short of teachers, and the struggles to find training placements in schools add to the problem</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Reports from the New South Wales education department, accessed by the NSW Teachers Federation, show <a href="https://twitter.com/unionsnsw/status/1445930912919666688?s=21">more than 1,100</a> full time secondary and special education teaching positions were unfilled in 2021. That’s a lot of classrooms without a teacher. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/public-school-teacher-shortage-raises-fears-they-will-run-out-of-teachers-20211003-p58wtq.html">documents also reportedly say</a> the state’s public schools will “run out of teachers in the next five years”. Meanwhile, states <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/teachers-fight-easing-of-isolation-rules-for-close-contacts-20220117-p59oug.html">struggled to find casual and relief teachers</a> to fill the pandemic exacerbated shortages in the past two years.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.nswtf.org.au/files/rorris-report.pdf">Projections</a> based on 2020 student enrolments, student to teacher ratio and school population growth suggest between 11,000 and 13,000 new teachers will be needed in NSW by 2031.</p>
<p>Nationally we have seen a chronic shortage in maths and science teachers. With the Australian Teacher Workforce Data Project still in development phase after ten years there has been no systemic national tracking of generic or specialist shortages. The <a href="https://amsi.org.au/media/AMSI-Occasional-Paper-Out-of-Field-Maths-Teaching.pdf">Australian Mathematics and Science Institute</a> calculates there is a 76% chance every student will have at least one unqualified maths teacher in years 7 to 10. </p>
<p>Long-term toleration of the teacher shortages in maths and science is particularly surprising as these <a href="https://amsi.org.au/2015/03/26/chief-scientist-report-2015/">learning areas are critical to our economy</a>. There are also well documented <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&context=policy_analysis_misc">declines in senior students taking these subjects</a>, suggesting we are already paying the price for this neglect.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fewer-australians-are-taking-advanced-maths-in-year-12-we-can-learn-from-countries-doing-it-better-149148">Fewer Australians are taking advanced maths in Year 12. We can learn from countries doing it better</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There has been no government reporting on the number of schools unable to meet their staff needs in 2021. But a number of social media reports have shown industrial action in individual schools where the remaining teachers were unable to maintain classes.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1448868753329074176"}"></div></p>
<h2>We need a national plan</h2>
<p>A large volume of research documents the <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=tJpIEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT103&dq=info:oKuPwBF3IVcJ:scholar.google.com&ots=JfhFao6ROJ&sig=Wyfp4VxsSLTRZAaeUtOONi9V6Jg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false">high and increasing workload of Australian teachers</a>. In NSW, before the pandemic, <a href="https://www.nswtf.org.au/files/18438_uwis_digital.pdf">teachers reported working</a> an average of 55 hours per week and principals an average of 62. With the <a href="https://www.cse.edu.au/content/teachers%E2%80%99-work-during-covid-19-pandemic-shifts-challenges-and-opportunities">pandemic increasing teacher workload</a>, short staffing in schools will ratchet that up another notch. </p>
<p>Unlike many countries, including <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-recruitment-and-retention-strategy">England</a>, Australia <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/your-country-needs-you-it-s-high-time-for-a-drive-to-recruit-better-teachers-20200219-p5429i.html">doesn’t have a strategic plan</a> to recruit and retain teachers. </p>
<p>The NSW Teachers Federation commissioned an independent inquiry in 2020 into the work of teachers and principals, and how it’s changed since 2004. After reviewing international evidence and local data, the <a href="https://www.nswtf.org.au/files/gallop_inquiry_fact_sheet.pdf#:%7E:text=Gallop%20Inquiry%20Fact%20Sheet%20Background%20on%20the%20inquiry,principals%20and%20how%20it%20has%20changed%20since%202004">final report</a> made a range of recommendations to “recognise the increase in skills and responsibilities, help overcome shortages and recruit the additional teachers needed to cope with enrolment growth”. </p>
<p>The key recommendations included:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>increase teacher salaries by 10 to 15% to bring them on par with other similarly educated professions </p></li>
<li><p>increase lesson preparation time </p></li>
<li><p>improve promotions and career structure </p></li>
<li><p>increase number of school counsellors</p></li>
<li><p>reduce curriculum and administration workload. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Australia urgently needs a coordinated, long-term, politically bipartisan plan to strengthen teacher recruitment, placement and retention. With such a plan in hand we will be better positioned to tackle the ongoing pandemic and whatever other crises we face in the future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/174885/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With decreasing teacher degree completion rates and low teacher retention, Australia was already facing a growing teacher shortage before the pandemic. But it’s about to get much worse.Rachel Wilson, Associate Professor in Education, University of SydneyGiuseppe Carabetta, Senior Lecturer, Sydney University Business School, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1723822021-11-23T02:12:48Z2021-11-23T02:12:48ZMorrison’s opening of the door to international students leaves many in the sector blindsided and scrambling to catch up<p>Fully vaccinated international students from around the world <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/further-steps-reopen-australia-and-secure-our-economic-recovery">will be allowed</a> into Australia from next week, without needing to apply for a travel exemption. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement yesterday.</p>
<p>Although university bodies such as <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/media-item/green-light-for-international-students/">Universities Australia</a> and the <a href="https://go8.edu.au/media-release-go8-welcomes-back-our-international-students">Group of Eight</a> welcomed the announcement, sources in the higher education sector have said they were blindsided by it and are now scrambling to update their plans.</p>
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<h2>States in confusion</h2>
<p>Prior to the prime minister’s announcement, only small numbers of students had been able to apply for a <a href="https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/travel-restrictions">travel exemption</a> to enter the country. They included research students with Australian government funding, medical, dental, nursing or allied health students who would undertake work placements, and secondary school students in years 11 and 12.</p>
<p>This announcement is a major change from less than a month ago <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-international-education-crisis-will-linger-long-after-students-return-to-australia-170360">when it was still unclear</a> how and when the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/international-education/data-and-research/data-visualisations-set-2">over 145,000 international student visa holders</a> would be be able to enter Australia.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-international-education-crisis-will-linger-long-after-students-return-to-australia-170360">Why the international education crisis will linger long after students return to Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>On October 15, New South Wales Premier <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/international-students-hopes-of-return-raised-then-dashed/news-story/d144674db9ebeab0e21c5d28d8de23ae">Dominic Perrottet announced</a> quarantine restrictions would be scrapped from November 1 for all fully vaccinated international arrivals to the state. But the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/15/nsw-to-end-all-quarantine-home-hotel-for-fully-vaccinated-international-arrivals-travel-travellers">prime minister slammed</a> the brakes on the NSW plan to open up to the world, saying:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The federal government is not opening it up to anyone other than Australian residents and citizens and their immediate families.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Such confusion put states in a difficult position. Before Morrison’s announcement yesterday, NSW and Victoria – the states hosting the most international students – both developed pilot programs to return international students. <a href="https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/international-student-arrival-plans">The NSW plan</a> was to allow up to 250 international students studying with state education providers to return each fortnight from early December 2021. That figure would increase to 500 students per fortnight by the end of the year.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/international-student-arrivals-plan">Victoria’s proposal</a> would at first allow 120 currently enrolled students nominated by universities to enter the state each week. Numbers would be expanded to more students and other providers over time.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1461680661996130313"}"></div></p>
<p>Universities in both states had been working frantically to organise details such as prioritising students selected for the programs and chartered flights. The Commonwealth’s dropping of restrictions on international travel now seems to have superseded these pilot plans. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-keeps-shelving-plans-to-bring-international-students-back-to-australia-it-owes-them-an-explanation-158778">The government keeps shelving plans to bring international students back to Australia. It owes them an explanation</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>This will probably mean the caps of 250 per fortnight in NSW and 120 per week for Victoria will no longer be in place.</p>
<p>The only aspects of the pilot programs in NSW and Victoria likely to remain could be the already organised chartered flights. These will slightly ease the burden on commercial airlines, which may need more time to ensure capacity. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/covid-19/students/return-of-international-students.html">University of Sydney</a> has updated its information, saying:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The […] pilot program will continue as planned, with the University providing a supported return program for current students who are eligible and choose to participate. The first charter flight of international students is due to arrive on 6 December 2021. Eligible students will be contacted directly as more flights are announced. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, most of the states’ universities have not yet updated their plans.</p>
<h2>Different rules for different states</h2>
<p>Both NSW and Victoria had already <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-21/victoria-to-scrap-covid-19-quarantine-for-international-arrivals/100558560">scrapped their quarantine requirements</a> for fully vaccinated arrivals. But international students entering other states may still face a range of restrictions. In the case of <a href="https://www.mbanews.com.au/international-students-look-elsewhere-queensland-quarantine/">Queensland</a> this includes having to pay for a mandatory two-week stay in an isolated quarantine facility. </p>
<p>Entering Western Australia <a href="https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-the-premier-and-cabinet/covid-19-coronavirus-travel-wa">may be impossible altogether</a>, given the state’s plan to ease border controls only once a 90% two-dose vaccination target is achieved.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1462582353587412999"}"></div></p>
<p>It’s also important to note international student pilot programs were restricted to universities, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp2021/Quick_Guides/OverseasStudents">where only around half of all international students</a>`are enrolled. The latest announcement now means students in other kinds of international education, such as the vocational education and training sector and English language courses, can start arriving. </p>
<p>It’s unclear, however, what the announcement means for international school students, as those under 18 are less likely to be vaccinated.</p>
<p>Under the new arrangements to begin from December 1, <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/further-steps-reopen-australia-and-secure-our-economic-recovery">travellers must</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>depart from their home country</li>
<li>be fully vaccinated with a completed dosage of a vaccine approved or recognised by the TGA</li>
<li>hold a valid Australian visa</li>
<li>provide proof of their vaccination status</li>
<li>present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within three days of departure.</li>
</ul>
<p>Eligible visa holders include skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holidaymaker and provisional family visa holders.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-hopes-of-international-students-return-fade-closed-borders-could-cost-20bn-a-year-in-2022-half-the-sectors-value-159328">As hopes of international students' return fade, closed borders could cost $20bn a year in 2022 – half the sector's value</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>School students are more likely to be interested in coming early in the next year anyway. But international tertiary students could be interested in arriving soon to work here over the summer, given Australia’s skill shortages in industries that commonly employ them – such as hospitality.</p>
<p>The big question now is how long it will take airlines to ramp up to full capacity. In pre-COVID times, this would have been a walk in the park. There were <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/international_airline_activity-time_series">21.3 million international arrivals</a> in Australia in 2019, or around 1.8 million inbound passengers per month.</p>
<p>In October, the <a href="https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/airline-industry-economic-performance---october-2021---report/">International Air Transport Association estimated</a> international air travel is at only 40% of pre-COVID levels in 2021. It may take a long time to reach pre-COVID levels again, but at least we’re on our way.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-international-students-start-trickling-back-the-new-year-will-be-crunch-time-169529">As international students start trickling back, the new year will be crunch time</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172382/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher Ziguras is past President of the International Education Association of Australia and has had a role as the Association's Research Director.</span></em></p>The federal government has for months been unclear about when international students could return to Australia. And there are still many uncertainties about the latest announcement.Christopher Ziguras, Professor of Global Studies, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1702642021-10-21T19:10:29Z2021-10-21T19:10:29ZWrite what you know: the COVID experience is a rich resource for year 12 English exams<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427685/original/file-20211021-19-10vtqgt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ecofriendly-sustainable-face-mask-woman-wearing-1802583382">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Generations of students sitting exams would know what Australian poet Joanne Burns means when she <a href="https://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/burns-joanne/poems/clearing-the-throat-0178016">writes of the fear of failure</a> when expressing ideas.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>they don’t come out of your mouth in smooth formation very often […]</p>
<p>you become intimidated far too easily by the prospect of that great black trapdoor under your words, that might open and tumble you down to the cavern of indefinite shame if you start to make the slightest mistake […]</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In 2021, English students are not only striving to overcome the “trapdoor” under their words, they are doing so in a year that has challenged them to see their world very differently.</p>
<p>COVID-19 has shaped a year of uncertainty. For secondary students eyeing the finish line of their school days, the disruptions to life, and disappointments from cancelled rites of passage, have been a crash course in the vicissitudes of human experiences.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fears-loom-for-teens-undergoing-vital-brain-development-during-covid-telling-stories-might-help-155295">Fears loom for teens undergoing vital brain development during COVID. Telling stories might help</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There is no denying the serious challenges faced by so many. But senior students writing English exams can also use their experiences from this period of turbulence as a source of inspiration.</p>
<h2>Write what you know, but stand outside your experience</h2>
<p><a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.069886607625826">Classroom-based research</a> has long supported the importance of “harnessing students’ own knowledge, experience, imagination and memories” in writing. Helping students to <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/scan/past-issues/vol-37-2018/poets-in-the-making-confirming-identity-in-english">tell their own stories</a> is a powerful way to value their experiences and support their identity.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/im-in-another-world-writing-without-rules-lets-kids-find-their-voice-just-like-professional-authors-124976">'I'm in another world': writing without rules lets kids find their voice, just like professional authors</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Authors often use their everyday perceptions of the world as a source of inspiration. Novelist P.D. James <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24867584">famously observed</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You absolutely should write about what you know… [but] You have to learn to stand outside of yourself. All experience, whether it is painful or whether it is happy, is somehow stored up and sooner or later it’s used.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Drawing on lived experience doesn’t have to be explicit. Standing outside of yourself means not literally recounting a life story in boring detail. It means being original and doing what good writers do by asking questions to re-imagine personal experiences.</p>
<p>Questions you could ask yourself include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>what if the personal experience was told from a different perspective?</p></li>
<li><p>how could a character trait or emotion be exaggerated for comic or tragic effect?</p></li>
<li><p>how could the setting be changed to become more dramatic, unfamiliar, surreal, or perhaps possible in the future?</p></li>
<li><p>what if you use a flashback or flashforward to delay the action and build suspense?</p></li>
<li><p>could the dominant mood be altered to take the narrative in a different direction?</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An elephant sitting in a tree." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427688/original/file-20211021-25-27qc16.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Could you use personal experience and change it to make it surreal?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/elephant-dry-tree-surreal-landscape-this-688008427">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Using these techniques you could write about Zoom gatherings and viral TikTok dances in a satirical way. </p>
<p>Or consider using the enduring tensions around individual choice and collective responsibility as an example or metaphor in a writing task or persuasive text (writing an argument).</p>
<h2>Use the writing prompt, but be interesting</h2>
<p>Writing tasks in English exams include prompts. These vary widely but commonly focus on human experience and are broad enough to open a wide range of possibilities you could use in your writing.</p>
<p>In a past <a href="https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/see_english_18_p2pa.pdf">senior English Queensland exam</a>, students were asked to use a set of images and develop a narrative using the theme of “a fork in the road”. </p>
<p>In one of the images a man wearing a backpack is standing in a forest.</p>
<p>For this task, you could use the image and “fork in the road” theme to explore potential decisions that could come about from having experienced social isolation during COVID. For instance, after the pandemic is over, do you want to return to your old social life or continue spending more time by yourself?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Illustration of people standing part from each other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=320&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=320&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=320&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/427690/original/file-20211021-18-eiufcu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You could explore the idea of social isolation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/corona-virus-social-distancing-concept-hope-1720414759">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>English exams often contain excerpts from texts as a writing stimulus, like this one from the short story Underdog, by Tobias Madden, which appeared in a <a href="https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/a9eb71f1-f194-46db-915c-673eaefb4545/2020-hsc-english-standard-paper-2.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-a9eb71f1-f194-46db-915c-673eaefb4545-nEJpe0p">NSW exam</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is my world now, and it can be yours too, if you like. A place can soak through your skin like sweat, and ooze into your heart and soul. Breathe it in, and let me tell you a story.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With a prompt like this, you could use personal experiences such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>a familiar location such as a disused warehouse in a local street, or the carefully styled loft apartment from an influencer’s social media post</p></li>
<li><p>comparisons between two worlds – your known world (a bustling commercial landscape) and another world (a desolate, urban landscape waiting for people to re-inhabit it)</p></li>
<li><p>a memoir-style description of a grandparents’ house, as told to a younger family member with use of dialogue in English and the student’s first language to construct authenticity.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/inside-the-story-writing-trauma-in-cynthia-banhams-a-certain-light-115301">Inside the story: writing trauma in Cynthia Banham's A Certain Light</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It is always important for students to closely follow the task instructions because the marking criteria will assess the extent to which students are able to reflect the task parameters in their response. </p>
<p>Rote-learned, off-task pieces of writing will not be graded highly by markers.</p>
<p>English offers a unique space for students to write about their world. If students write what they know but make it interesting, their experiences during their turbulent senior year can be reshaped into meaningful and creative exam writing tasks.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170264/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janet was Chief Examiner, English (Advanced & Standard), NSW HSC (2012-2016).</span></em></p>Senior school students have had a stressful year. But their personal experiences during this turbulent period can also be a source of inspiration for writing tasks in the English exam.Janet Dutton, Senior Lecturer, Secondary English, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1699282021-10-18T19:14:44Z2021-10-18T19:14:44ZCOVID-19 cases rise when schools open – but more so when teachers and students don’t wear masks<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/426838/original/file-20211018-17-10q41fx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/coronavirus-impact-on-education-little-girl-1908799819">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As students return to schools in Victoria and New South Wales after months of lockdowns, many people may be worried about the risks to their kids – and transmission overall.</p>
<p>The role that schools play in transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been difficult to work out, but new evidence can finally answer that question. Schools do amplify community transmission, but the good news is that some relatively simple mitigation measures can make schools much safer places.</p>
<p>To successfully navigate the next phase of the pandemic and protect our kids, we need to switch to a so-called “<a href="https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2021/34/vaccination-alone-not-enough-to-control-covid-19/">vaccine-plus</a>” strategy – vaccination together with <a href="https://ozsage.org/media_releases/protecting-children-from-covid-19-and-making-schools-and-childcare-safer/">measures to clean the air</a>.</p>
<h2>What new evidence says about opening schools</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/42/e2103420118">new study</a> conducted in the United States found school reopening in late 2020 was associated with an increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths. </p>
<p>Some of the increase can be attributed to other restrictions being eased at the same time, and to parents having the ability to return to the workplace, where transmission also occurs. </p>
<p>But importantly, cases and deaths increased most in counties where students and teachers did not have to wear masks at school.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1448006700665999364"}"></div></p>
<p>We shouldn’t be surprised at this finding, because face masks are one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. An investigation into school outbreaks, supported by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), found that schools without an indoor mask requirement were <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7039e1.htm">3.5 times more likely to have an outbreak</a> than schools in which students and staff did have to wear masks.</p>
<p>This is why the CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html">recommends universal indoor masking</a> by all children aged two and older, as well as teachers and visitors to schools, regardless of whether they’re vaccinated.</p>
<h2>More evidence to support masks in schools</h2>
<p>One of the reasons it has been hard to see transmission in schools is because children generally have mild symptoms. This leads to infections going undetected. But the picture is very different when researchers actively look for cases.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cant-get-your-kid-to-wear-a-mask-here-are-5-things-you-can-try-166648">Can't get your kid to wear a mask? Here are 5 things you can try</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Researchers in Belgium conducted a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2784812">study</a> where primary school children and their teachers were tested once per week for 15 weeks. They found many instances of transmission between children and adults that spread beyond the school to the children’s parents and to the teachers’ partners. Some mitigation measures were in place in the school, but not mask wearing.</p>
<h2>Other measures help too</h2>
<p>Perhaps the most dramatic example of failing to protect schools comes from England. Schools reopened this September without a mask mandate and with very little investment in ventilation. </p>
<p>Within one month, <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/15october2021">random testing showed</a> that 8% of secondary school children and 3% of pre-primary and primary school children had an active infection.</p>
<p>This occurred despite <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/four-in-five-people-aged-16-and-over-vaccinated-with-both-doses">more than 80%</a> of people aged 16 and older having received two vaccine doses. Accordingly, infections in adults were much lower — around 1% or less in all age groups.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1448968034081705984"}"></div></p>
<p>This clearly shows that high levels of vaccination in adults aren’t sufficient to protect children, because children easily transmit the virus to each other.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-may-need-to-vaccinate-children-as-young-as-5-to-reach-herd-immunity-with-delta-our-modelling-shows-164942">We may need to vaccinate children as young as 5 to reach herd immunity with Delta, our modelling shows</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It also shows that infections in children don’t simply reflect overall community transmission. Schools play a key role in amplifying the spread of COVID-19.</p>
<h2>Why we need to protect children</h2>
<p>We need to prevent infections in children for a number of reasons. First, although most children with COVID-19 experience mild illness, a small proportion become <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-we-cant-treat-covid-19-like-the-flu-we-have-to-consider-the-lasting-health-problems-it-causes-164072">unwell enough to need hospitalisation</a>.</p>
<p>This might not sound like a big problem, but we can expect almost all of Australia’s 3.8 million children to eventually get infected if we don’t vaccinate them. A small proportion of this is a big number, and could <a href="https://journals.lww.com/jphmp/fulltext/2020/07000/covid_19_in_children_in_the_united_states_.9.aspx">easily overwhelm children’s hospitals</a>, which is what <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/09/01/1033233408/childrens-hospitals-coronavirus-covid-capacity-federal-help">happened in the US</a>.</p>
<p>Children who get COVID-19 can also be left with persistent symptoms, known as <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-mystery-of-long-covid-up-to-1-in-3-people-who-catch-the-virus-suffer-for-months-heres-what-we-know-so-far-161174">long COVID</a>. It’s not clear exactly how often this occurs, but the condition is common enough that England’s National Health Service has set up <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/2021/06/nhs-sets-up-specialist-young-peoples-services-in-100-million-long-covid-care-expansion/">15 long COVID clinics</a> for children. In Israel, long COVID clinics have <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/the-new-frontier-israeli-hopsitals-contend-with-long-covid-in-children-1.10280661">long waiting lists</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-we-cant-treat-covid-19-like-the-flu-we-have-to-consider-the-lasting-health-problems-it-causes-164072">No, we can’t treat COVID-19 like the flu. We have to consider the lasting health problems it causes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>High levels of transmission in children also leads to educational disruption. Two weeks after the start of the autumn term in England, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/sep/21/more-than-100000-pupils-off-school-in-england-last-week-amid-covid-surge">more than 100,000 children were absent from school</a> due to confirmed or suspected COVID-19.</p>
<p>And <a href="https://theconversation.com/children-may-transmit-coronavirus-at-the-same-rate-as-adults-what-we-now-know-about-schools-and-covid-19-150523">children can easily transmit the coronavirus</a> to other children and to adults. This will lead to parents and others in the wider community getting sick, including some vaccinated people.</p>
<p>Although COVID-19 vaccines are very good at preventing severe disease, they’re not perfect, and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7031e2.htm">breakthrough infections can occur</a>. To keep breakthrough infections to a minimum, we must keep community transmission low. </p>
<h2>Here’s how we can make schools safer</h2>
<p>It’s not difficult to make schools much safer places, but it does require putting more emphasis on cleaning the air rather than cleaning our hands. This is because COVID-19 is caused by an <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mja2.51131">airborne virus</a> that can drift through the air like cigarette smoke.</p>
<p>Independent scientific advisory group OzSAGE recently launched <a href="https://ozsage.org/media_releases/protecting-children-from-covid-19-and-making-schools-and-childcare-safer/">comprehensive guidance</a> on how to prevent this type of transmission in schools.</p>
<p>OzSAGE recommends vaccinating children, their parents, and teachers as soon as possible; increasing ventilation and using <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7027e1.htm">HEPA air filters</a> to clean indoor air; and ensuring masks are worn by all staff and children who can safely wear them.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-vaccination-to-ventilation-5-ways-to-keep-kids-safe-from-covid-when-schools-reopen-166734">From vaccination to ventilation: 5 ways to keep kids safe from COVID when schools reopen</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>These measures will likely have benefits beyond the pandemic. Stuffy air in classrooms isn’t good for learning, and <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/school-classroom-ventilation-fresh-air-fix/">academic outcomes have been shown to improve</a> with ventilation.</p>
<p>Cleaning the air is an investment for our children’s future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169928/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Zoë Hyde is a member of the OzSAGE independent scientific advisory group.</span></em></p>A new study in the United States found school reopening in late 2020 was associated with an increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths. But this was mostly the case where masks weren’t required.Zoë Hyde, Epidemiologist, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1684812021-10-10T19:09:47Z2021-10-10T19:09:47ZSchools have moved outdoors in past disease outbreaks. Here are 7 reasons to do it again<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425147/original/file-20211007-27-138ow3i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/coronavirus-outbreak-lifestyle-outdoor-summer-school-1751836280">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Leaders across the country – particularly in the states with the largest outbreaks, New South Wales and Victoria – have designed road maps towards reopening the states after long lockdowns. Safety in childcare, schools and universities is a core component of reopening plans.</p>
<p>Year 12 students in <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/schools-begin-the-slow-return-to-on-site-learning-20210924-p58uhq.html">Melbourne</a> go back to school this week, and there are staggered return plans for the rest of the year levels over the coming weeks. All students are set to return to the classroom full-time by November 5. </p>
<p>Regional <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/getting-regional-students-safely-back-classroom">Victorian students</a> have a different schedule with all students back in the classroom full-time by October 26.</p>
<p>NSW students will be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-07/nsw-introduces-major-changes-to-covid-19-roadmap/100519894">returning to class</a> in a staggered fashion too. <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/advice-for-families#:%7E:text=Students%20will%20return%20to%20face,October%20%E2%80%93%20all%20remaining%20year%20groups.">Kindergarten, year 1 and year 12 students are</a> to return on October 18; all other grades will return on October 25.</p>
<p>Managing a safe return includes managing indoor classrooms via ventilation, sanitation and social distancing. But the NSW Education Department has said it will also support schools to use “<a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/preparing-classrooms-for-students-return">outdoor learning areas</a>”. And the Victorian strategy <a href="https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/covidsafe-ecec">includes advice for</a> early childhood centres and services to “move to an indoor/outdoor program (shifting to as much outdoor programming as possible)”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-vaccination-to-ventilation-5-ways-to-keep-kids-safe-from-covid-when-schools-reopen-166734">From vaccination to ventilation: 5 ways to keep kids safe from COVID when schools reopen</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Moving classrooms outside is not a new idea. It has been done in past disease outbreaks such as tuberculosis and the Spanish flu. We can learn lessons from history and take pointers from international schools that have already made moves to learn outside.</p>
<h2>A history of outdoor education</h2>
<p>As <a href="https://www.history.com/news/school-outside-tuberculosis">tuberculosis</a> was spreading and taking a toll on children in the early 1900s, an open-air school movement was launched in Germany. In 1904, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldeschule">Waldschule (forest school)</a> opened in Berlin. Its success spread, with forest schools opening in Scandinavia and open-air schools in Britain. A nationwide movement for fresh-air schools was launched across the US a few years later.</p>
<p>In 1912 New York, a private school <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/17/nyregion/coronavirus-nyc-schools-reopening-outdoors.html">moved classes onto the roof</a>. Another school took up classes in an abandoned ferry and another in Central Park. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Black and white historical photograph. Kids in winter clothes." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425130/original/file-20211006-27-1u94hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=573&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">During past disease outbreaks, many classes were held outside. This is an open-air school in South Boston, 1918.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://picryl.com/media/south-boston-mass-open-air-school">PICRYL</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Schools around the world are now using outdoor classrooms again as a key strategy to mitigate the risks of COVID while remaining open.</p>
<p>The US <a href="https://www.greenschoolyards.org/covid-learn-outside">National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative</a> has been pushing for <a href="https://www.edsurge.com/news/2021-01-04-schools-turned-to-outdoor-learning-for-safe-equitable-instruction-in-2020-they-don-t-have-to-go-back">schools to have classrooms outdoors</a> and many have done so. </p>
<p>By last October New York City officials alone <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-outdoor-learning-nyc-schools-20201015-6aavvz6ftzdd3dhdx2ik24lgim-story.html">approved 1,100 proposals</a> for public school students to spend at least part of their day outdoors.</p>
<p>Some wanted to use their school grounds, closed down streets or take students to local parks for lessons. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/27/us/outdoor-classroom-design.html">Essex Street Academy</a>, a public secondary school in Lower Manhattan, was one of these schools. Students have been taking multiple classes on the expansive roof. According to the principal of the school, the roof of the vertical schools was designed as a school yard – so nothing needed to be adjusted. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=356&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425145/original/file-20211007-21-1spktgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">École de plein air de Suresnes: a school near Paris built in a similar internal layout to that used in hospital architecture, with long window-lined hallways.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Suresnes_-_Ecole_de_plein_air_NB_10.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/physical-distancing-at-school-is-a-challenge-here-are-5-ways-to-keep-our-children-safer-168072">Physical distancing at school is a challenge. Here are 5 ways to keep our children safer</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Without any specific directions, many teachers around Australia have also been heading outdoors. A K-1 primary teacher in NSW told me:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Since the pandemic, on the days I’m onsite, I keep the kids outside most of the day. We go into the garden and read stories, complete writing tasks, art and maths games – using the gardens as stimulus.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A university lecturer in Victoria said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Last semester, to support social distancing and increase fresh air, I took classes outdoors. Our classroom was the campus grounds, a local park, the botanic gardens and the National Gallery.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here are seven reasons why schools should be moving classes outside as much as possible.</p>
<h2>1. Being outdoors supports students’ health and well-being</h2>
<p>Being outside lowers the risk of transmission of the virus by making it easier to socially distance and providing better ventilation and fresh air. </p>
<p>It also supports students’ mental well-being. Research shows being outside has many positive health, social, emotional, ecological and learning <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/uploads/production/document/path/6/6811/Student_outcomes_and__natural_schooling_pathways_to_impact_2016.pdf">benefits</a> for students and staff.</p>
<h2>2. Setting up an outdoor classroom is relatively inexpensive and easy</h2>
<p>Compared to the other options such as opening up walls or windows in classrooms, installing ventilation systems or rotating home/school attendance to ensure smaller class numbers, moving outdoors can be implemented with limited resources. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Empty wooden chairs and tables in forest cleaing with blackboard at the front." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425146/original/file-20211007-19-6latxd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Learning outdoors has many health and social benefits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/empty-outdoor-classroom-forest-black-classic-1977379202">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. Outdoor classrooms may mean schools stay open</h2>
<p>Schools could safely accommodate more students by going outside. Therefore, there is less likelihood of disruption to the lives of students and families. By lowering risks once students return, schools are more reliably able to remain open. </p>
<h2>4. What is normally taught indoors can be adapted for outside</h2>
<p>For early childhood and primary school everything can be outside. Experiences overseas have shown well-resourced roof spaces or pavilions have overcome issues of special equipment. </p>
<p>The question should be what really <em>can’t</em> be taught outside rather than what <em>can</em> – that is the shorter list.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-learn-science-in-nature-play-long-before-they-get-to-school-classrooms-and-labs-166106">Children learn science in nature play long before they get to school classrooms and labs</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>5. Schools can use a variety of outdoor options</h2>
<p>Permanent outdoor classrooms could be set up. Students could use the outdoors for one-off classes during the day, or schools can stagger class numbers by scheduling small groups inside and out throughout the day. </p>
<h2>6. Any space outdoors can be used</h2>
<p>Around the world, we’ve seen verandahs or external corridors, decks, courtyards, roof tops, school grounds, gardens, ovals, blocked-off streets on school boundaries, nearby local parks and playgrounds, and a <a href="https://www.academia.edu/415807/Every_Experience_Matters">vast array</a> of other local community spaces, such as beaches, forests and village centres, used as outdoor classrooms. </p>
<h2>7. Educators from outside the school can be used</h2>
<p>Educators from national parks, aquariums, museums, zoos and science centres are already trained in teaching outdoors and many have had limited work due to pandemic closures.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/168481/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Karen Malone does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Moving classrooms outside is not a new idea. It’s been done in past disease outbreaks such as tuberculosis and the Spanish flu.Karen Malone, Professor, Environmental Sustainability and Childhood Studies, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1679692021-10-06T19:02:27Z2021-10-06T19:02:27ZParents, studies show most kids have done just fine in remote schooling. Here’s how to survive the home stretch<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424597/original/file-20211004-22-1v9ebdl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/smiling-small-african-american-girl-headphones-1707844081">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With nearly half of Australia’s population in lockdown, a lot of children and young people are still not attending face-to-face school. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/schools-begin-the-slow-return-to-on-site-learning-20210924-p58uhq.html">Melbourne</a> students in year 12 go back to the classroom this week, and there are staggered return plans for the rest of the year levels. Preps and grades 1 and 2 will return part time in the following weeks. All students will return to the classroom full-time by November 5. </p>
<p>Regional <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/getting-regional-students-safely-back-classroom">Victorian students</a> have a different schedule with all students back in the classroom full-time by October 26.</p>
<p>In New South Wales, students are set to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/29/nsw-schools-to-reopen-a-week-earlier-than-scheduled">return to class earlier than expected</a>. Kindergarten, year 1 and year 12 students will return on October 18; years 2, 6 and 11 will return on October 25 and all other grades will resume on November 1.</p>
<p>But even with staggered return plans, many kids will still be learning from home if only part of the time. </p>
<p>Parents can be understandably worried about their children’s learning when at home. After a year and a half of COVID and lockdowns, many students and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-02/parents-struggle-work-and-home-learning-lockdown/100421816">parents are feeling tired, burnt out</a> and <a href="http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/104691/">sick of online school</a>. Some <a href="https://issr.uq.edu.au/files/19469/Ramsay%20Pillar%202.pdf">have disengaged</a> from what the school is providing.</p>
<p>If you’re overwhelmed, and your child is disengaged, have no fear. Your child likely still continued to learn, and will continue to do so, just in a different way.</p>
<h2>What we know from last year</h2>
<p>During the lockdowns last year, many experts and parents were <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/covid-catch-up">concerned children’s education would suffer</a>.</p>
<p>But the majority of Australian students have done just fine. For instance, there has been <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/media-releases/20210813-naplan-results-med-rel.pdf">little change</a> in the NAPLAN average results in 2021 compared to 2019 in all states and territories, including Victoria, which had the longest period of remote schooling in 2020. This doesn’t mean every group succeeded, and there is evidence the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13384-021-00436-w">learning of disadvantaged students suffered</a> but perhaps less than would have been expected. </p>
<p>Some children’s mental health and well-being may have suffered due to extended uncertainty and lack of face-to-face contact with friends. This is especially so for senior students who have missed out on <a href="https://theconversation.com/delayed-graduations-no-formals-the-class-of-2021-has-had-a-hell-of-a-year-they-need-mental-health-support-and-quickly-167187">important events like school formals</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/delayed-graduations-no-formals-the-class-of-2021-has-had-a-hell-of-a-year-they-need-mental-health-support-and-quickly-167187">Delayed graduations, no formals — the class of 2021 has had a hell of a year. They need mental health support, and quickly</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>But we also know some children, including children with autism, reported being happier because they experienced <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-39068-002?_ga=2.258553994.1079873814.1632622125-439618554.1632622125">less bullying</a> and their learning needs were better met at home. And a report on <a href="https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/handle/11343/268204/apo-nid307154.pdf">children with disability</a> found learning improved for many, to the extent some parents were thinking of doing it long term.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A student with disability on his Ipad, with Mum looking on behind him." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424639/original/file-20211005-26-mmsovd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many school students thrived in remote learning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/special-need-child-on-wheelchair-use-1930049951">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are several explanations for remote learning being more successful than expected. Some schools have <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/">changed, perhaps permanently</a> to accommodate different teaching and learning approaches. </p>
<p>Learning at home also meant many parents <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/5ca4v/">knew more about how their children were doing</a> so were better able to support them. Parents being more involved in their children’s education is a marker of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782391/">success in schools</a>. </p>
<p>Home learning during lockdowns improved students’ <a href="https://globaled.gse.harvard.edu/files/geii/files/education_continuity_v3.pdf">autonomy in many cases</a>. Some students <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/edu-2020-0122/html">said they valued the flexibility</a> of being able to work at their own pace. </p>
<p>This may have <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0255629">implications</a> for how schools continue. It may also reflect how learning can happen, even when children are not actively being taught.</p>
<h2>How children learn</h2>
<p>In 1985, psychologists <a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/hdbk_socialpsychtheories1/n21.xml">Edward Deci and Richard Ryan</a> introduced what is now known as self-determination theory in their book <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9780306420221">Self-Determination and Intrinsic Motivation in Human Behavior</a>.</p>
<p>The theory holds that learning happens when children find meaning in what they are learning about, learn collaboratively with others and have some relationships with the content and the people they are learning with. Deci and Ryan called these <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2021/09/cover-remote-learning">motivations to learn</a> </p>
<ul>
<li><p>competence, which is the feeling you can do something and be successful</p></li>
<li><p>autonomy, which is the feeling you have some control over your experiences</p></li>
<li><p>relatedness, which means experiencing positive relationships as part of the learning process.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>You don’t need to do anything special to your home to make these three things happen for your children.</p>
<p>The natural flows of family life can provide an environment where children and young people are motivated to learn. Incidental conversation (while doing the washing up or cooking), interactions with siblings (reading to the baby), trying to solve problems (fixing a bike), writing to communicate (to a friend in Minecraft) all provide opportunities to learn new skills and take on new information. </p>
<p>Children are naturally curious. In fact, you have to work very hard to stop them learning.</p>
<h2>So, what can you do to foster your child’s learning?</h2>
<p>Unlike the classroom, it can be easier to facilitate individual children’s autonomous learning and interests at home. This is because children can have more freedom and flexibility in what they do and learning can be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-07/lessons-from-home-learning/100353218">incidental</a>.</p>
<p>By encouraging students to learn what they’re interested in, do research and find their own answers, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15391523.2021.1891998">Deci and Ryan’s work</a> would suggest parents can support motivation and success. </p>
<p>Outside of the formal schooling program, this may involve a child researching a particular topic online or doing something practical like fixing <a href="https://www.gsherald.com.au/news/great-southern-herald/nine-year-old-country-boys-mission-to-find-the-original-owners-of-a-vintage-sewing-machine-ng-b881964992z">something broken</a>. </p>
<p>Where students are unwilling to do activities provided by the school, it may be possible to cover the same learning in a different way. For example, a student might be unwilling to do fractions on the computer or a worksheet but love cooking and be perfectly happy making a cake ¾ the size of the recipe.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-want-to-send-the-kids-back-to-school-why-not-try-unschooling-at-home-136256">Don't want to send the kids back to school? Why not try unschooling at home?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>If you had a conversation over the dishes about something they’re interested in, they’re still learning. The conversation could be about anything at all, the critical factor is that it interests your child. </p>
<p>If your child has learned how to crochet on YouTube, they’ve learned not only how to crochet but also how to learn – that’s competence.</p>
<p>If your child rang their grandfather to ask about the Vietnam War, they’ve collected first hand data on the war experience – that’s autonomy.</p>
<p>If you’re feeling burnt out and tired, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-02/parents-struggle-work-and-home-learning-lockdown/100421816">you’re not alone</a>. It shouldn’t be long now, keep doing what you’ve been doing and the kids will likely be all right.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167969/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>During the lockdowns last year, many experts and parents were concerned children’s education would suffer. But on average, students did OK. A lot of learning is incidental.Rebecca English, Senior Lecturer in Education, Queensland University of TechnologyKarleen Gribble, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1670382021-09-09T20:12:49Z2021-09-09T20:12:49ZCOVID gives us a chance to rethink traditional end-of-school exams, and move into the 21 century<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420134/original/file-20210909-24-15sgzd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/school-students-taking-exam-writing-answer-710096887">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Victoria and New South Wales are in a scramble to plan for end-of-school exams. Vaccination targets may not be hit in time (for students or teachers), and there are other issues too — such as kids having missed weeks of face-to-face schooling. </p>
<p>NSW has <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/coronavirus/hsc-exams-postponed-to-november-as-students-set-for-return-in-midoctober/video/b9bf080a13ba6dab5f816cdb289626c1">postponed its HSC (Higher School Certificate) exams</a> until November. And while Victoria postponed its General Achievement Test, it has <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/new-date-set-for-victorian-year-12-test-c-3734363">made no changes</a> to its HSC equivalent, the VCE.</p>
<p>Some critics believe postponing exams isn’t enough, and are calling on states to <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=10277">eliminate end-of-school exams</a> altogether.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1420224768050040832"}"></div></p>
<p>Both states have <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-fair-hsc-year-12-students-given-special-consideration-for-covid-19-disruption-20210731-p58epe.html">special consideration policies</a> put in place for scores impacted by COVID, but is this enough? And does this unique circumstance give us an opportunity to change the way end-of-school assessments are done?</p>
<h2>Two schools of thought</h2>
<p>Opinions around this year’s exams fall into two main schools of thought.</p>
<p>The first is that year 12 students deserve to finish what they started. We have spent 12 years convincing them of the importance of this milestone. Many students are anxious, if exams are cancelled, their pathway to university and beyond will be jeopardised by using only their prior track records. Some <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/i-give-the-state-government-a-fail-for-preparation-when-it-comes-to-this-year-s-hsc-20210828-p58mrj.html">students are advocating</a> keeping exams for all these reasons.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1435182434992132099"}"></div></p>
<p>The alternate school of thought is that <a href="https://theconversation.com/study-confirms-hsc-exams-source-of-major-stress-to-adolescents-46812">we’ve known for years</a> end-of-school exams can <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/19/stress-is-taking-a-disturbing-toll-on-year-12-should-we-do-away-with-exams">cause debilitating stress</a> for many young people. The extraordinary pressure of the process has tipped over the breaking point this year with so much time missed in schools.</p>
<p>So we should take the pressure off our kids and work with vocational education and training providers, and universities, to accommodate them.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-outrageous-and-impossible-is-that-factoring-in-how-year-12-students-coped-in-lockdown-is-a-grading-nightmare-for-teachers-162851">'How outrageous and impossible is that?': factoring in how year 12 students coped in lockdown is a grading nightmare for teachers</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There have always been <a href="https://artofsmart.com.au/university/alternative-university-entry-pathways/">alternative pathways</a> to university and they have been expanding in recent years. We can use those already existing pathway which include subject-specific recruitment schemes, principal recommendations and portfolio entry. </p>
<p>There is already enough data in a student’s record to make an informed decision and allow admissions officers to move forward without this year’s exams. Perhaps we can even look toward eliminating them into the future with more lead time to do the calculations.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1435697955655225344"}"></div></p>
<h2>What is the rest of the world doing?</h2>
<p>End-of-school exams were <a href="https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2021011511142211">cancelled this year</a> due to pandemic restrictions in the United States, France, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany. Exams were modified in Denmark, Israel and Austria, while Italy held oral only exams. </p>
<p>The United Kingdom <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/21/if-we-can-do-without-gcses-and-university-exams-now-why-go-back">cancelled its A-level exams</a> for the last two years and, in Finland, students were allowed to sit their university entrance exams multiple times. </p>
<p>Most Asian <a href="https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/unesco_review_of_high-stakes_exams_and_assessments_during_covid-19_en.pdf">countries have postponed their exams</a>. Many pundits in Western countries are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/21/if-we-can-do-without-gcses-and-university-exams-now-why-go-back">advocating for a major change</a> to the high-stakes assessment process, noting universities adjusted their entry criteria in the first year of the pandemic and coped just fine.</p>
<h2>What are Australia’s options?</h2>
<p>Australian educational leaders and policy makers have three distinct options:</p>
<p><strong>1. Keep the system we have and continue to improve it</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/preposterous-minister-shoots-down-proposal-to-scrap-hsc-exams-20210727-p58dg4.html">first option</a> – supported by most education ministers and regulators in states and territories – is that our exams and curriculum are built on a high degree of excellence and rigour. They have been honed by years of experience and completed by millions of students. </p>
<p>Continuing to improve the assessments and the curriculum that feeds them will ensure high standards and credibility for excellence rather than promoting a “lowering of the bar”. Over time, we can evolve new courses and assessments, incorporating more technology-based assessments as they are tested and validated for the high-volume administrations of state exams.</p>
<p><strong>2. Add a learner profile to the current system</strong></p>
<p>A <a href="https://cica.org.au/final-report-of-the-education-council-review-of-senior-secondary-pathways-into-work-further-education-and-training/">second option</a> – that of “learning profiles” – is based on the idea we need to expand the skills we value in young people, beyond those in traditional academic subjects. <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/school-learning-environments-and-change/future-focused-learning-and-teaching">Skills of the future include</a> critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1268819319535931392"}"></div></p>
<p>Digital platforms are <a href="https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/gonski-institute-proposes-hybrid-assessment-system-to-replace-naplan/276869">being developed</a> to house evidence of student engagement in the community and to store non-traditional forms of learning (including video and other media) in online tools, creating a learner profile to represent these authentic learning experiences. NSW <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/news/latest-news/learner-profile-opening-doors-for-students">says it will be trialling</a> this next year, creating an “education passport” for students.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1314711127465422848"}"></div></p>
<p><strong>3. Transform the system with new designs for schooling and assessment</strong></p>
<p>The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta is <a href="https://parra.catholic.edu.au/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2019/07/04/01/34/Transforming-the-schooling-experience-at-Catholic-Education-Diocese-of-Parramatta">transforming the use of student progress data</a> over the school years. Think of the dashboard of a car that has multiple dials and indicators and imagine using that same approach to aggregate data about students and their learning journeys. </p>
<p>These tools can reliably forecast student performance, allowing us to adjust our interventions to promote student success. With the use of predictive analytics, rather than waiting for end-of-school exam results, we can <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-know-by-year-11-what-mark-students-will-get-in-year-12-do-we-still-need-a-stressful-exam-140746">help students boost their future trajectories</a> through immediate support and interventions.</p>
<p>The Paramatta Education Diocese is in the early days of re-designing its schools to promote personal pathways and allow students to align their passions to their emerging skillsets. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-know-by-year-11-what-mark-students-will-get-in-year-12-do-we-still-need-a-stressful-exam-140746">We know by Year 11 what mark students will get in Year 12. Do we still need a stressful exam?</a>
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<p>Stemming from a concept of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Leaving-Learn-Out-School-Engagement/dp/0325046042">leaving to learn</a>” <a href="https://www.bigpicture.org.au/">Big Picture Learning Australia</a> — a not-for-profit company transforming traditional education – features internships centred around the passions of students as the core of the secondary experience. Teachers<a href="https://www.bigpicture.org.au/news/big-picture-education-%E2%80%98graduation-portfolio%E2%80%99-%E2%80%93-engaging-pathways-all-young-australians"> run advisories that allow for transdisciplinary learning</a> in lieu of traditional classes, all mapped to the syllabuses of the key curriculum learning areas. </p>
<p>Around 40+ <a href="https://www.bigpicture.org.au/big-picture-education-school-network">schools across the country</a> are in partnership with this model. Students develop portfolios of their learning to document their journeys, organising their projects and assignments to critical learning outcomes which are assessed in a cloud-based <a href="https://www.bigpicture.org.au/what-international-big-picture-learning-credential">learner credential</a>. Nearly 20 Australian universities <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-27/hsc-without-exams-an-alternative-pathway-through-high-school/11641142">already accept these portfolios and the credentual</a> for admission in lieu of end-of-school exams.</p>
<p>Our education system is built on 20th century (or earlier) designs of teaching, learning and assessment. COVID gives us the chance to do what we could have done already — move forward with a modern assessment model based on our current knowledge of learning. The goal is for all our children to discover and reach their potential.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167038/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Fischetti is affiliated as a volunteer, unpaid Board member of Big Picture Australia.</span></em></p>Our educational model, and particularly end-of-school assessments, are based on old modes of practice that no longer serve the 21st century student and their future. We have other options.John Fischetti, Professor, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Human and Social Futures, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1628512021-08-12T20:02:26Z2021-08-12T20:02:26Z‘How outrageous and impossible is that?’: factoring in how year 12 students coped in lockdown is a grading nightmare for teachers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/415332/original/file-20210809-23-1j4u1k2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/concentrated-skilled-millennial-caucasian-businessman-glasses-1896451444">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Year 12 students in Sydney who live or go to school in an area affected by stage 4 lockdowns will be able to apply for <a href="https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/covid-19/coronavirus-advice/hsc-%20exams-and-major-projects/special-consideration-program">special consideration</a> if their oral or performance exam, or major project, was impacted by COVID.</p>
<p>Under the New South Wales <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-fair-hsc-year-12-students-given-special-consideration-for-covid-19-disruption-20210731-p58epe.html">COVID-19 special consideration program</a>, students’ work must have suffered as a direct result of the pandemic restrictions, <a href="https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/covid-19/coronavirus-advice/hsc-%20exams-and-major-projects/special-consideration-program">although</a> “detailed evidence for students who have been impacted by Level 4 restrictions will not be required”.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-know-by-year-11-what-mark-students-will-get-in-year-12-do-we-still-need-a-stressful-exam-140746">We know by Year 11 what mark students will get in Year 12. Do we still need a stressful exam?</a>
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<p>Victoria provided students with <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/supporting-students-through-pandemic">similar special consideration</a> in 2020 to avoid adverse impacts of COVID reflecting in ATAR rankings as “part of a wide-ranging process to ensure fair and accurate results in this unprecedented year of school”.</p>
<p>Special consideration will also apply to <a href="https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/news-and-events/latest-news/Novel%20coronavirus%20update/Pages/SchoolsandEducators.aspx">Victorian senior students</a> this year. </p>
<p>We interviewed ten year 12 teachers in Victoria to find out their experiences with assessment policies during lockdown in 2020. Our early findings show the teachers struggled to provide valid assessment outcomes while abiding by their <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/bullystoppers/Pages/prinduty.aspx">duty of care</a>, following <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/work-requirements-teachers/policy-and-guidelines/allocation-teacher-work">school procedures</a>, and protecting <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/privacy-information-sharing/policy">student privacy</a> in the digital context. </p>
<h2>How Victoria did it</h2>
<p>In August 2020, Victoria introduced a <a href="https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/HomePage.aspx">new consideration of educational disadvantage</a> process to take into account the impacts of lockdown on student learning that year. For scored assessments, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority advised teachers “consider whether a student’s performance on one or more school-based assessment tasks has been affected”. The impact had “to be above that which may have been addressed through school-based strategies”. </p>
<p>Teachers had to essentially determine what a student’s expected score or grade would be if they had not been impacted by the pandemic or bushfires. </p>
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<p>The teachers’ judgement was to be informed by a range of available evidence. This included a student statement about how they were affected over the course of the year. Students were not required to provide any evidence of hardship though the school had the right to ask for clarification. </p>
<h2>Ethical issues with remote learning</h2>
<p>Our study focused on ten teachers of VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education), which is the end of school certificate, equivalent of the HSC (High School Certificate) in NSW. The teachers came from different Victorian secondary schools — both government and independent. They taught subjects including English, maths, history, chemistry, arts and languages. </p>
<p>We asked about their experiences with assessment, including their contribution to the ongoing conversation on fair assessment in year 12 and their school’s relationship with the Victorian education department. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-learning-more-important-than-well-being-teachers-told-us-how-covid-highlighted-ethical-dilemmas-at-school-144854">Is learning more important than well-being? Teachers told us how COVID highlighted ethical dilemmas at school</a>
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<p>The new consideration of educational disadvantage process caused some complex ethical struggles. Teachers found it difficult to provide valid <a href="https://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/study-and-training/high-school/vce-the-victorian-certificate-of-education">scores for assessments at school</a> while also abiding by their <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/duty-of-care/policy">duty of care</a> to minimise the risk of mental and physical harm of students in a digital space. </p>
<p>One of the teachers, for instance, reluctantly ignored his student’s vaping during an online school assessment task:</p>
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<p>I’m almost sure that I could see steam or something from like vaping […] I couldn’t prove it in a court of law, but I’m pretty sure it was nicotine or something similar, and that would never happen in a classroom […] so here is a question of duty of care […] if I had that kid in the class, then 100% I have a legal obligation to intervene and I’m responsible here, but in this case, he’s at home, I can’t prove it, other students see it and are affected by it, and I’m expected to assess this work […] how outrageous and impossible is that?</p>
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<p>Reflecting on the new consideration of educational disadvantage process, another teacher said: </p>
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<p>How are we supposed to evaluate the potential grade? And who am I to decide that x struggled more than y?</p>
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<p>She admitted that in assessing students, she was relying on her “professional intuition” and ignoring the student statement document, which she said was a “sham”.</p>
<h2>Some school procedures hindered valid assessment</h2>
<p>Teachers also found it difficult to adhere to their school’s remote assessment policies, where they believed they prevented them from providing a fair assessment. </p>
<p>One teacher said:</p>
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<p>The state government announced that it was up to the school leaders to decide whether they wanted to offer onsite essential assessments to VCE kids […] and our principal said NO and kept the school closed the whole time, which really pissed off a lot of teachers who wanted to run assessment in person to provide meaningful feedback […] </p>
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<p>Another teacher highlighted issues of student cheating: </p>
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<p>Our principal insisted on an online assessment [despite the fact that] students took screenshots of tests and iMessaged them around the cohort […] it was a disaster, we found out that more than 70% of our students had these images!</p>
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<h2>Protecting students’ privacy at the expense of learning</h2>
<p>Some teachers described situations where their ethical obligation to protect student privacy conflicted with their ethical responsibility to provide accurate assessments. </p>
<p>One teacher, for example, said she was unable to provide “meaningful feedback” and follow ethical provisions of assessment when teaching students in an “off-camera” space intended to protect their privacy. </p>
<p>She was not sure whether her assessment feedback in class was helpful, considering she could not see the students’ responses. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/victorias-year-12-students-are-learning-remotely-but-they-wont-necessarily-fall-behind-143844">Victoria’s Year 12 students are learning remotely. But they won't necessarily fall behind</a>
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<p>The unfolding pandemic and environmental disasters such as the bushfires mean school closures will likely reoccur to varying degrees in the future.</p>
<p>Digital platforms for remote assessment and learning become central in these times. These platforms are creating complex ethical challenges of assessment that require, now more than ever, closer attention from educators, educational leaders and policymakers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/162851/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Grové is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists and an international affiliate of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a member of APA D15 (Educational Psychology) and APA D16 (School Psychology). Christine is Associate Editor of the Educational and Developmental Psychologist and a member of The United Nations Association of Australia Academic Network. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carlo Perrotta and Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Year 12 students in NSW affected by lockdowns will be able to apply for special consideration for exams and special projects. Here’s what Victorian teachers said about a similar policy last year.Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh, Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Monash UniversityCarlo Perrotta, Senior lecturer, Monash UniversityChristine Grové, Senior Lecturer and Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1608622021-05-13T05:51:13Z2021-05-13T05:51:13ZThe 2021-22 budget has added salt to universities’ COVID wounds<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/400455/original/file-20210513-19-pvtn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/education-global-world-graduation-cap-on-793972774">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The federal government’s budget announcements this week included nothing new for universities — an industry hit particularly hard by the pandemic border closures and loss of international students.</p>
<p>Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday night confirmed Australia’s border is likely to remain closed until mid-2022. Research from the <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-hopes-of-international-students-return-fade-closed-borders-could-cost-20bn-a-year-in-2022-half-the-sectors-value-159328">Mitchell Institute</a> found a third academic year of few new international students (2022) would cost Australia about A$20 billion a year — half its pre-pandemic value.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-hopes-of-international-students-return-fade-closed-borders-could-cost-20bn-a-year-in-2022-half-the-sectors-value-159328">As hopes of international students' return fade, closed borders could cost $20bn a year in 2022 – half the sector's value</a>
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<p>In his <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/josh-frydenberg-2018/speeches/budget-speech-2021-22">budget speech</a>, the treasurer said only this about universities:</p>
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<p>[…] we are also providing more than $19 billion in funding for our universities in 2021‑22. And as a result of decisions made during the pandemic, this year there are 30,000 more places at Australian universities.</p>
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<p>This $19 billion is the continuation of previously announced higher education funding, including some temporary additional funding announced in 2020 as part of the government’s COVID response. </p>
<p>This temporary money will quickly phase out. Tuesday’s budget shows a reversion to the previous policy of keeping total higher education funding broadly stable. </p>
<h2>Flat funding for university teaching and research</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/about-us/corporate-reporting/budget">budget papers</a> show some falls in the next financial year in the main teaching and research grant programs. But this is mainly due due to the end of a special $1 billion COVID-related boost to research spending and the phasing out of $550 million in temporary student places intended to meet an expected increase in demand driven by the COVID recession. </p>
<p>The main recurrent programs for teaching, research and equity are stable at around $11 billion a year from the 2020-21 financial year through to 2023-24, which is unchanged from last year’s budget. Once inflation is taken into account, this implies a decline in real funding. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/big-spending-recovery-budget-leaves-universities-out-in-the-cold-160439">Big-spending 'recovery budget' leaves universities out in the cold</a>
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<h2>HELP loans are the main potential source of funding growth</h2>
<p>A full picture of government support requires also considering <a href="https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans">HELP loans</a>. This is the money students borrow from the government to pay for their tuition. </p>
<p>In the 2021-22 financial year, HELP could be the largest single source of university revenue, possibly just exceeding teaching subsidies and overtaking fast-diminishing international student fee revenue. The $19 billion the treasurer referred to includes HELP revenue.</p>
<p>In a surprising omission, the budget papers never directly tell us how much the government is lending through HELP. To work out what this number might be requires us to reconcile figures that appear in different budget documents. These suggest a government estimate that just under $7.6 billion will go towards HELP loans in 2021-22. That’s up about $340 million on the previous year. </p>
<p>Unlike other government higher education programs, outlays on HELP are not capped. This means they have growth potential that is missing for teaching and research grants. </p>
<p>Under the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/job-ready">Job-ready Graduates Package</a> announced in June 2020 <a href="https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/hecs-help">HECS-HELP</a> lending will go up. </p>
<p>Under this policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/fee-cuts-for-nursing-and-teaching-but-big-hikes-for-law-and-humanities-in-package-expanding-university-places-141064">students will pay</a> less for degrees considered job-relevant such teaching, nursing and languages. But student contributions for most arts subjects will more than double. There are also significant increases for business and law students. </p>
<p>On average student contributions will be higher, pushing up average annual per student borrowing under HELP. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fee-cuts-for-nursing-and-teaching-but-big-hikes-for-law-and-humanities-in-package-expanding-university-places-141064">Fee cuts for nursing and teaching but big hikes for law and humanities in package expanding university places</a>
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<p>No official enrolment data yet shows the 30,000 additional student places mentioned by the treasurer. But early signs are that <a href="https://andrewnorton.net.au/2021/03/25/has-job-ready-graduates-increased-the-number-of-commencing-students/">university enrolments are up in 2021</a>, and a <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewjnorton/status/1392069496588824579/photo/1">baby boom cohort</a> of students will arrive in the next few years. More students will equal more borrowing. </p>
<p>Some universities are also reporting spikes in full-fee domestic postgraduate enrolments. These courses do not get any subsidies from the government, but the students can borrow under the <a href="https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans/fee-help">FEE-HELP scheme</a>. </p>
<h2>What about funding for research?</h2>
<p>University research is facing a <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-and-university-reforms-put-at-risk-australias-research-gains-of-the-last-15-years-141452">crisis with no real precedent</a>. Australia’s <a href="https://andrewnorton.net.au/2020/06/14/australias-higher-education-research-boom/">research boom</a> was fuelled by the profits on international students that are now disappearing. It was helped by some domestic undergraduate courses making profits, but Job-ready Graduates will require that money to be spent on new student places instead. </p>
<p>In the 2020 budget, the government injected an extra A$1 billion into the <a href="https://www.dese.gov.au/research-block-grants/research-support-program">Research Support Program</a>, effectively doubling it for a year. </p>
<p>The goal was to to ease the financial pain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and loss of international student fee revenue.</p>
<p>If Australia’s borders had re-opened to international students in the second half of 2021 or early 2022 there would not have been a strong case for another $1 billion. But unless safe travel zones on the New Zealand model open for major international student source countries, the budget <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-11/federal-budget-2021-borders-international-travel-vaccines/100132620">suggests no major international movements</a> until mid-2022. </p>
<p>With the temporary research grant increase not offered again in Tuesday’s budget, university research output will inevitably decline significantly. There are no major public funding increases on offer, other than for research infrastructure from 2023-24 – after the international student market is expected to be in a recovery phase. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-and-university-reforms-put-at-risk-australias-research-gains-of-the-last-15-years-141452">Coronavirus and university reforms put at risk Australia's research gains of the last 15 years</a>
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<h2>New programs for non-university providers</h2>
<p>The government says it will provide $74 million to <a href="https://ministers.dese.gov.au/tudge/more-support-international-education-providers">support Australia’s international education sector</a>, but none of this is going to universities.</p>
<p>It includes funding for non-university higher education providers and English-language colleges. </p>
<p>The money will go into an additional 5,000 Commonwealth-supported undergraduate certificate and graduate certificate short-course places at non-university higher education providers in 2021.</p>
<p>Unfortunately this money is unlikely to make much difference. Many of these non-university providers rely entirely or largely on international students. Funding for domestic students, a market they don’t usually target, cannot compensate for the loss of international students.</p>
<p>The closure of these colleges would hit universities in coming years, since many of them offer preparatory courses for students seeking university entry. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-most-universities-theres-little-point-to-the-governments-covid-19-assistance-package-136244">For most universities, there's little point to the government's COVID-19 assistance package</a>
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<h2>Assistance should have continued until borders open</h2>
<p>It would not be reasonable to expect government to fully insure universities against the loss of international student revenue. Although nobody could have predicted two or more years of closed borders, universities were pursuing international strategies they knew were high risk. </p>
<p>But nor is it reasonable to expect a small number of industries, especially international education and international tourism, to incur massive losses to protect all Australians from the risk of COVID. There is a strong case for assistance to continue until the borders re-open.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/160862/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Norton works for the ANU, which has been significantly affected by the loss of international students. He has also worked on a project for the Department of Education, Skills and Employment on an unrelated topic. </span></em></p>Tuesday’s budget shows a reversion back to the previous policy of keeping total higher education funding broadly stable.Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1582142021-03-31T03:33:52Z2021-03-31T03:33:52ZWe can’t close schools every time there’s a COVID outbreak. Our traffic light system shows what to do instead<p>Brisbane has entered a snap lockdown to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission from a quarantine breach. Schools — including out-of-hours school care — across Greater Brisbane <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-30/brisbane-lockdown-rules-mask-essential-shopping-school-gathering/100037408">will be closed</a> until the second term starts on April 19, except for vulnerable children and children of essential workers.</p>
<p>Daycare centres will also only be open for vulnerable children and those of essential workers. </p>
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<p>Snap lockdowns are the new normal for managing hotel quarantine breaches. These have previously occurred in New South Wales, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-18/regional-south-australia-prepares-for-covid-19-six-day-lockdown/12896580">South Australia</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-17/victorias-snap-coronavirus-lockdown-to-end-at-midnight/13162218">Victoria</a> and <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/perth-coronavirus-australia-states-respond-to-wa-covid19-lockdown-nsw-victoria-queensland/c873904a-33b7-457b-856a-2fd9e89d9453">Western Australia</a> bringing four capital cities and parts of Sydney to a halt. </p>
<p>While there are processes in place to try and prevent quarantine breaches happening again, this issue will be with us for some time until the COVID-19 vaccination program reaches high coverage — with a vaccine effective against variants. Soon international travel will open up as well, increasing the risk despite the use of vaccination passports. </p>
<p>We need to learn to live with COVID-19 as we continue efforts to vaccinate Australians. Closing daycare centres and schools has a significant effect on the mental health, well-being and learning of children and young people. We are seeing the <a href="https://www.rchpoll.org.au/polls/covid-19-pandemic-effects-on-the-lives-of-australian-children-and-families/">short term effects</a> and can only guess the long-term effects of this for now, but emerging research is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1087054720978549">concerning</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-ww2-to-ebola-what-we-know-about-the-long-term-effects-of-school-closures-146396">From WW2 to Ebola: what we know about the long-term effects of school closures</a>
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<p>In Australia, where there is almost no community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 we need a layered strategy — depending on the amount of community transmission – to ensure the response isn’t the same every time with each snap lockdown: closing schools. </p>
<p>Separating schools from the snap lockdown response is possible. Here’s how to do it.</p>
<h2>A traffic-light system</h2>
<p>In February 2021, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) released <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/news/australian-health-protection-principal-committee-ahppc-updated-statement-on-minimising-the-potential-risk-of-covid-19-transmission-in-schools">guidelines on minimising the risk of COVID transmission in schools</a>. These state that with COVIDsafe plans in place, schools remain safe places with students and staff “continuing to enjoy the benefits of learning on site”. </p>
<p>While this is national advice, states have failed to incorporate it into their lockdown planning. </p>
<p>International organisations such as <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-schools">World Health Organization</a>, <a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-unicef-and-who-issue-guidance-ensure-schools-are-safe-during-covid-19-pandemic">UNESCO and UNICEF</a> recommend taking into account the level and intensity of community transmission of COVID-19 before deciding to close schools or childcare centres. They all state closing schools “should be regarded as a measure of last resort”. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html">US Centers for Disease Control</a> recommends plans to be adapted depending on the level of viral transmission in the school and throughout the community, as this may rapidly change. </p>
<p>We did a <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/sites/default/files/media/covid_in_schools_report_final_10112020.pdf">review into COVID-19 transmission in Victorian schools</a> last year and found schools could be re-opened safely towards the end of Victoria’s months’ long lockdown. Our review included transmission data between January 25 2020 (the date of the first known case in Victoria) and August 31 2020.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/behind-victorias-decision-to-open-primary-schools-to-all-students-report-shows-covid-transmission-is-rare-147006">Behind Victoria's decision to open primary schools to all students: report shows COVID transmission is rare</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Our analysis found children younger than 13 transmit the virus less than teenagers and adults. In instances where the first case in a school was a child under 13, a subsequent outbreak (two or more cases) was uncommon. A <a href="https://www.ncirs.org.au/covid-19-in-schools">New South Wales report</a> also found the transmission rate in schools to be rare (less than 1%). </p>
<p>Our recommendations are very similar to the US Centers for Disease Control school guidelines principles. </p>
<p>Standard precautions at school, when there is no community transmission should include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>staying home if unwell and getting tested</p></li>
<li><p>physical distancing between staff </p></li>
<li><p>testing, tracing and isolation if a case at school is confirmed</p></li>
<li><p>hand hygiene and cough etiquette</p></li>
<li><p>enhanced cleaning</p></li>
<li><p>improved ventilation. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>In the case of a snap lockdown in response to a single case or small case cluster, when there is a breach of quarantine, and to avoid community transmission, the measures should be layered depending on the degree of community transmission and targeted to affected geographical areas. </p>
<p>Schools should stay open, but measures should be dialled up (to yellow, as below) to include masks for all teachers and staff, and secondary school students, enhanced physical distancing and no singing, indoor sports or wind instruments. Movement of adults around the school at drop-off and pick up should be limited.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Older students at work in a classroom with masks on." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392698/original/file-20210331-21-x8ty2u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">During a snap lockdown in the community, high school students can be asked to wear masks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/high-school-student-taking-notes-while-1821464753">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If community transmission becomes more extensive and the initial three- to-five day lockdown has not contained the outbreak, measures should be dialled up again (orange) in the affected geographic areas. </p>
<p>Reducing class sizes in secondary school may prevent school transmission as teenagers seem to transmit to a similar degree as adults. But we suggest reducing class sizes for years 7-10 alone (such as having only 50% of students attending school in these year levels) which reduces the density of students and preserves face-to-face schooling for years 11 and 12 students who may have exam pressures. </p>
<p>Only when community transmission is at very high levels causing the lockdown to be extended, and community cases are rapidly rising, should we consider school closures altogether. </p>
<p>But again, this should only be for the affected geographic areas.</p>
<hr>
<p><iframe id="yeF6f" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yeF6f/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<hr>
<h2>We know this works</h2>
<p>School mitigation measures such as the ones we have outlined have been successful in <a href="https://www.ncirs.org.au/covid-19-in-schools">New South Wales</a> and <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/sites/default/files/media/covid_in_schools_report_final_10112020.pdf">Victoria</a> during low and moderate transmission, respectively. This has also been successful in primary schools in <a href="https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.26.1.2002011">Norway</a>, and in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7004e3.htm">kindergartens to the final year of school in the US</a>. </p>
<p>Adults can rationalise and regulate their emotions but a snap lockdown can be very distressing for children and adolescents, many of whom are still struggling, exacerbated by the very difficult process of managing uncertainty, <a href="https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/ag2r7">again</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-the-kids-alright-social-isolation-can-take-a-toll-but-play-can-help-146023">Are the kids alright? Social isolation can take a toll, but play can help</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We need to change this trajectory to prioritise children’s mental health and learning. Prior to the next snap lockdown, all states and territories need to develop a plan to minimise disruption and stress on schools and families. Children will disproportionately bear the ongoing burden of COVID-19 through school shut down and parental stress. We should do our very best to minimise this into the future. </p>
<p>Recommendations need to be clear as to when to close only hot-spot schools and when to keep all schools open but dial up all the mitigation strategies. This would keep most kids safe, at school and protected from the impacts of school closures.</p>
<p>It is essential state and territory health departments work with their respective education departments and the teachers unions to develop plans now, that can be rolled out immediately and as required, based on the best evidence.</p>
<p>Given it is clear we will live with COVID-19 for the foreseeable future, planning to keep schools and childcare centres open during the pandemic should be an urgent priority. School closures should not be a reactionary measure but a last resort. Our kids depend on it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158214/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Fiona Russell receives funding from NHMRC, WHO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Wellcome Trust, and DFAT. In 2020 she received funding from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to undertake an analysis of Victorian COVID-19 school outbreak data.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Asha Bowen receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margie Danchin receives funding from NHMRC, Commonwealth and State Departments of Health, DFAT and WHO. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Archana Koirala and Sharon Goldfeld do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We need a layered strategy — depending on the amount of community transmission – to ensure the response isn’t the same every time with each snap lockdown: to close schools. Here’s how to do it.Fiona Russell, Senior Principal Research Fellow; paediatrician, The University of MelbourneArchana Koirala, Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Specialist, University of SydneyAsha Bowen, Head, Skin Health, Telethon Kids InstituteMargie Danchin, Associate Professor, University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteSharon Goldfeld, Director, Center for Community Child Health Royal Children's Hospital; Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne; Theme Director Population Health, Murdoch Children's Research InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1553892021-02-21T17:32:24Z2021-02-21T17:32:24ZFive tips on how to reinvent remote teaching<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384439/original/file-20210216-19-g3trav.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C10%2C2235%2C1338&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">How can lecturers avoid one of the classic syndromes of remote teaching: a screen of blank student webcams?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Covid-19 health crisis has made remote teaching a reality for all, but not without difficulty. At our University, our students have been learning remotely for almost a year and the successive lockdowns have taken their toll. At the start, we battled with technical difficulties, poor Internet connections and insufficient IT equipment while we struggled to isolate ourselves from others.</p>
<p>We were then quickly faced with even more serious challenges: students confined to tiny bedrooms with intermittent wifi, some dealing with economic and social difficulties, sometimes worsened by psychological strain.</p>
<p>As lecturers, we have all had to get adapted and tweak our <a href="http://www.villebon-charpak.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/kit-de-survie-pour-enseigner-a-distance-autrement-english.pdf">teaching methods</a> to compensate for the constraints of remote learning. At Université Paris-Saclay, we have tried several new tools and methods, testing them with our students and sharing them among ourselves. Here are five tips that have improved (in part at least) our daily lives as lockdown lecturers.</p>
<h2>Using platforms differently</h2>
<p>During the first lockdowns, we often had to keep things simple. Our lectures were mainly us commenting PowerPoint presentations via our microphones. However, we soon realised that this format had its limits, regardless of the platform used (Zoom, Collaborate, Teams, Meet, etc.) and that students were becoming weary.</p>
<p>This was when we discovered <a href="http://obsproject.com/">OBS</a>, a software originally used by YouTubers to give their videos more animation. OBS allows speakers to switch easily between different shots, sometimes showing their face full-screen, a notebook they are writing on, their face next to a slide or a video.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385078/original/file-20210218-12-1ffjol2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Using OBS, a computer and a smartphone, we can reinvent the blackboard.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In this <a href="https://youtu.be/U1kj_ObSAr4">five-minute tutorial video</a> (in French), we explain how to use the software and become your very own TV director at little cost (<a href="http://www.villebon-charpak.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/tuto-obs-english.pdf">a full English tutorial can be found here</a>). Whether they are taught live or recorded ahead of time, lectures are significantly more dynamic with the help of OBS.</p>
<p>The software also means that you can use a second webcam, or a <a href="http://www.villebon-charpak.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/tuto-smartphone-webcam-english.pdf">smartphone</a>, to film a sheet of paper you are writing or drawing on live. This new way of managing different shots and perspectives gives you the chance to completely rethink the dynamics of your lectures.</p>
<h2>Encouraging interaction</h2>
<p>What lecturer has never experienced that painfully awkward moment when they find themselves alone, in front of their camera, with their students’ microphones and cameras all switched off? We have tested a few solutions to improve this scenario.</p>
<p>“Write your answers in the chat” is an effective way to get discussion started.</p>
<p>“Draw the answer on the virtual whiteboard” is a good way to make use of this collaborative tool which is available on many platforms.</p>
<p>Sending regular interactive surveys to students is also another option: multiple-choice questions, cards or images to click on, open questions, etc. Numerous solutions are available on a range of platforms. We also use <a href="https://www.wooclap.com/">Wooclap</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/fr/forms/about/">Google Form</a>.</p>
<p>Icebreakers are also another solution to boost interaction. These informal games help to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere and encourage students to turn on their webcams when it is possible for them. Examples of short games include asking students to turn their webcams on and off to answer rounds of True or False, or “the most original background” challenge with a set theme. We have come up with some <a href="http://hebergement.universite-paris-saclay.fr/supraconductivite/v/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ice-breakings-US.pdf">20 icebreakers</a> which can be used as fun breaks for what can otherwise be rather serious content.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385079/original/file-20210218-22-1qg14gx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A few icebreakers: click on where you want to go on holiday/find a yellow object in under a minute/answer a question with your thumbs/draw together on a set theme.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Finally, working in small groups is also a way to avoid an entirely top-down teaching approach and build relationships between students at the same time. For this we use the free platform <a href="https://discord.com/">Discord</a>. Originally created for the world of video gaming, the platform means that you can switch from working as a class to working in small groups with everyone moving seamlessly from one space to another. Everyone can share documents or their screen, even outside of lecture time and it takes just <a href="http://www.villebon-charpak.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/tuto-discord-english.pdf">a few minutes to master</a>.</p>
<h2>Getting students to stand up</h2>
<p>Our students are stuck in front of their computer screens all day. To remedy that, we can offer students activities that force them to use their bodies. Several of us have developed <a href="https://theconversation.com/teaching-experimental-science-in-a-time-of-social-distancing-139483">remote experimental activities</a> where we ask students to take measurements using their <a href="http://hebergement.universite-paris-saclay.fr/supraconductivite/projet/smartphone/?lang=en">smartphones</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=249&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=249&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=249&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=313&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=313&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385081/original/file-20210218-20-1aibm1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=313&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">To get students to move away from their computer screens, ask them to take measurements with their smartphones.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">A. Khazina/_Physics Reimagined_</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We have also designed <a href="http://hebergement.universite-paris-saclay.fr/supraconductivite/projet/tp_smartphone_en_lycee/?lang=en">teaching labs</a> (in French) for high school students with the French Ministry of National Education. Aside from their scientific interest, these activities encourage students to move away from a wholly virtual experience, get up and design and experiment for themselves.</p>
<p>Beyond the field of science, similar activities could also be an option for assignments. Instead of asking students for a written report or a slide, why not ask them for a video or a model? In short, anything that forces them to unglue themselves from their screens for a while? Free editing tools, like Youcut for Android, VSDC for Windows or iMovie for Macs, can help them to make videos in just a few minutes.</p>
<h2>Helping students take a break from everyday life</h2>
<p>Living in lockdown is monotonous – the same routine and the same backdrop day in, day out, just like <em>Groundhog Day</em>. To help students escape from the monotony of everyday life, we have come up with teaching methods based on fiction, giving students the opportunity to live in a fictional universe where they have a role to play alongside their lecturers. For example, students are asked to rescue a spacecraft remotely, working at home in teams to create, imagine, design solutions and take measurements for the rescue operation.</p>
<p>Remote learning presents several advantages for this type of activity: no need for fancy backdrops or costumes, a simple virtual background or an e-mail with a header is enough to believe that NASA has contacted them.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385084/original/file-20210218-19-c6ijuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Morgane Parisi/_Physics Reimagined_ and COMPAS.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We have also experimented with online escape games, like <a href="http://hebergement.universite-paris-saclay.fr/supraconductivite/projet/la_fac_se_gele/">preventing the University from freezing</a> after a liquid nitrogen leak. <a href="http://genial.ly/">genial.ly</a> is a simple and effective tool for creating games, thanks to the tutorials produced by the very active educational community, <a href="https://scape.enepe.fr/">S’Cape</a>.</p>
<h2>Sharing with colleagues</h2>
<p>Students are not the only victims of remote teaching. Lecturers are also having to deal with this difficult and lonely period. Organising regular moments when colleagues can discuss and share ideas can help combat feelings of loneliness.</p>
<p>At the Institut Villebon-Georges Charpak, we have set up weekly “Zoom cafés”, a sort of virtual staffroom for lecturers, where everyone can talk about their difficulties or share their educational tips. We have also organised workshops among colleagues, to learn how to use the tools mentioned above. What could be more conclusive than learning how to use remote teaching methods by testing them working from home!</p>
<p>These five suggestions have their limits. They may not resolve the underlying problems linked to remote learning and their overall effectiveness deserves to be assessed with a formal protocol. But in the meantime, they have truly improved our experience has lecturers, and that is something at least!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/155389/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julien Bobroff has received public funding from the University of Paris-Saclay, his Foundation and IDEX, CNRS and ANR.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Frédéric Bouquet a reçu des financements publics de l'Université Paris-Saclay, de sa Fondation et de son IDEX, du CNRS et de l'ANR.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeanne Parmentier is a research engineer at the Institut Villebon, Georges Charpak. The latter is a public interest grouping that receives funding from the University of Paris Saclay, the University of Paris, the University of Evry-Val-d'Essonne, the Ecole normale supérieure Paris-Saclay, schools of the ParisTech grouping and the ParisTech Foundation. It has also received IDEFI funding from ANR from 2012 to 2020.</span></em></p>How to invite students to participate in classes and experiment when the computer becomes the main classroom?Julien Bobroff, Physicien, Professeur des Universités, Université Paris-SaclayFrédéric Bouquet, Enseignant-chercheur en physique, Université Paris-SaclayJeanne Parmentier, Ingénieure de recherche à l'Institut Villebon - Georges CharpakLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1549502021-02-17T03:50:30Z2021-02-17T03:50:30ZAustralian children are learning in classrooms with very poor air quality<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384629/original/file-20210217-23-oftblj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-students-learning-classroom-717764539">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Victorian students are learning in classrooms with very poor air quality. Our year-long <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/property-construction-and-project-management/research/research-centres-and-groups/sustainable-building-innovation-laboratory/projects/climate-change-innovation-grant">analysis of Victorian primary and secondary school classrooms</a> has found the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) often far exceeds the maximum acceptable standard.</p>
<p>Studies in other states have found similar levels of poor air quality in classrooms.</p>
<p>Elevated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12284">CO₂ concentrations</a> can cause headache, drowsiness and lethargy. Children under 15 are particularly <a href="https://www.who.int/ceh/publications/air-pollution-child-health/en/">vulnerable to poor air quality</a>. Pollutant exposure during developmental stages may produce lifelong issues such as respiratory infections.</p>
<p>Australian students spend at <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/school-hours/policy">least 25 hours in classrooms per week</a>, or in excess of 1,075 hours indoors, in school buildings, annually. Australia’s <a href="https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/ncc-online/NCC">National Construction Code (NCC)</a> specifies CO₂ concentration levels of less than 850 parts per million (ppm), averaged over eight hours, for acceptable air quality. </p>
<p>In our analysis, the CO₂ concentrations in Victorian classrooms ranged from 912 to 2,235 ppm. During certain times of occupied hours, levels reached up to 5,000 ppm.
These concentration levels indicate very poor ventilation and slow air exchange between indoor and outdoor air.</p>
<p>Good ventilation inside classrooms also protects students against <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105832">airborne transmission of diseases</a> such as COVID-19. Improving ventilation inside classrooms will help <a href="https://schools.forhealth.org/risk-reduction-strategies-for-reopening-schools/">schools respond</a> to potential outbreaks.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/keeping-indoor-air-clean-can-reduce-the-chance-of-spreading-coronavirus-149512">Keeping indoor air clean can reduce the chance of spreading coronavirus</a>
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<h2>What is indoor air quality?</h2>
<p>Indoor air quality is a <a href="https://www.abcb.gov.au/Resources/Publications/Education-Training/Indoor-air-quality">measure or analysis</a> of the physical, chemical and microbiological makeup of the air in rooms. </p>
<p>Indoor air quality impacts health, comfort and performance. Breathing conditioned but re-circulated air continuously, without adequate fresh outdoor air, has been linked to reduced <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12403">health</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00320.x">school performance</a>. </p>
<p>Indoor air quality is usually maintained by controlling airborne pollutants (such as dust or carbon monoxide), introducing adequate outdoor air into, and distributing it throughout, the room and by maintaining acceptable temperature and relative humidity.</p>
<p>There are <a href="https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/bookstore/standards-62-1-62-2">prescribed standards</a> for minimum ventilation rates, which achieve indoor air quality. Good ventilation practices ensure <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12206">adequate dilution of indoor air</a> and avoidance of build-up of airborne pollutants including viral contaminants. </p>
<p>Australian school design complies with the <a href="https://www.abcb.gov.au/Resources/Publications/Education-Training/Indoor-air-quality">National Construction Code</a>. This requires spaces be naturally or mechanically ventilated with outdoor air to maintain adequate air quality.</p>
<p>For natural ventilation, with a floor area requirement of 2 square metres (m²) per student, classroom window area (or other openings) for ventilation must be 12.5% of the classroom floor area. But there is no requirement nor directive on how much and how often these windows should be open.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="School bags on benches outside a classroom." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/384635/original/file-20210217-21-sldc3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Indoor air must be regularly mixed with fresh outdoor air.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/authentic-school-grounds-backpacks-bags-piled-1847575507">Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Opening windows may also not be possible during extreme weather conditions such as extreme heat, cold and thunderstorm asthma events. </p>
<p>For <a href="https://www.techstreet.com/standards/as-1668-2-2012?product_id=2066313">mechanically ventilated classrooms</a>, the same floor area of 2m² per student requires ventilation rates of 10-12 litre per second (L/s) of outdoor air per person.</p>
<p>A typical classroom size of 81m², with a ceiling height of 3m and occupied by 25 students should have at least 3.7-4.4 air changes per hour. This is the measure of air volume added to or removed from a room in one hour relative to the volume of the room. Higher values of air change rates correspond to better ventilation.</p>
<p>During a pandemic, the number of air changes per hour should be higher than usual. The World Health Organisation recommends <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media-resources/science-in-5/episode-10---ventilation-covid-19">six air changes per hour</a>. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-use-ventilation-and-air-filtration-to-prevent-the-spread-of-coronavirus-indoors-143732">How to use ventilation and air filtration to prevent the spread of coronavirus indoors</a>
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</p>
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<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>Because the occupants of a building breathe out carbon dioxide, the <a href="https://www.astm.org/Standards/D6245.htm">CO₂ concentration</a> is used to evaluate air quality and ventilation.</p>
<p>Outdoor <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/greenhouse-gas-levels.shtml">CO₂ concentration levels are at just over 400 ppm in Australia</a>. A 450 ppm concentration difference indoors (of less than a total of 850 ppm) is <a href="https://www.abcb.gov.au/Resources/Publications/Education-Training/Indoor-air-quality">regarded as best practice</a>. CO₂ levels of less than 400 ppm above outdoor concentrations is classified as “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00268.x">high indoor air quality</a>”.</p>
<p>Our analysis of ten classrooms in five schools shows the CO₂ concentrations in Victorian schools are far over the less than 850 ppm prescribed by the National Construction Code. This indicates very poor ventilation. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-afford-to-ignore-indoor-air-quality-our-lives-depend-on-it-87329">We can't afford to ignore indoor air quality – our lives depend on it</a>
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<p>In our analysis, average classroom ventilation rates ranged between 1.8 to 9.9 L/s per person which are far below the 10-12 L/s per person requirement. Around 80% of classrooms had ventilation rates below this requirement. </p>
<p>Some classrooms we saw were fitted with air conditioning systems but were stuffy and not provided with adequate outdoor air. </p>
<p>Schools comply with the NCC specifications but most classroom use is controlled by teacher preferences which could work against code requirements and result in poor indoor conditions.</p>
<p>This could mean operation of air conditioning systems, closing and opening of windows and leaving doors closed or wide open may contribute to the fluctuations and peak levels of CO₂ concentration and slow air exchange.</p>
<h2>What about the rest of the country?</h2>
<p>Similar results as ours were found in a study in <a href="https://apo.org.au/conference/247936">New South Wales</a> where classrooms had average CO₂ concentration during autumn ranging from 442 ppm to 1,510 ppm, and 718 ppm to 2,114 ppm in winter. Maximum CO₂ concentrations exceeded 2,900 ppm during the occupied period. </p>
<p>Conditions in Victorian school classrooms were also similar with those found in <a href="https://www.isiaq.org/docs/Papers/Paper1026.pdf">New Zealand</a> primary classrooms, where CO₂ concentrations ranged from 1,032 ppm to 2,122 ppm with maximum levels exceeding 4,000 ppm during school hours in winter. </p>
<p>However, a study of naturally ventilated schools in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.05.013">Brisbane</a> showed median indoor CO₂ concentrations during school hours were generally lower than the guideline concentration. But average concentrations for some classrooms still ranged from 1,043 to 1,370 ppm. </p>
<p>Poor classroom air doesn’t only affect health. It has other <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.10.007">social and economic consequences</a> such as student performance and staff productivity. Improving <a href="https://theconversation.com/educating-australia-why-our-schools-arent-improving-72092">school education is a priority in Australia</a>. This means there is a strong incentive to improve indoor conditions in schools.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/154950/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mary Myla Andamon has received funding from organisations including the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, the Victorian State Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), the Victorian State Government Department of Education and Training (DET) and various industry partners.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jin Woo received funding from the Victorian State Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Priya Rajagopalan receives funding from organisations including the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, the Victorian State Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and various industry partners.</span></em></p>A year-long analysis of Victorian primary and secondary school classrooms has found the amount of carbon dioxide often far exceeds the maximum acceptable standard.Mary Myla Andamon, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT UniversityJin Woo, Senior Lecturer, RMIT UniversityPriya Rajagopalan, Professor, Sustainable Building Innovation Laboratory (SBi Lab), RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1541712021-01-31T18:55:34Z2021-01-31T18:55:34ZRemote learning didn’t affect most NSW primary students in our study academically. But well-being suffered<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381240/original/file-20210129-17-18gt884.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/9-year-old-girl-doing-her-1307611723">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There have been some reports students fell behind during the remote learning period in 2020. </p>
<p>For instance, a report by the <a href="https://www.cese.nsw.gov.au//images/stories/PDF/Check-in-assessment-AA.pdf">NSW education department</a> found NSW students in year 3 were up to four months behind in reading in 2020 compared to their 2019 counterparts. And year 9 students were two to three months behind in numeracy.</p>
<p>Modelling by the <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-education-questions-the-victorian-government-should-answer-at-the-covid-19-inquiry-144933">Grattan Institute</a> estimated disadvantaged students — including those from low socioeconomic families, Indigenous backgrounds and remote communities — had lost around two months learning during the remote learning period in Victoria.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/3-education-questions-the-victorian-government-should-answer-at-the-covid-19-inquiry-144933">3 education questions the Victorian government should answer at the COVID-19 inquiry</a>
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<p>Our <a href="https://www.newcastle.edu.au/research/centre/teachers-and-teaching/impact-of-covid-19-on-nsw-schools">research</a> found only year 3 students from the least advantaged schools fell behind academically during the remote learning period. </p>
<p>But there was no difference in learning progress between 2020 and the year before in all the other year 3 and 4 students in our sample.</p>
<h2>We were able to compare 2019 and 2020</h2>
<p>We <a href="https://www.newcastle.edu.au/research/centre/teachers-and-teaching/quality-teaching-rounds/building-capacity-for-quality-teaching-in-australian-schools">collected data</a> on student achievement in NSW government primary schools during terms 1 and 4 in 2019 and during term 1 in 2020.</p>
<p>Students in year 3 and 4 in 2019 sat <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/pat">progressive achievement tests</a> in maths and reading in term 1 in 2019, and then again in term 4, to see how they had progressed over the year. </p>
<p>We then had year 3 and 4 students sit the same test in term 1 of 2020. But then COVID struck.</p>
<p>So we approached the NSW education department about funding collection of the term 4 data in 2020. We wanted to see if the interruption to normal schooling during the year had affected average student progress from term 1 to term 4.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-learn-at-home-kids-need-more-than-just-teaching-materials-their-brain-must-also-adapt-to-the-context-149823">To learn at home, kids need more than just teaching materials. Their brain must also adapt to the context</a>
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<p>We were uniquely positioned to compare the annual growth in student achievement in 2020 (where the year was interrupted) with our results from 2019. </p>
<p>Students in years 3 and 4 in 2020 took the same tests as we gave students in 2019. The total of 3,030 students across both years, from 97 schools, allowed us to examine the actual effects of the eight-to-ten week system-wide disruption to schooling in NSW caused by the pandemic.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Primary school students sitting a test." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381241/original/file-20210129-13-1oob44j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Students sat tests in term 1 and then again in term 4 to monitor their progress.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-young-students-school-focus-pretty-211292287">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>We made sure to compare the results of students who attended schools with a similar Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (<a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au/media/1820/guide-to-understanding-icsea-values.pdf">ICSEA</a>). This score takes into account factors such as socioeconomic advantage and whether schools are in a rural area, as well as the proportion of Indigenous students in the school. </p>
<p>We also made sure to compare students with similar baseline test results.</p>
<h2>Here’s what we found</h2>
<p>We found no significant differences, on average, between the 2019 control group and 2020 cohort in student growth in maths or reading. </p>
<p>However, there were some differences when it came to particular groups of students. </p>
<p>Specifically, we looked at the effects for Indigenous students, students in different locations and from different socioeconomic levels (using their school ICSEA). </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.myschool.edu.au/media/1820/guide-to-understanding-icsea-values.pdf">average school ICSEA</a> in Australia is 1,000. Schools in our sample ranged from less than 900 to greater than 1,100.</p>
<p>When it came to maths, our results showed:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>year 3 students from less advantaged schools (ICSEA less than 950) showed two months less academic progress in 2020, compared with the students in the 2019 group </p></li>
<li><p>year 3 students in mid-range schools (ICSEA 950 – 1050) actually showed two months’ additional progress </p></li>
<li><p>years 3 students showed no significant difference in the more advantaged schools (ICSEA greater than 1,050)</p></li>
<li><p>year 4 students showed no significant difference in progress regardless of school ICSEA. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>When it came to reading, we found no significant differences in academic progress between 2019 and 2020, regardless of school ICSEA. </p>
<p>We saw no significant differences in progress in both maths and reading for Indigenous students or those in regional locations. But the smaller sample of students in these groups means these results should be interpreted with caution.</p>
<h2>What this means</h2>
<p>Our study provides a counter-narrative to widespread concern about how much students fell behind during the remote learning period. </p>
<p>Indeed, the results are cause for celebration. Most students are, academically, where they are expected to be.</p>
<p>However, the lower achievement growth in maths for year 3 students in lower ICSEA schools must be addressed as a matter of urgency to avoid further inequities.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/victoria-and-nsw-are-funding-extra-tutors-to-help-struggling-students-heres-what-parents-need-to-know-about-the-schemes-153450">Victoria and NSW are funding extra tutors to help struggling students. Here's what parents need to know about the schemes</a>
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</p>
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<h2>Student well-being did suffer</h2>
<p>We also interviewed 18 teachers and principals, asking them about things like student progress and well-being during the remote learning period. These interviews <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-learning-more-important-than-well-being-teachers-told-us-how-covid-highlighted-ethical-dilemmas-at-school-144854">echo concerns raised by others</a> about the well-being of both students and teachers.</p>
<p>They described the learning from home period as one of significant stress, anxiety and frustration in many families. </p>
<p>They also expressed concern about student well-being, even after the return to face-to-face schooling.</p>
<p>Supporting student mental health substantially increased the workload of school counsellors, where available, and of teachers and principals in addressing student behaviour. </p>
<p>One principal said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We’ve got massive amounts of anxiety in our students. From physical behaviour, oppositional behaviours, kids not wanting to come to school. They’re melting down at school … I’m only a primary school, so I have no idea how the high schools are handling it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They told us the exponential increase in workload during 2020 has taken its toll on teachers, including a significant drop in morale. Teachers and principals described the pressure of supporting remote learning, regardless of students’ access to the internet or a computer, combined with teaching children of essential workers who remained at school. </p>
<p>Their work also included developing and delivering online lessons and providing various forms of support to parents. When schools reopened, staff worked to support student well-being and reestablish relationships with their classes. They did this without the support of parent volunteers or the balance that comes from non-classroom activities like school assemblies and excursions that typically punctuate life in schools.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/exhausted-beyond-measure-what-teachers-are-saying-about-covid-19-and-the-disruption-to-education-143601">'Exhausted beyond measure': what teachers are saying about COVID-19 and the disruption to education</a>
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<p>Our research highlights a need to provide ongoing support to all teachers and students to ensure their well-being as the 2021 school year commences. Let’s start with expressing immense gratitude to teachers for ensuring student learning despite the unprecedented circumstances of 2020.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/154171/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jenny Gore receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Paul Ramsay Foundation and NSW Department of Education. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Miller receives funding from the NSW Department of Education and the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jess Harris receives funding from the NSW Department of Education, the Australian Research Council and the Paul Ramsay Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leanne Fray receives funding from the NSW Department of Education and the Paul Ramsay Foundation</span></em></p>We compared the educational progress in years 3 and 4 in 2019 with 2020 – the year normal schooling was disrupted by the pandemic. Overall, students progressed at the same rate in both years.Jenny Gore, Laureate Professor of Education, University of NewcastleAndrew Miller, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of NewcastleJess Harris, Associate Professor in Education, University of NewcastleLeanne Fray, Senior Research Fellow, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1534502021-01-24T18:51:50Z2021-01-24T18:51:50ZVictoria and NSW are funding extra tutors to help struggling students. Here’s what parents need to know about the schemes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380084/original/file-20210121-17-v31gho.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/high-school-college-students-studying-reading-770131126">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>School is back for 2021, and some students will get extra help this year. Students who fell behind in their learning during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 will be eligible for extra tutoring in Victoria and New South Wales.</p>
<p>Governments have invested more than half a billion dollars in our two biggest states to help kids bounce back. Data released late last year showed after almost two months of learning from home, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/simply-staggering-nsw-students-fall-months-behind-due-to-covid-19-20201126-p56ibk.html">NSW students had fallen</a>, on average, three to four months behind in year 3 reading, and two to three months behind in year 5 reading and numeracy. Year 9 students were up to four months behind in numeracy.</p>
<p>Disadvantaged students are likely to have been hardest hit. A Grattan Institute <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/covid-catch-up/">report</a> estimated the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and the rest widens three times more quickly during remote schooling. </p>
<p>Here’s what we know about these new tutoring schemes.</p>
<h2>Evidence shows tutoring works</h2>
<p>A lot of money has been invested in the new schemes: <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/careers/teacher/Pages/tutors.aspx">$250 million in Victoria</a> and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/students-get-free-tutoring-after-falling-behind-during-covid-19-remote-learning-20201109-p56cy7.html">$337 million in NSW</a>. They will be rolled out in both primary and secondary schools, and are expected to reach about <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/thousands-tutors-bring-students-speed">200,000 students in Victoria</a> and <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/covid-learning-support-program/about">290,000 in NSW.</a> </p>
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<p>The new programs should be worth it. Evidence from the UK and US suggests a good tutoring program can provide students with around <a href="https://www.evidenceforlearning.org.au/the-toolkits/the-teaching-and-learning-toolkit/all-approaches/small-group-tuition/">four months</a> of additional learning over one to two school terms. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-shouldnt-have-to-repeat-a-year-of-school-because-of-coronavirus-there-are-much-better-options-134889">Kids shouldn't have to repeat a year of school because of coronavirus. There are much better options</a>
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<p>And they can help to close the pre-existing achievement gap for disadvantaged students, which is much greater than the gap caused from the losses during COVID-19 disruptions. In Australia, <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/widening-gaps/">disadvantaged students</a> from families where parents’ education is low are, on average, about three years behind their more privileged peers by Year 9. </p>
<h2>How the new schemes will work</h2>
<p>All government schools — and a small number of non-government schools — have been given funding for tutoring, with <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/tutor-learning-initiative-2021/guidance/funding">more</a> money <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/free-tutoring-to-support-students">going to disadvantaged schools</a> with many students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. </p>
<p>About <a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/tutor-learning-initiative-2021/guidance/student-assessment-and-selection-support">one in five</a> students — targeted to those who need it most — will get tutoring. </p>
<p>Small groups of up to five students will work with tutors each week at school. Schools will determine whether sessions are run either in or outside of class time, and in NSW we understand there is a possibility of after-school sessions as well. </p>
<p><a href="https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/tutor-learning-initiative-2021/guidance/student-assessment-and-selection-support">Teachers</a> <a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/covid-learning-support-program/about">will</a> select the students, which means parents don’t need to think about whether their child needs the tutoring or not. </p>
<p>If parents have concerns about their child either missing out or not wanting to participate, they should discuss this with their school.</p>
<h2>How to get the most out of the tutoring program</h2>
<p>Teachers will need to accurately identify which students have been struggling and why. They will need to make judgements using a range of assessments, including student tests, classroom observations or student interviews. </p>
<p>Even though teachers make these assessments every day in regular teaching, it is hard to do well. Some teachers will need extra support to do this, such as guidance from expert teachers or assessment specialists. It is a key step to get right.</p>
<p>Next, rigorous selection of tutors, and <a href="https://www.evidenceforlearning.org.au/the-toolkits/the-teaching-andlearning-toolkit/all-approaches/one-to-one-tuition/">good training</a> for them, will be key. </p>
<p>Evidence shows <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit/small-group-tuition/">intensive tutoring</a> <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/COVID-Catch-up-Grattan-School-Education-Report.pdf">will</a> work best, with short (for example 30 minutes) but regular sessions (between 3-to-5 times a week), over a sustained period (between 10-to-20 weeks).</p>
<p>Close working relationships between tutors and teachers will help ensure students get the support they need. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A group of five young kids learning." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380093/original/file-20210121-21-13abczt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Small groups of up to five students will work with tutors each week at school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-elementary-school-pupils-classroom-on-268165148">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And perhaps most importantly, the quality of the teaching by the teacher and tutor will be critical. Teachers are likely to be swamped this year, and education departments should provide extra support to help teachers guide tutors as needed. </p>
<p>Guidance could include information on structured <a href="https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FWW/Results?filters=,Literacy">literacy</a> and <a href="https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FWW/Results?filters=,Math">numeracy</a> programs to help teachers and tutors adopt good practice, especially for students who have complex learning needs. </p>
<p>Programs include well-specified training, materials and teaching approaches. For literacy, for example, these programs can provide extra support on proven ways of teaching oral language skills or certain aspects of reading. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/victorias-money-for-tutors-is-necessary-but-there-are-5-things-it-needs-to-do-to-ensure-theyre-successful-147990">Victoria’s money for tutors is necessary, but there are 5 things it needs to do to ensure they're successful</a>
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<p>Education departments will need to keep an eye on the quality of candidates coming forward for tutoring roles, given a big workforce is being recruited fast with tight constraints on who can apply. If the pool of tutor candidates needs to be made bigger, evidence shows <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/graduate-coaching-programme/">university</a> <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w27476">graduates</a> from a range of fields, not just education, can be good tutors too.</p>
<p>Schools will also need to take care to ensure students do not feel stigma about being identified for tutoring. Teachers will need to pay attention to student confidence, and avoid negative messaging or separating students on an ongoing basis, which can have negative impacts (also known as <a href="https://www.evidenceforlearning.org.au/the-toolkits/the-teaching-and-learning-toolkit/all-approaches/setting-or-streaming/">streaming</a>). </p>
<p>Parents can explain to their child that extra tutoring support will help them catch up and feel more confident at school. </p>
<h2>The tutoring schemes are an opportunity for governments to learn</h2>
<p>The NSW and Victorian governments have taken on a mammoth task. Almost 10,000 tutors will be mobilised at short notice. And there are still many aspects of the tutoring program design where the evidence is not clear, such as around the exact nature of tutoring training. </p>
<p>It will not be a failure if some of the programs don’t work well. But it will be a problem if we don’t learn why. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-ww2-to-ebola-what-we-know-about-the-long-term-effects-of-school-closures-146396">From WW2 to Ebola: what we know about the long-term effects of school closures</a>
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<p>Australia now has an opportunity to trial a promising initiative and to understand how it can work best. The tutoring schemes of the 2021 school year should be rigorously evaluated. Where possible, education departments should also run small-scale trials which test different tutoring approaches. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/education/free-maths-tutoring-for-sa-students-in-learning-pilot-program/news-story/3f9b954ce6114d363f2258ace6321c51">South Australia</a> has also announced a small ($3.6 million) maths tutoring program, which provides a good opportunity for teachers to compare the tuition approaches in different states.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/153450/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julie Sonnemann is a Board Director of The Song Room, a not-for-profit organisation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jordana Hunter does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>New South Wales and Victoria are investing $250 and $337 million respectively for disadvantaged students who fell behind in 2020 to have extra tutors.Julie Sonnemann, Fellow, School Education, Grattan InstituteJordana Hunter, Program Director, School Education Program, Grattan InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1498232021-01-18T19:02:37Z2021-01-18T19:02:37ZTo learn at home, kids need more than just teaching materials. Their brain must also adapt to the context<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379162/original/file-20210118-23-1akratj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/school-boy-sitting-home-classroom-lying-1465198202">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Research <a href="https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/department/covid-19/experience-of-remote-and-flexible-learning-report.pdf">during the first phase of remote teaching</a> in Victoria reported some students found the workload “too high”, missed interactions with peers, felt their thinking ability was impaired, and reported a difficulty coping with study and life more generally. </p>
<p>All these factors impact on students’ sense of well-being. While learning remotely, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/everyone-s-struggling-lockdown-drives-spike-in-mental-health-treatment-for-children-20200917-p55wjq.html">some children</a> experienced heightened anxiety, stress and other emotional reactions such as depression. </p>
<p>These reactions are not always a response to the teaching itself. Generally, schools and teachers took care to prepare relevant, appropriate learning and teaching materials. Issues like a lack of focus and heightened anxiety could also be the result of a difficulty learning in an alternative setting. </p>
<p>These issues are consistent with students lacking the autobiographical episodic memory needed to guide successful learning in the remote context. Their autobiographic memory, which contains the association that school is a place of learning, may not apply to the home. However, we can train it to. </p>
<h2>What is autobiographical memory?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/0471264385.wei0417">autobiographical episodic memory</a> is the brain’s record of our experiences. It includes what we’ve done, the contexts in which we did it and how we did it. It also contains the feelings we link with events and how motivated we were.</p>
<p>We use this memory continually in our lives. It tells us what to expect when we go into a new bar or coffee shop for the first time, how to cope when an appliance at home breaks down and how to organise ourselves in a social interaction.</p>
<p>Students who have attended school have an autobiographical episodic memory of what happens in a classroom. Their experiences include interacting with peers, responding to directions from their teachers about how to direct their learning activity, following routines and schedules such as doing particular activities at specific times, and behaving in particular ways. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/were-capable-of-infinite-memory-but-where-in-the-brain-is-it-stored-and-what-parts-help-retrieve-it-63386">We're capable of infinite memory, but where in the brain is it stored, and what parts help retrieve it?</a>
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<p>The experiences also include a range of signals, supports and interactions such as the body language, eye contact, and speaking tones used by teachers and peers — as well as the overall classroom atmosphere.</p>
<p>These experiences are stored in students’ autobiographical episodic memory. They are recalled whenever the student is in the classroom context and direct and focus the learning activity. They operate in addition to, and in parallel with, the the actual teaching and the content.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A girl inserting memory chip into her brain." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379163/original/file-20210118-15-6qga9s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Autobiographical memory is our record of experiences.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/kid-inserting-memory-card-her-head-1447151975">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Students also have stored, in their episodic memory, their experiences at home. This is their record of how they live with their family, what to do and how to behave acceptably at home, how to be organised in the home, how to get around obstacles and solve problems in the home situation and also what to expect. </p>
<p>During the period of remote learning, students, for the large part, had teaching materials prepared for them. But many still needed the systems and supports provided in the classroom context. These students knew what was missing but were likely unable to compensate for it by spontaneously adapting their episodic memory to match the changed context. </p>
<p>Other students found remote teaching a valuable experience. It’s possible these students had more adaptable episodic memories at home. They likely valued being able to self-organise and manage their learning schedules. They may have enjoyed having the opportunity to plan their day and work at their own pace. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/studying-for-exams-heres-how-to-make-your-memory-work-for-you-124586">Studying for exams? Here's how to make your memory work for you</a>
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<p>We don’t know for sure the differences between the learning profiles of those who were and weren’t able to adapt to the changed context; but we can assume episodic memory could play a part in the different experiences students had.</p>
<h2>So, why does this matter?</h2>
<p>Teachers and schools have put a lot of work into designing teaching and learning materials students could use in their homes. Students’ reports suggest these materials weren’t adequate for all students to adapt their classroom experiences to fit the home environment.</p>
<p>As a result, many students would not have formed positive or successful episodic memories of learning at home.</p>
<p>The current phase of remote teaching has come to an end for Australia. However, we may see more students studying from home periodically, as schools shut due to outbreaks in the future. Or it <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-25/coronavirus-preparing-for-the-third-wave/12802070">could be necessary</a> in Australia in the event of a third wave.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Girl learning at home with computer in front of her, and teacher showing something." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379165/original/file-20210118-15-1myovai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">More students could be learning from home if outbreaks occur.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/concept-homeschooling-elearning-young-girl-busy-1718669179">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Remote teaching could help students build the episodic memory they need for remote learning. Teachers can do this by helping students recognise the learning supports in the classroom and form matching ones in the home. It is also useful to put in place the conditions for successful learning experiences at home. </p>
<p>Here are some ways they could do this:</p>
<p>Teachers can guide students to recognise what helps them learn in the classroom. They can do this by</p>
<ul>
<li><p>becoming aware of supports such as having regular designated times for doing particular activities</p></li>
<li><p>having a learning task broken into smaller steps</p></li>
<li><p>avoiding distractors or working on a task to completion. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>They can then ask the students to suggest how they could have matching supports in their home context. For example, they can encourage students to</p>
<ul>
<li><p>prepare a study schedule</p></li>
<li><p>break a task into small steps and work on each</p></li>
<li><p>identify possible distractors at home and suggest how they can manage them. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>When starting a task remotely, teachers can ask students to recall how they did similar activities in the classroom. Students can learn to ask themselves: How did I do similar tasks in the past? What will the outcome look like? What will I do first and then second and last? This could help students transfer their classroom experiences to their home.</p>
<p>Students often have more successful home learning experiences <a href="https://www.improvewithmetacognition.com/pandemic-metacognition">when they have been taught to monitor their progress</a> as they work through a task. These experiences add to their episodic memory. Teachers can encourage them to say what they know now that they didn’t know earlier. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-with-autism-may-use-memory-differently-understanding-this-could-help-us-teach-them-114987">Children with autism may use memory differently. Understanding this could help us teach them</a>
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<p>Experiences that record what happened in a certain place and time are <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180731104224.htm">stored in images</a>. When given a learning task during remote teaching, students can also be encouraged to visualise how they will complete it. </p>
<p>For example, if they need to write a paragraph about a character in a novel, the teacher can ask students to visualise the character in particular contexts, recall words that describe the character’s attributes, compose sentences about them and organise their understanding around main ideas. This gives students a “virtual experience” of the learning activity that includes a pathway to task completion. </p>
<p>Many students will, from now on, need to have the ability to learn remotely. This is even true independent of COVID, and applies to studying for exams at home or doing homework. Teachers and parents should be sensitive to the fact autobiographic episodic memory has a role to play in successful learning.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/149823/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Munro does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Issues like a lack of focus and heightened anxiety when learning at home could be due to students lacking the autobiographical memory they need to learn in an alternative context.John Munro, Professor, Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1505232020-11-23T19:04:46Z2020-11-23T19:04:46ZChildren may transmit coronavirus at the same rate as adults: what we now know about schools and COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370687/original/file-20201123-17-gukzdr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/small-girl-face-mask-school-after-1746069461">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The role children, and consequently schools, play in the COVID-19 pandemic has been hard to work out, but that puzzle is now finally starting to be solved. </p>
<p>The latest research shows infections in children <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666634020300209">frequently go undetected</a>, and that children are <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30387-9/fulltext">just as susceptible</a> as adults to infection. Children likely transmit the virus at a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6944e1.htm?s_cid=mm6944e1_w">similar rate to adults</a> as well.</p>
<p>While children are thankfully much less likely than adults to get seriously ill, the same isn’t true for the adults that care for them. Evidence suggests schools have been a <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-schools-now-driving-force-of-covid-19-spread-experts">driver of the second wave</a> in Europe and elsewhere. This means the safety of schools needs an urgent rethink.</p>
<h2>It’s hard to detect COVID-19 in children</h2>
<p>Infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in children are generally <a href="https://journals.lww.com/pidj/FullText/2020/06000/COVID_19_in_Children,_Pregnancy_and_Neonates__A.1.aspx">much more mild</a> than in adults and easy to overlook. A study from South Korea found the majority of children had symptoms mild enough to go unrecognised, and <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2770150">only 9% were diagnosed at the time of symptom onset</a>.</p>
<p>Researchers used an antibody test (which can detect if a person had the virus previously and recovered) to screen a representative sample of nearly 12,000 children from the general population in Germany. They found the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666634020300209">majority of cases in children had been missed</a>. In itself, that’s not surprising, because many cases in adults are missed, too. </p>
<p>But what made this study important, was that it showed young and older children were similarly likely to have been infected.</p>
<p>Official testing in Germany had suggested young children were much less likely to be infected than teenagers, but this wasn’t true. Younger children with infections just weren’t getting tested. The study also found nearly half of infected children were asymptomatic. This is about <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa955/5869860">twice what’s typically seen in adults</a>.</p>
<h2>But children do transmit the virus</h2>
<p>We’ve known for a while that around the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2768952">same amount</a> of viral genetic material can be found in the nose and throat of both children and adults.</p>
<p>But that doesn’t necessarily mean children will transmit the same way adults do. Because children have a smaller lung capacity and are less likely to have symptoms, they might release less virus into the environment.</p>
<p>However, a new study conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6944e1.htm?s_cid=mm6944e1_w">children and adults were similarly likely to transmit the virus</a> to their household contacts.</p>
<p>Another study, of more than 84,000 cases and their close contacts, in India found <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6517/691">children and young adults were especially likely to transmit the virus</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-might-play-a-bigger-role-in-covid-transmission-than-first-thought-schools-must-prepare-144947">Children might play a bigger role in COVID transmission than first thought. Schools must prepare</a>
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<p>Most of the children in these studies likely had symptoms. So, it’s unclear if asymptomatic children transmit the virus in the same way. </p>
<p>But <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/27/1/20-3849_article">outbreaks in childcare centres</a> have shown transmission by children who don’t show symptoms still occurs. During an outbreak at two childcare centres in Utah, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6937e3.htm?s_cid=mm6937e3_w">asymptomatic children transmitted the virus</a> to their family members, which resulted in the hospitalisation of one parent.</p>
<h2>What we know about outbreaks in Australian schools</h2>
<p>Schools didn’t appear to be a major driver of the epidemic in Victoria, although <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-02/coronavirus-changes-victorian-schools-and-child-care-explained/12516544">most students switched to remote learning</a> around the peak of the second wave. </p>
<p>However, schools did contribute to community transmission to some extent. This was made clear by the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-09/al-taqwa-college-coronavirus-covid19-cluster-melbourne-truganina/12437584">Al-Taqwa College cluster</a>, which was linked to outbreaks in Melbourne’s public housing towers.</p>
<p>When researchers analysed cases in Victorian schools that occurred between the start of the epidemic and the end of August 2020, they found infections in schools <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/news/covid-19-victorian-schools-and-childcare-mainly-driven-community-transmission-analysis-finds%C2%A0">mirrored what was happening in the community overall</a>. They also found 66% of all infections in schools were limited to a single person.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/behind-victorias-decision-to-open-primary-schools-to-all-students-report-shows-covid-transmission-is-rare-147006">Behind Victoria's decision to open primary schools to all students: report shows COVID transmission is rare</a>
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<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A closed-school sign on the gate." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370690/original/file-20201123-19-13hnxin.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Most students in Victoria switched to remote learning at the peak of the second wave.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/school-closed-sign-protective-mask-hanging-1678762111">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>This might seem encouraging, but we have to remember this virus is characterised by superspreading events. We <a href="https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/5-67">now know that about 10% of infected people</a> are responsible for about 80% of secondary COVID-19 cases.</p>
<p>Two major studies from <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-1092-0">Hong Kong</a> and <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6517/691">India</a> revealed about 70% of people didn’t transmit the virus to anyone. The problem, is the remainder can potentially infect a lot of people.</p>
<p>What happened in Victorian schools was entirely consistent with this. </p>
<p>The risk associated with schools rises with the level of community transmission. The picture internationally has made this clear.</p>
<h2>What we know about outbreaks in schools, internationally</h2>
<p>After schools reopened in Montreal, Canada, school clusters quickly outnumbered those in workplaces and health-care settings combined. President of the Quebec Association of Infectious Disease Microbiologists, <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-schools-now-driving-force-of-covid-19-spread-experts">Karl Weiss, said</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Schools were the driver to start the second wave in Quebec, although the government did not recognise it.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A report by Israel’s Ministry of Health concluded <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/health-ministry-report-finds-kids-more-likely-to-catch-virus-than-adults/">school reopening played at least some role in accelerating the epidemic</a> there, and that schools may contribute to the spread of the virus unless community transmission is low. In the Czech Republic, a rapid surge in cases following the reopening of schools prompted the mayor of Prague to describe schools as “<a href="https://www.news4teachers.de/2020/09/prags-buergermeister-schulen-sind-zu-covid-tauschboersen-geworden/">COVID trading exchanges</a>”.</p>
<p>The opposite pattern has been seen when schools have closed. England just witnessed a drop in new cases, followed by a return to growth, coinciding with the <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/208413/coronavirus-prevalence-remains-high-some-evidence/">half-term school holidays</a>. This was before any lockdown measures were introduced in the country.</p>
<p>These observations are consistent with a study examining the effect of imposing and lifting different restrictions in 131 countries. Researchers found school closures were associated with a reduction in R — the measure of how fast the virus is spreading — while <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30785-4/fulltext">reopening schools was associated with an increase</a>.</p>
<p>The risk has been spelled out most clearly by the president of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s equivalent of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, he <a href="https://twitter.com/AscotBlack/status/1329710952850272257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1329710952850272257%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fdrafts%2F150523%2Fedit">reported the virus</a> is being carried into schools, and also back out into the community.</p>
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<h2>What we need to do</h2>
<p>It won’t be possible to control the pandemic if we don’t fully address transmission by children. This means we need to take a proactive approach to schools.</p>
<p>At a minimum, <a href="https://schools.forhealth.org/risk-reduction-strategies-for-reopening-schools/">precautionary measures</a> should include the use of <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-children-and-masks-related-to-covid-19">face masks</a> by staff and students (including <a href="https://www.g-f-v.org/sites/default/files/Statement%20ad%20hoc%20commission%20SARS2_englisch_final-RB_sent.pdf">primary school students</a>). Schools should also improve ventilation and indoor air quality, reduce class sizes, and ensure kids and staff practise hand hygiene. </p>
<p>School closures have a role to play as well. But they must be carefully considered because of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-21/coronavirus-what-we-know-about-long-term-effect-school-closure/12679496">harms associated with them</a>. But these harms are likely outweighed by the harms of an unmitigated epidemic.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-ww2-to-ebola-what-we-know-about-the-long-term-effects-of-school-closures-146396">From WW2 to Ebola: what we know about the long-term effects of school closures</a>
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<p>In regions with high levels of community transmission, temporary school closures should be considered. While a lockdown without school closures can probably still reduce transmission, it is unlikely to be maximally effective.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150523/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Zoë Hyde does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The risk associated with schools is tied to the level of community transmission. The more community transmission there is, the more transmission there will be in schools.Zoë Hyde, Epidemiologist, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1448542020-11-08T19:04:56Z2020-11-08T19:04:56ZIs learning more important than well-being? Teachers told us how COVID highlighted ethical dilemmas at school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361534/original/file-20201005-16-1l9jvwt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-woman-teacher-she-sitting-looks-351401795">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As an <a href="https://educationalethics.org/">educational ethicist</a>, I research teachers’ ethical obligations. These can include their personal ethics such as protecting students from harm, respect for justice and truth, and professional norms like social conformity, collegial loyalty and personal well-being.</p>
<p>Moral tensions in schools can come about when certain categories of norms conflict with each other. For example, sometimes students’ best interests are pitted against available resources. These present difficult decisions for the teacher, the school community and its leaders. </p>
<p>As part of a <a href="https://www.justiceinschools.org/event/educational-ethics-during-global-pandemic-discussion-group-research-study-educators">global study</a> on educational ethics during the pandemic, I conducted focus groups with Australian childcare, preschool, primary and secondary school teachers to find out what ethical issues were most pressing for them.</p>
<p>Below are three ways in which the pandemic highlighted existing tensions between ethical priorities.</p>
<h2>1. Student well-being versus learning</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-policy-framework/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers.pdf">Australian Professional Standards for Teachers</a> emphasise student well-being is important to learning. But they note teachers’ main priority is making sure the student learns at their stage of the <a href="https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/">Australian National Curriculum</a>. </p>
<p>During COVID, this flipped and well-being took precedence. A primary school teacher told me:</p>
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<p>It’s the first time in my teaching career where the learning became a low priority, and well-being took over … if we could keep them chugging along, that was good enough.</p>
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<p>An Aboriginal-identifying teacher who shared their strong cultural background with students said: </p>
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<p>… a lot of the Aboriginal students … didn’t have access to … resources. And so there was already this disconnect that became even wider by the time they had to learn from home … Some students were not able to complete the work that I was putting on the online forum because they were caring for little brothers and sisters when they were at home … or home life was extremely volatile …</p>
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<p>A secondary school teacher said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There were certain students that we were made aware of by the well-being coordinators that we weren’t to make contact with. If there were more extenuating circumstances in the life of the child then we weren’t to … exacerbate that by sending emails home about them not completing work … </p>
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<p>Some teachers found it particularly difficult to identify students at heightened risk and to put in place their duty of care requirements. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-workload-was-intense-what-parents-told-us-about-remote-learning-146297">'The workload was intense': what parents told us about remote learning</a>
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<p>A public primary school principal in a low socioeconomic area said:</p>
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<p>We had a couple of instances where we would have had more contact with family, community services and since (then) we have heard stories of what happened when the children weren’t coming to school … we would have made an instant call to DOCS [Department of Community Services], but because we weren’t having that day to day contact we didn’t know. A lot of those things were hidden, very serious issues.</p>
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<h2>2. Government policy versus staff well-being</h2>
<p>Leading teachers and principals found the tension between their personal safety and that of their colleagues were often in conflict with a lag in institutional directives. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Textbooks, a mask and sanitiser on a teacher's desk." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/367891/original/file-20201106-21-10m6vv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Education departments often put out instructions long after principals felt the safety of their staff was compromised.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/search/schools+social+distancin">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>For instance, on March 25 The <a href="https://news.nswtf.org.au/blog/media-release/2020/03/media-release-normal-school-operations-must-end-put-health-and-safety-students-and-staff-first">NSW Teachers’ Federation</a> urged the education department to immediately prioritise the safety of staff and students. </p>
<p>But the department took time to mandate social distancing measures, school closures and learning from home. In the meantime principals were on alert for risk management, anticipating directives for extensive social distancing, such as cancelling school assemblies, before being instructed to do so. </p>
<p>One public school principal said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The federation is telling us this. The department is telling us that … I would make a decision and then a couple of weeks later … the department would come up with the same strict instructions … it was the well-being of the staff first for me … even to the point where we sent the kids home for the first week with no learning … the second that one child comes to school and catches COVID, then I’m not going to be able to live with myself.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-had-no-sanitiser-no-soap-and-minimal-toilet-paper-heres-how-teachers-feel-about-going-back-to-the-classroom-138600">'We had no sanitiser, no soap and minimal toilet paper': here's how teachers feel about going back to the classroom</a>
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<p>But it wasn’t the same in all schools. A primary school teacher in a bushfire affected area reflected on the decisions made by the principal.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I’m trying to be diplomatic … We were very slow to engage with kids who were starting to be kept home from school. And we were very slow for teachers to be able to work from home and we were very quick to come back to … school … We have a parent who worked at the local high school saying, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ve been working at home all week’. We haven’t even been told that’s a possibility …</p>
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<h2>3. Personal well-being versus professional integrity</h2>
<p>A teacher’s professional integrity is how they evaluate the alignment between the expectations of their role and their values. When a schism arises, it throws into question some core professional values. </p>
<p>One public school principal’s integrity had an extremely high bar.</p>
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<p>I’ll be really honest, despite all of the warnings and all of the advice, my own well-being was my last priority. And the ethical dilemma for me was, I can’t look after myself because I’ve got so many other people to look after first, despite all the warnings, despite all the advice.</p>
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<p>Teachers reported the personal cost of changing work arrangements into remote settings, concerned about how they were to fulfil their professional integrity to provide the kind of meaningful interactions students needed. </p>
<p>A secondary Catholic school teacher said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Remote learning really threw me off balance and I struggled to find myself and how I fit into that situation … I had to learn to let go and … work out what is really important.</p>
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<p>For the next generation of teachers, the dilemma was more about how to set boundaries in an emerging professional identity. </p>
<p>One early career public secondary teacher said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I did go out of my way to with my Year 11s, them being my most senior year … Which did bring up the ethical thing … there were times I would get a message at one o'clock and I’d be up but I’d say, I’m not answering that, I’m not looking at it. I’m looking at it in the morning. That’s too much in each other’s heads. And, yeah, the barriers were tough.</p>
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<p>An experienced secondary teacher in an International Baccalaureate school said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I was working sending emails at midnight, and getting up three hours before my lessons to try and make sure that the platform is working … and obviously all my lessons that I plan had to be then turned into online lessons. So that takes a whole other weekend for everything … I got WhatsApp messages at all hours … </p>
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<p>She said students sent her emails to thank her for the commitment. She realised it was a toxic message to send, and that implied this should be the norm for teachers. While teaching is a generous profession, COVID highlighted the expectations on their generosity.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/exhausted-beyond-measure-what-teachers-are-saying-about-covid-19-and-the-disruption-to-education-143601">'Exhausted beyond measure': what teachers are saying about COVID-19 and the disruption to education</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144854/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Daniella J. Forster does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>An educational ethicist talked to teachers about what ethical issues were most pressing during COVID. Here are the three that featured most.Daniella J. Forster, Senior Lecturer, Educational ethics and philosophies, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1479902020-10-13T08:02:06Z2020-10-13T08:02:06ZVictoria’s money for tutors is necessary, but there are 5 things it needs to do to ensure they’re successful<p>Victorian Education Minister, James Merlino, <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/thousands-tutors-bring-students-speed">announced A$250 million on Wednesday</a> for 4,100 tutors to be deployed across Victorian schools from the first term in 2021. </p>
<p>The vast majority of Victorian students spent much of terms two and three learning remotely — this is about half the school year. The government expects this money will support more than 200,000 students across the state who have been left behind during the remote learning period. </p>
<p>In announcing the package, the minister said about one in five students will need extra support. Our report (from the <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/covid-catch-up/">Grattan Institute</a>) in June found a large cohort of disadvantaged students — especially those from the poorest families, with learning difficulties, or where languages other than English are spoken at home — will have fallen much further behind than their classmates during the school closures. </p>
<p>Our analysis shows disadvantaged students in Victoria are likely to have lost somewhere between two and six months of learning over the remote schooling period. The equity gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students grows at triple the rate during remote schooling. </p>
<p>These learning losses compound an existing equity problem in schools, and increase the risk of students disengaging. </p>
<p>The Victorian government’s funding is critical. Without it, schools would not have the resources needed to help students catch up. But the government needs to take several extra steps, including ensuring the quality of tutors, so this funding has its desired effect.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/victorias-year-12-students-are-learning-remotely-but-they-wont-necessarily-fall-behind-143844">Victoria’s Year 12 students are learning remotely. But they won't necessarily fall behind</a>
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<h2>What’s in the package?</h2>
<p>James Merlino’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-13/victoria-to-hire-tutors-to-help-students-after-home-learning/12760838">promise to parents is</a>: “If your child has fallen behind, we will bring them back up to speed”.</p>
<p>To bring these students up to speed, the package includes:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>A$209.6 million for every government school (primary, secondary and specialist) to attract and employ 3,500 tutors across the 2021 school year, to deliver small group learning to students who need it</p></li>
<li><p>tutoring for small groups from one to five students</p></li>
<li><p>$30 million towards employing 600 tutors at non-government schools</p></li>
<li><p>$8.6 million towards schools working with families to lift student outcomes and re-engage students with learning.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The package not only benefits students, but also provides employment for young people and women who have been most impacted financially by the pandemic. The <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/thousands-tutors-bring-students-speed">government estimates</a> 80% of tutor roles will be filled by women.</p>
<h2>Is it enough?</h2>
<p>Tutoring is expensive, but can provide big benefits in quick time. Tutoring programs overseas have consistently proven beneficial, with some students gaining an additional <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit/small-group-tuition/">three to five months of learning</a> over just one to two terms of schooling. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/disadvantaged-students-may-have-lost-1-month-of-learning-during-covid-19-shutdown-but-the-government-can-fix-it-140540">Disadvantaged students may have lost 1 month of learning during COVID-19 shutdown. But the government can fix it</a>
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<p>If implemented well, this package would be enough to stem much of the predicted learning losses for disadvantaged students. But the Victorian government should take five extra steps to ensure it gets its money’s worth:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>the initiative relies on teachers to correctly identify students who are struggling, and why. The government should ensure some of the money is spent on extra training for teachers who need it</p></li>
<li><p>successful tutoring depends on selecting high-quality, well-trained tutors. Schools can’t be expected to screen the quality of tutor recruits by themselves. The government should set the quality standards, and could commission a third party to ensure only the best tutors are hired </p></li>
<li><p>The government should give schools guidance on effective literacy and numeracy programs that involve small-group or one-on-one tuition. There are existing programs that, <a href="https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/">on</a> <a href="https://evidenceforlearning.org.au/assets/Thinking-Maths/E4L-Thinking-Maths-Evaluation-Report.pdf">evaluation</a>, <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Projects/Evaluation_Reports/Mathematical_Reasoning.pdf">show</a> they can have large impacts in specific areas such as maths, oral language skills or certain aspects of reading</p></li>
<li><p>the government should evaluate the impact of the catch-up tutoring to give insight on what works for a COVID response, but also to close the much larger existing equity gap for disadvantaged students long-term. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that must not be missed</p></li>
<li><p>the government should require accountability from schools on how the extra funds are spent. For example, schools should be expected to invest in tutoring where it is relevant, or to explain the nature of investments in other initiatives which the school believes are needed.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Victoria’s plan to find high-quality tutors from existing retired, casual, or student teachers is a good start. But if it proves difficult to find enough quality candidates from this pool, other options should be considered. University graduates from all disciplines and teaching assistants can have large benefits, as well as large tutoring providers. </p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium">UK’s new national tutoring scheme</a> has a lot of quality assurance built into it. For example, schools can either choose to employ a tutor directly who has been trained and screened, or use a tutor from a “quality assured” tutoring provider. Financial incentives encourage schools to choose tutoring providers that have demonstrated high evaluation standards. </p>
<h2>What about other states?</h2>
<p>Although remote schooling did not last as long in the other states and the territories, disadvantaged students would still benefit from a similar package — just a smaller one to Victoria’s.</p>
<p>Extra support should be available so students across Australia don’t slip through the cracks. Victoria’s tutoring announcement this week should become a model for all Australian states and territories.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147990/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julie Sonnemann is a Board Director of The Song Room, a not-for-profit organisation.
We thank the Origin Energy Foundation for their generous and timely support for our COVID catch-up report.</span></em></p>The Victorian government’s funding is critical to helping disadvantaged students catch up. But the government needs to take several extra steps to ensure their funding has its desired effect.Julie Sonnemann, Acting Program Director, Grattan InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1461972020-10-01T20:05:35Z2020-10-01T20:05:35ZYear 12 exams in the time of COVID: 5 ways to support your child to stress less and do better<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360482/original/file-20200929-18-109rml4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tired-student-trying-study-night-home-1099606676">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Year 12 exams can be stressful at the best of times; this is particularly true for the Class of 2020. </p>
<p>Here are five ways parents and carers of Year 12 students preparing for their final exams can support them.</p>
<h2>1. Check in and listen</h2>
<p>It is important to remember teenagers are often more resilient than we think. In most cases, they can cope well with challenges. But some students find <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-overcome-exam-anxiety-67445">exams more stressful</a> than others, and some may also be worried about the influence of COVID on their future.</p>
<p>Research consistently shows <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/187066573.pdf">parental monitoring</a> that supports the autonomy of the young people is linked with their better <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10615800802082296">psychological adjustment</a> and performance during difficult times. This means checking-in with your teen, seeing how they are going and empowering them to use whatever coping skills they need. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, in times of stress, many parents use a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31664598/">high-monitoring low-autonomy style</a>. Parents may still monitor their teen’s coping but also take over, hurry to suggest solutions, and criticise the strategies their child is trying. </p>
<p>This is a low-autonomy style, which may signal to the young person their parent doesn’t believe in their ability to cope.</p>
<p>So, to not come across as controlling or undermining their autonomy:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>ask your teen, “How are you coping?”</p></li>
<li><p>listen to their answers</p></li>
<li><p>check you have understood and ask if they need your support. </p></li>
<li><p>Let your actions be guided by their response. If they say “I’m very stressed”, ask if there is something you can do. You could say: “Tell me what you need to do and we’ll work it out together”. </p></li>
</ul>
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<p>If they do the famous “I dunno”, say something like “OK, think about it, I’ll come back in a bit, and we can chat”. Follow through and let them know you will check in more regularly over the coming weeks.</p>
<h2>2. Encourage them to take care of their physical and mental health</h2>
<p>Support your teen to get exercise, downtime and sleep. Exercise helps <a href="https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people/young-people/exercise-and-mental-health-for-young-people">produce endorphins</a> — a feel-good chemical that can improve concentration and mental health. </p>
<p>Downtime that is relaxing and enjoyable such as reading, sport, hanging out with friends or video games, can also help young people recharge physically and mentally. If you see your Year 12 child studying for numerous hours without a break, encourage them to do something more fun for a while. </p>
<p>A change of scene can help <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-11/year-12-exams-are-they-worth-the-stress/9029260">avoid burnout</a> and helps students <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2010.12.007">maintain focus over longer periods of time</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/3-things-to-help-improve-your-exam-results-besides-studying-124178">3 things to help improve your exam results (besides studying)</a>
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<p>Good sleep is important for alertness, and teenagers should aim for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4877308/">eight to ten hours per day</a>. Sleep also helps memory consolidation: a neural process in which the brain beds down what has been learnt that day. </p>
<p>Even short-term sleep deprivation, such as five hours across a week of study, can have a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/39/3/687/2454041?TB_iframe=true&width=370.8&height=658.8">negative impact on teens’ mood, attention and memory</a>.</p>
<p>To ensure your child priorises self-care, help them put together a routine. This may involve scheduling specific times for exercise, meals and downtime each day, and breaking up blocks of study time with short breaks. </p>
<p>Also negotiate a nominated time for them to turn their phone off at night. Stopping phone use one hour before bedtime can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10410236.2017.1422099?casa_token=faGQntECq2IAAAAA:_Fen-HJYyvF8yiSGG8BcaPe2DQ1SExpat82lSfzSjnKxTUzU3H7AHOEw7Oot3m2bzr0r-KZPqEs">increase sleep</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Help them maintain connections</h2>
<p>Connections with friends are critical for young people, especially during times of stress. Teens <a href="https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2020-3-5">regularly talk about academic concerns online</a>, and may use online support <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.070">more when stressed</a>. Research shows seeking support in person <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.058">is more effective than doing so online</a>, so try to encourage your teen to connect with friends in person if possible.</p>
<p>But also be aware of the risks. Talking with friends over and over about problems can actually <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ijop.12227?casa_token=EWtrAgEUJKUAAAAA:pyLHK_dgvisvX0SL3fwxRWj41ikF75aD2b5hjQGwTvxXhLEHo3b_6uoi1ewm1xeeTS0-ZBb6xCKsglQ">make young people feel worse</a>. Your son or daughter may find their friends are increasingly leaning on them for support too, which can <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1461444814543989">exhaust their own emotional reserves</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two girls sitting on swings and chatting." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/360975/original/file-20201001-24-mgnm84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Connections with friends are important for stress.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/mG-HdjYiPtE">Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>Encourage your child to use time with friends as time away from studying. It’s OK to seek support from friends, but help your child think about when might be too much — and to have a balance of happy and serious conversations when they are together.</p>
<p>Encourage your child to continue talking to you and to ask their teachers for help with academic concerns.</p>
<h2>4. Help your child understand their own brain</h2>
<p>When asked, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2332858418809346">most young people</a> report frequently using rehearsal — which involves simply going over textbooks, notes or other material — as a study technique. This is one of the least efficient memory strategies. </p>
<p>The more active the brain is when studying — by moving information around, connecting different types of information and making decisions — the more likely that information will be remembered. Active study sometimes feels harder, but this <a href="https://bjorklab.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/04/EBjork_RBjork_2011.pdf">is great for memory</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/studying-for-exams-heres-how-to-make-your-memory-work-for-you-124586">Studying for exams? Here's how to make your memory work for you</a>
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<p>Encourage your child to study actively by <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-015-9348-9">making their own test questions</a>, reorganising information into concept maps, or explaining the topics to you. It can also help to “intersperse” <a href="https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2016/8/11-1">different study topics</a>: the brain grows more connections that way. It also gets more practice reactivating the original material from memory. </p>
<h2>5. Look out for warning signs</h2>
<p>While most teens are resilient, some may more frequently report negative mood, uncertainties about the future or a loss of control. This is particularly true in 2020. You might hear evidence of “catastrophic thinking” (“what’s the point?” or “this is the worst thing ever”).</p>
<p>You can help by modelling hopeful attitudes and coping strategies. Reactive coping strategies are things like taking a break, selectively using distractions and going for a run to clear your head. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/year-12-can-be-stressful-but-setting-strong-and-healthy-goals-can-help-you-thrive-131028">Year 12 can be stressful, but setting strong and healthy goals can help you thrive</a>
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<p>Pair these with proactive coping strategies, which prevent or help manage stressful situations. These include helping the young person get organised and reminding them that if they don’t have life figured out right now, that’s OK. Help them see opportunities that come with challenges. These include self-development (learning what they like and don’t like), self-knowledge (knowing their limits and character strengths) and skill development (organisational and coping strategies). </p>
<p>Some teens may be struggling more than they let on. Look out for <a href="https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/5/970.short">warning signs</a>. These can include: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>not participating in previously enjoyed activities</p></li>
<li><p>avoiding friends or partners </p></li>
<li><p>drastic changes in weight, eating or sleeping</p></li>
<li><p>irritability over minor things</p></li>
<li><p>preoccupation with death or expressing how difficult it is to be alive. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>If these behaviours occur most of the time you are with them or seem out of character, consult a mental health professional as soon as possible. This is particularly so if your teen has a history of mental health concerns. </p>
<p><em>Some resources that may help if you are worried include <a href="https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/">Beyond Blue</a> 1300 22 4636, <a href="https://kidshelpline.com.au/">Kids Helpline</a> 1800 55 1800 and <a href="https://headspace.org.au/">Headspace</a></em></p>
<p><em>Your GP can also help to connect your teen with a suitably qualified professional.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/146197/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Penny Van Bergen has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Roberto Parada has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Erin Mackenzie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Support them but make sure to respect their autonomy; encourage them to exercise, sleep and connect with friends. These are some ways to help your Year 12 child during the pre-exam period.Erin Mackenzie, Lecturer in Education, Western Sydney UniversityPenny Van Bergen, Associate Professor in Educational Psychology, Macquarie UniversityRoberto H Parada, Senior Lecturer In Adolescent Development, Behaviour, Well-Being & Paedagogical Studies, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1444202020-08-24T04:28:33Z2020-08-24T04:28:33ZSome Australian universities might have to merge – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353967/original/file-20200820-20-7gte3d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C2814%2C1832&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/university-south-australia-adelaide-27-july-555486952">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Both COVID-19 and increasing <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-dug-itself-into-a-hole-in-its-relationship-with-china-its-time-to-find-a-way-out-138525">discord with the Chinese government</a> could lead to <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-universities-could-lose-19-billion-in-the-next-3-years-our-economy-will-suffer-with-them-136251">much lower international student revenues</a> in the long run. If that happens, Australian universities might have to merge to remain sustainable. </p>
<p>The growing quality of our universities is driven to a large extent by what economists call “economies of scale.” The idea is that operating on a larger scale enables an organisation to deliver more value. By admitting more students, including international ones, universities can offer more programs, improved campuses and better academic staff.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-universities-could-lose-19-billion-in-the-next-3-years-our-economy-will-suffer-with-them-136251">Australian universities could lose $19 billion in the next 3 years. Our economy will suffer with them</a>
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<p>The ability of our universities to perform their vital functions of research and teaching depends in an intricate way on the sector’s structure and its relationship with international students. Two recent developments call into question the sustainability of Australia’s universities in their current form. </p>
<h2>COVID-19’s impact on international students</h2>
<p>First, the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted a direct hit to universities’ revenues. This is mainly due to the big fall in international student numbers as a result of Australia’s border closure. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-universities-came-to-rely-on-international-students-138796">share of international students in our universities</a> is exceptionally high by world standards. The fact that international students pay more in fees than domestic ones amplifies the impact on revenues. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-what-australian-universities-can-do-to-recover-from-the-loss-of-international-student-fees-139759">COVID-19: what Australian universities can do to recover from the loss of international student fees</a>
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<p>The internationalisation of Australia’s universities has benefited them enormously over many years. Universities have been able to grow not just in terms of student numbers, but also in terms of campus facilities, degrees and subjects offered, and quality and quantity of academic staff. </p>
<p>This growth also benefits domestic students. They enjoy the same facilities, programs and staff that economies of scale enable. </p>
<p>The Australian public as a whole also indirectly benefits from the influx of international students. Firstly, taxpayers effectively pay less to sustain the university sector. Secondly, we as a society benefit from the fruits of academic research and teaching.</p>
<h2>Challenges from China</h2>
<p>A second factor is Australia’s political relationship with China. Its impacts on the university sector are becoming more apparent, because Chinese students comprise the largest group of international students in Australia. </p>
<p>Having grown up in a political system that is based on surveillance, intolerance and oppression, some Chinese students struggle to adapt to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/aug/03/unsw-faces-backlash-after-deleting-twitter-post-critical-of-chinas-crackdown-in-hong-kong">Australia’s intellectual environment</a>. </p>
<p>Our universities must continue to encourage diversity of opinion and freedom of expression – even when these values clash with the worldviews instilled by the the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Instead, to protect their international student revenues, some universities <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-03/unsw-under-fire-for-deleting-china-social-media-posts/12517306">censor staff and other students</a>. Staff and students also <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/more-must-be-done-to-protect-academic-freedoms-under-threat-from-china-20190406-p51bjm.html">self-censor</a> their own legitimate viewpoints.</p>
<p>Universities face a choice: uphold intellectual freedom, or pursue international student revenues, which sustain the universities’ scale, at any cost. The university sector must re-examine its values and objectives. In our pursuit of academic excellence and growth we cannot let revenues dictate our opinions or, more to the point, let the CCP shape our universities. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/students-in-china-heed-their-governments-warnings-against-studying-in-australia-141871">Students in China heed their government's warnings against studying in Australia</a>
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<h2>A time for consolidation</h2>
<p>Both COVID-19 and Australia’s geopolitical relationship with China might lead to much lower international student revenues in the future. How then can our university sector ensure its sustainability?</p>
<p>While painful to acknowledge, a natural structural response in this situation is consolidation within the university sector. Our universities cannot improve sustainably if student numbers decrease or if the threat of politically motivated extortion leads us to abandon basic freedoms.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/without-international-students-australias-universities-will-downsize-and-some-might-collapse-altogether-132869">Without international students, Australia's universities will downsize – and some might collapse altogether</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="UniSA Vice- Chancellor David Lloyd" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353969/original/file-20200820-16-zigmx2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">UniSA Vice Chancellor David Lloyd has suggested merging South Australia’s three universities into ‘two strong state universities’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">UniSA</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Consolidation happens naturally in unregulated markets. When a market shrinks or growth slows, firms merge. They do so to continue to benefit from the economies of scale that enable them to create value. </p>
<p>Mergers would be a natural solution to the current problems in the university sector as well.</p>
<p>Consolidation is not just a hypothetical idea. <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/education/tertiary/unisa-vice-chancellor-david-lloyd-proposes-merging-adelaides-three-universities-into-two/news-story/b4b33f39b333a0eb5d925e00c1128a76">Some</a> Australian <a href="https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/education/south-australia-uni-merger-back-on-the-cards-20200809-p55jzm">universities</a> have already <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/all-over-red-rover-top-unis-drive-biggest-overhaul-in-30-years-20200605-p5500b.html">considered mergers</a>. There are also successful <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/402594/swp2003_07.pdf">past examples</a> both <a href="https://www.deakin.edu.au/library/aotw/about">here</a> and <a href="https://www.eua.eu/resources/publications/828:university-mergers-in-europe.html">overseas</a>. </p>
<h2>The pros and cons of mergers</h2>
<p>Universities may be reluctant to pursue mergers for a number of reasons. Some are valid and some less so.</p>
<p>Mergers can have real downsides. When organisations merge, cultural and operational differences can sometimes lead to worse outcomes. </p>
<p>There is also value in diversity. Having many different institutions provide differentiated educational programs gives students more choices. And competition between universities is itself valuable, as it promotes educational innovation and drives quality improvements. </p>
<p>All of these are valid reasons. They should be carefully weighed against the benefits of mergers.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="University of Adelaide entrance on North Terrace, Adelaide" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353971/original/file-20200820-20-znj87n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The University of Adelaide’s newly appointed chancellor, Catherine Branson, has reopened the door to mergers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/adelaide-south-australia-on-november-07-1224427114">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But other impediments to consolidation are less defensible. Highly paid and politically influential university administrators, including vice chancellors, deputies and deans, might resist mergers that could put some of their jobs at risk.</p>
<p>On the other hand, consolidation would deliver benefits to universities. It would enable them to continue to operate at a larger scale, even if international student revenues decline. It would also reduce overhead costs. An example would be eliminating redundant administrative roles that are not essential to the mission of a university. </p>
<p>Mergers would also enable universities to compete in the global academic market. They could continue to improve in quality, thanks to the economies of scale.</p>
<p>The new reality of decreasing student revenues means the Australian university sector will have to grapple with the questions of scale and sustainability. One response might be for <a href="https://theconversation.com/without-international-students-australias-universities-will-downsize-and-some-might-collapse-altogether-132869">universities to downsize</a>. But this would inevitably affect their quality. </p>
<p>Consolidation might therefore offer a better long-term path to sustainability. It will enable universities to continue to operate at scale and invest more in the quality of the education they provide.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144420/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emil Temnyalov does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australian universities face a huge revenue hit from falling international student numbers due to COVID-19 and tensions with China. Some institutions should consider merging rather than downsizing.Emil Temnyalov, Senior Lecturer, Economics, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1427062020-07-22T11:58:33Z2020-07-22T11:58:33ZHow other countries reopened schools during the pandemic – and what the US can learn from them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348707/original/file-20200721-19-1oxa443.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=411%2C74%2C4580%2C2994&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Class is in session in Uruguay, one of the first countries in the Western Hemisphere to reopen its schools. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/APTOPIX-Virus-Outbreak-Uruguay/f51b789442b54e789666b36e87ffed29/1/0">AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As American school officials debate when it will be safe for schoolchildren to return to classrooms, looking abroad may offer insights. Nearly every country in the world <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apa.15432">shuttered their schools early in the COVID-19 pandemic</a>. Many have since sent students back to class, with varying degrees of success.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://spcs.richmond.edu/people/bspires/">scholar of comparative international education</a>. For this article, I examined what happened in four countries where K-12 schools either stayed open throughout the pandemic or have resumed in-person instruction, using press reports, national COVID-19 data and <a href="https://globalhealth.washington.edu/sites/default/files/COVID-19%20Schools%20Summary%20%282%29.pdf?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkRreE5XWXlORFF3TXpNeCIsInQiOiJIbVNQTTVySEo0Vzk1cHVBZVVqWnFGVmR1UEJxRGdpd01mTXg4OGw3Mk5nTnpmaUoyMGt2UXIwWVZBOE5GVjIybHA5aStrbzJ3MUxsanoxamZibmlocmpSbXZyVFVoV0VHYU1aTGx0RnpsMXlmOEtXSVJqaDJsZ0RJU1BQcVZjZSJ9">academic studies</a>. </p>
<p>Here’s what I found.</p>
<h2>Israel: Too much, too soon</h2>
<p>Israel took stringent steps early on in the coronavirus pandemic, including severely restricting everyone’s movement and closing all schools. By June, it was being <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/middleeast/israel-coronavirus-second-wave-netanyahu-intl/index.html">lauded internationally</a> for containing the spread of COVID-19.</p>
<p>But shortly after schools reopened in May, on a <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/224fa625-657c-4ffb-a6a0-a40e04d685b9">staggered schedule paired with mask mandates and social distancing rules</a>, COVID-19 cases <a href="https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1278682387325616129">surged</a> across Israel. <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/israeli-data-show-school-openings-were-a-disaster-that-wiped-out-lockdown-gains">Schoolchildren and teachers</a> were among the sick. Today, <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/school-openings-across-globe-suggest-ways-keep-coronavirus-bay-despite-outbreaks">several hundred Israeli schools have closed again</a>. </p>
<p>Some blame <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/7/15/21324082/coronavirus-school-reopening-trump-children-safety">lax enforcement of health guidelines</a> in schools. The weather didn’t help: In May, a <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/school-openings-across-globe-suggest-ways-keep-coronavirus-bay-despite-outbreaks">record heat wave hit Israel</a>, making masks uncomfortable for students to wear. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Children wearing face masks walk close together with an adult" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348709/original/file-20200721-25-1xczr28.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">No social distancing here, Tel Aviv, July 6, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Virus-Outbreak-Israel/1266fc7e9be44f51920286f6e0c1a2ba/1/0">AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But schools were only part of a broader reopening in Israel that, many experts say, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/where-we-went-wrong-expert-says-these-3-blunders-caused-new-israeli-covid-chaos/">came too soon and without sufficient testing capacity</a>. </p>
<p>[<em>Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=coronavirus-facts">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.</a>]</p>
<p>“The reopening happened too fast,” said <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/israeli-data-show-school-openings-were-a-disaster-that-wiped-out-lockdown-gains">Mohammed Khatib, an epidemiologist on Israel’s national COVID-19 task force</a>. “It was undertaken so quickly that it triggered a very sharp spike, and the return to more conservative measures came too little, much too late.”</p>
<p>Israel’s public health director, Siegal Sadetski, resigned in early July, saying the health ministry had ignored her warnings about <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-battles-new-wave-coronavirus-infections-after-reopening-n1233139">reopening schools and businesses</a> so rapidly.</p>
<h2>Sweden: A hands-off approach</h2>
<p>Schools never closed in Sweden, part of the Scandinavian country’s risky <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/15/world/europe/sweden-coronavirus-deaths.html">gamble on skipping a coronavirus lockdown</a>. Only students 16 and older stayed home and did remote learning. <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/05/sweden-hasnt-locked-down-but-normal-life-is-a-luxury/">Social distancing</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/school-openings-across-globe-suggest-ways-keep-coronavirus-bay-despite-outbreaks">masks were recommended but optional</a>, in line with the Swedish government’s emphasis on personal choice. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="People sit at tables inside a small restaurant" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348706/original/file-20200721-27-1j24pw1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A restaurant in Stockholm still full of diners, March 25, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Virus-Outbreak-Sweden/1f62c6496c1a4f01be9f99339c58c5d0/4/0">AP Photo/David Keyton</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This strategy earned <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/schools-reopening-coronavirus/2020/07/10/865fb3e6-c122-11ea-8908-68a2b9eae9e0_story.html">praise from President Donald Trump</a> but some resistance from Swedish parents, especially those whose children have health issues. The government threatened to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-sweden-compels-parents-send-kids-to-school-2020-5">punish parents</a> who didn’t send their kids to school. </p>
<p>Sweden’s plan <a href="https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-schools-sweden-denmark-5ff88c81-67e3-4c33-8b74-fe57b9555827.html">seems to have been safe enough</a>. Its health agency reported on July 15 that <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sweden-schools/swedens-health-agency-says-open-schools-did-not-spur-pandemic-spread-among-children-idUSKCN24G2IS">COVID-19 outbreaks among Sweden’s 1 million school children</a> were no worse than those in neighboring Finland, which did close schools. And pediatricians have seen <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa864">few severe COVID-19 cases</a> among school-age children in Stockholm. Only <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107913/number-of-coronavirus-deaths-in-sweden-by-age-groups/">one young Swedish child is believed to have died of the coronavirus</a> as of this article’s publication. </p>
<p>However, officials in Stockholm have admitted they don’t know how the disease may have affected teachers, parents and other adults in schools.</p>
<p>Sweden had <a href="https://www.coronatracker.com/country/sweden/">over 70,000 COVID-19 cases</a> as of July 21, which puts it in the middle of the pack in Europe, according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa864">a joint study</a> from Sweden’s Upsala University and the University of Virginia. Of those, slightly more than <a href="https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/contentassets/c1b78bffbfde4a7899eb0d8ffdb57b09/covid-19-school-aged-children.pdf">1,000 involved children and teens</a>. </p>
<h2>Japan: So far, so good</h2>
<p>Japan, which has mostly <a href="https://www.coronatracker.com/?country_code=JP">kept COVID-19 under control</a>, took <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/japan-coronavirus-schools-reopen/2020/06/06/9047be8c-a645-11ea-8681-7d471bf20207_story.html">a conservative approach</a> to reopening schools in June. </p>
<p>Different schools have <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/bdd000c967a7-school-restarts-picking-up-in-japan-amid-lingering-coronavirus-fears.html">different strategies</a>, but generally Japanese students <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/05/18/national/japan-schools-reopen-state-of-emergency/">attend class in person on alternating days</a>, so that classrooms are only half full. Lunches are silent and socially distanced, and students undergo daily temperature checks. </p>
<p>These precautions are <a href="https://globalhealth.washington.edu/sites/default/files/COVID-19%20Schools%20Summary%20%282%29.pdf?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkRreE5XWXlORFF3TXpNeCIsInQiOiJIbVNQTTVySEo0Vzk1cHVBZVVqWnFGVmR1UEJxRGdpd01mTXg4OGw3Mk5nTnpmaUoyMGt2UXIwWVZBOE5GVjIybHA5aStrbzJ3MUxsanoxamZibmlocmpSbXZyVFVoV0VHYU1aTGx0RnpsMXlmOEtXSVJqaDJsZ0RJU1BQcVZjZSJ9">more stringent than those in many other countries</a>. Still, some Japanese school children have <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/bdd000c967a7-school-restarts-picking-up-in-japan-amid-lingering-coronavirus-fears.html">gotten COVID-19</a>, particularly in major cities. </p>
<p>A survey from Save the Children found that Japanese school children <a href="https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h00744/">wanted more clear and detailed information</a> about the virus and the outbreaks. <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/06/national/japan-parents-back-to-school-coronavirus/">Parents</a>, students and <a href="https://japan-forward.com/what-its-like-going-back-to-school-after-the-coronavirus-emergency/">teachers</a> continue to express hesitancy about returning to school and <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/09/national/japanese-students-coronavirus-measures-school/">displeasure over reopening measures</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Nurse in protective gear takes the temperature of a small child" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348720/original/file-20200721-35-wmj61x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Temperature check at Kinugawa Elementary School in Nikko, Japan, June 3, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pupil-has-her-temperature-taken-by-a-school-nurse-at-news-photo/1217222086?adppopup=true">Carl Court/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Uruguay: A+ for safety</h2>
<p>Analysts credit Uruguay’s <a href="https://www.wlrn.org/post/small-uruguay-big-proof-committing-public-health-can-contain-covid-19#stream/0">well-organized and efficient public health system</a> and Uruguyans’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/uruguay-quietly-beats-coronavirus-distinguishing-itself-from-its-south-american-neighbors-yet-again-140037">strong faith in government</a> for its success stopping the coronavirus. The progressive South American country of 3.4 million has the region’s <a href="https://www.wlrn.org/post/small-uruguay-big-proof-committing-public-health-can-contain-covid-19#stream/0">lowest rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths</a>, and it never shut down its economy entirely. </p>
<p>Uruguay was one of the Western Hemisphere’s first countries to send its students back to school, using a <a href="https://blogs.iadb.org/educacion/en/uruguayreopening/">staged approach</a>. </p>
<p>In late April, Uruguay <a href="https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/gobierno-anuncio-que-el-22-de-abril-se-pueden-retomar-las-clases-en-973-escuelas-rurales-202048204622">reopened schools in rural areas</a>, where the student population is small. In early June, it brought vulnerable student groups, which were <a href="https://blogs.iadb.org/educacion/en/uruguayreopening/">struggling to access online learning</a>, and high school seniors back into classrooms. Then all students in non-urban areas went back to classrooms. </p>
<p>Finally, on June 29, <a href="https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2020/06/29/uruguay-completa-la-reapertura-de-las-escuelas-256-mil-alumnos-vuelven-a-clase-en-montevideo/">256,000 students in the capital of Montevideo</a> returned to school. An <a href="https://labs.ebanx.com/en/notes/uruguay-one-of-the-first-in-the-americas-to-reopen-schools/">alternating schedule</a> of in-person and virtual instruction reduces the number of students in classrooms at one time. </p>
<p>Uruguay is notable for residents’ <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-30/in-midst-of-covid-chaos-one-latin-american-nation-gets-it-right">consistent and early adoption of measures</a> like social distancing and masks. Its successful pandemic response comes despite its <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-30/in-midst-of-covid-chaos-one-latin-american-nation-gets-it-right">proximity to hard-hit Brazil</a>, where schools remain closed.</p>
<h2>Final grades</h2>
<p>There is no perfect way to reopen schools during a pandemic. Even when a country has COVID-19 under control, there’s no guarantee that schools can reopen safely.</p>
<p>But the policies and practices of countries that have had some initial success with schools point in the same direction. It helps to slowly stage the reopening. Strict mask wearing and social distancing is critical, both in schools and surrounding communities. And both officials and families need <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/puar.13252">reliable and up-to-date data</a> so that they can continually assess outbreaks – and change course quickly if necessary.</p>
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<p>That complicates school reopenings in the U.S., with its <a href="https://theconversation.com/experts-agree-that-trumps-coronavirus-response-was-poor-but-the-us-was-ill-prepared-in-the-first-place-133674">soaring COVID-19 cases</a>, limited testing capacity and decentralized education system. Most countries have national education systems. In the U.S., school officials in all 50 states must sort through the same <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/us/politics/trump-accuses-media-democrats-coronavirus.html">politicized messaging</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-numbers-confusing-you-heres-how-to-make-sense-of-them-142624">confusing data</a> as everyone else to make their own decisions about whether, when and how to welcome back students.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142706/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Bob Spires does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Nearly every country in the world shuttered its schools due to COVID-19. Now, from Israel to Uruguay, many students are back in class, with varying degrees of success.Bob Spires, Assistant Professor of Education, University of RichmondLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1428242020-07-16T10:11:05Z2020-07-16T10:11:05ZUniversities are cutting hundreds of jobs – they, and the government, can do better<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/347867/original/file-20200716-19-bf5on5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/melbourne-australia-august-2-2015-hargraveandrew-302819324">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Monash University will <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/monash-university-to-slash-nearly-300-jobs-as-higher-education-sector-battles/news-story/45b3b0fe1868a52c6132a06b35016a45">reportedly cut 277 jobs</a> by the end of the year, due to projecting a more than A$300 million financial shortfall caused by COVID-19. It comes after the vice chancellor of another Group of Eight university, UNSW, Ian Jacobs, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/15/university-of-new-south-wales-to-cut-493-jobs-and-merge-faculties">announced on Wednesday</a> the university would cut 493 jobs. </p>
<p>These announcements are the latest in a long line of cuts to university workers’ pay, conditions and job losses across the country in recent months. In May, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/universities-urged-to-bring-back-international-students-as-researchers-face-huge-job-losses-20200520-p54usd.html">Universities Australia projected 21,000 job</a> losses in the next six months, with more to go after that. The <a href="https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/media-item/covid-19-to-cost-universities-16-billion-by-2023/">group’s modelling</a> shows Australia’s universities could lose $16 billion in revenue between now and 2023, largely due to the loss of international student enrolments.</p>
<p>University staff have borne the brunt of this funding crisis. The government has not increased funding for the higher education sector, and excluded public universities from the JobKeeper scheme.</p>
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<p>University after university has sacked casual staff – which <a href="https://theconversation.com/casual-academics-arent-going-anywhere-so-what-can-universities-do-to-ensure-learning-isnt-affected-113567">make up up to 70% of teaching staff</a> at some universities — and declined to extend the contracts of fixed-term staff. While the cuts at UNSW include full time staff, in April, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/this-is-not-a-one-off-hit-sydney-universities-cut-courses-and-casual-staff-20200423-p54mmy.html">around one-third of casuals</a> at the university had reported having lost work.</p>
<p>La Trobe and RMIT university had <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/very-big-hit-indeed-rmit-and-la-trobe-cut-hundreds-of-casual-staff-20200417-p54kvl.html">let go of hundreds of casual “non-essential” staff</a> in the same month.</p>
<p>Casual jobs lost run into the thousands nationwide, but the full extent of losses is unknown. Casual staff are flexible labour, so reliable statistics are not kept. An idea of the scale can be garnered by La Trobe vice chancellor John Dewar’s statement <a href="https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/university-staff-pressuring-government-in-a-fight-for-their-jobs,13895">A$7 million had been saved at his institution</a> by cutting casual jobs.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-australian-government-letting-universities-suffer-138514">Why is the Australian government letting universities suffer?</a>
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<h2>What about the union deal?</h2>
<p>The context for industrial relations in universities is the National Tertiary Education Union’s (NTEU) <a href="https://www.nteu.org.au/covid-19/jobs_protection_framework">National Jobs Protection Framework</a> — an agreement negotiated between the NTEU national leadership and a representative group of four university vice chancellors in March this year.</p>
<p>The premise of the deal was ask some staff to take wage cuts and pay freezes in return for saving some jobs. </p>
<p>Category A universities could implement cuts of up to 10%. Category B universities – those most affected by revenue reduction – could cut some staff’s pay by up to 15%. Category C comprises the small number of universities hardly affected financially by COVID-19, who would not make changes. Clauses requiring consultation before major restructures in existing enterprise agreements would be severely weakened. Union officials estimated 90% of universities would fall into Category A or B.</p>
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<p>This controversial plan sparked a civil war in the union, and was withdrawn on May 26, having been released less than two weeks earlier. </p>
<p>Staff meetings, including branch committees and members’ meetings, in around 15 universities voted against the concessions in the framework. In the end only four (Charles Sturt, Monash, UWA and La Trobe universities) — out of Australia’s 39 vice chancellors signed up to it.</p>
<p><a href="https://nteufightback.site/">Critics of this strategy</a> argued offering reductions to hard-won pay and conditions showed weakness from the union and would only lead to further attacks on conditions by the universities. They said the wage cuts were unnecessary, and pointed to the vague nature of the job protections. Instead they advocated a political and industrial campaign by the union to defend members’ pay and conditions and demand the government fully fund the industry. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-70-of-academics-at-some-universities-are-casuals-theyre-losing-work-and-are-cut-out-of-jobkeeper-137778">More than 70% of academics at some universities are casuals. They're losing work and are cut out of JobKeeper</a>
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<p>Since then, agreements based on, or similar to the union’s framework, have gone through on a number of campuses, supported by the NTEU leadership. </p>
<p>La Trobe University’s amended enterprise agreement allows for pay reductions of up 10%.* This is $135 per fortnight for those on the median full-time wage of $65,000. Shortly after the all-staff vote and despite 239 voluntary redundancies, La Trobe announced it was looking at 215-415 forced redundancies later in the year.</p>
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<p>This indicates there is no guarantee that voting to support cuts to wages and conditions will prevent job losses. </p>
<h2>Staff don’t have to pay for crisis</h2>
<p>At the University of Western Australia, a combination of compulsory taking of unpaid leave and pay cuts means staff will have almost 10% less in their pockets. Monash University, the Western Sydney University and the University of Tasmania have also seen union-management schemes which reduce staff pay. And, as we have seen, Monash will be slashing jobs anyway. Although vice chancellor Margaret Gardner says they have managed to save 190 of them.</p>
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<p>Hundreds of job losses have also been announced at <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-29/jobs-axed-from-cq-university-during-coronavirus-pandemic/12297822">Central Queensland University</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-17/southern-cross-university-vice-chancellor/12364410">Southern Cross University</a> and <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/deakin-uni-to-shed-300-jobs-as-tertiary-sector-s-covid-19-woes-grow-20200525-p54w5a.html#:%7E:text=Deakin%20University%20will%20cut%20400,million%20in%20revenue%20next%20year.">Deakin University</a>. The picture is bleak. But it is by rejecting the notion only staff pay and conditions are the flexible factors in the equation —and being prepared to campaign against university administrations and governments on this basis — that the sector can be improved for staff, students and the public. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-is-making-job-ready-degrees-cheaper-for-students-but-cutting-funding-to-the-same-courses-141280">The government is making ‘job-ready’ degrees cheaper for students – but cutting funding to the same courses</a>
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<p>Universities have financial resources — property, bequests and philanthropic funds and access to lines of credit — they can access rather than forcing staff to sacrifice pay and conditions, or lose their jobs. The notion of public education as a public good must be re-asserted, especially in the face of the government’s unfavourable stance towards universities. </p>
<p>By staff rejecting concessions on pay and conditions, fighting for every job, and organising towards industrial action in next year’s bargaining round, they can start to put pressure on universities to treat them better, and the government to increase funding.</p>
<p><em>*Editor’s note: This figure has been amended since publication to show the correct number of 10%.</em></p>
<p><em>Kaye Broadbent was a casual academic at Central Queensland University until she lost her job in a recent round of cuts. She co-authored this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142824/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kaye Broadbent co-authored this article. Both her and Alexis Vassiley are members of the NTEU. Alexis is a member of the Socialist Alternative.</span></em></p>Universities have financial resources — property, bequests and philanthropic funds, and access to lines of credit — they can access rather than forcing staff to sacrifice their jobs.Alexis Vassiley, PhD candidate, School of Management, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1415102020-07-03T12:25:27Z2020-07-03T12:25:27ZNearly 3 in 4 US moms were in the workforce before the COVID-19 pandemic – is that changing?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/344882/original/file-20200630-103673-wt7sen.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5250%2C2621&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Schooling at home is hard for all parents, including teleworkers.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/sarah-yunits-checks-her-daugher-adas-homework-while-cora-news-photo/1207811290">Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center zoomable">
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<p>Millions of American families are finding themselves in a jam, with their jobs requiring them to <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/some-americans-who-got-laid-off-are-going-back-to-work-heres-which-sectors-are-rehiring-2020-06-08">return to work on site</a> and <a href="https://www.opb.org/news/article/risks-costs-and-goals-summer-school-face-to-face-oregon-covid-coronavirus/">plans from their local school districts</a> calling for children to spend less time in classrooms. At the same time, <a href="https://www.americanactionforum.org/insight/childcare-and-returning-to-work/">child care</a> is becoming less available and, in many cases, more costly.</p>
<p>Many working parents with young or school-age children may have to quit their job to stay home as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. As a sociologist who studies <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Jc-a1IwAAAAJ&hl=en">parenthood, gender and labor market inequality</a>, I expect that more women than men will <a href="https://voxeu.org/article/impact-coronavirus-pandemic-gender-equality">leave their jobs</a>.</p>
<p>In 2019 – before this new disease upended life as we know it – <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/famee.htm">72% of all U.S. women with children under 18 were working or looking for work</a>, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The situation was very similar for mothers with spouses and those without them: 70% versus 77%. With nearly all married fathers employed or looking for work, in <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/famee.htm">64% of families with two parents</a> both were breadwinners.</p>
<h2>Distance learning</h2>
<p>Most school systems switched to <a href="https://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/map-coronavirus-and-school-closures.html">distance-learning models</a> in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-kids-and-school-closings-a-public-health-expert-answers-4-questions-133425">final months of the 2019-2020 school year</a> due to COVID-19 concerns.</p>
<p>Tentative plans for an adapted 2020-2021 school year schedule generally include measures to reduce COVID-19 risks. These proposals aim to make it easier for students, educators and other staff to constantly <a href="https://theconversation.com/school-buildings-need-more-space-to-safely-reopen-138401">stay several feet apart from one another</a> while meeting as many needs as possible for a wide range of kids.</p>
<p>Most of the plans I’ve reviewed so far, whether in <a href="https://www.fox23.com/news/local/tulsa-public-schools-board-release-2020-2021-school-calendar-options/65D2JU3VHFDJFFICBIYW73RFLU/">Oklahoma</a>, <a href="https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/madison-schools-to-take-hybrid-approach-to-reopening-in-fall-as-state-releases-guidance/article_b057a5c9-e4de-5daf-b763-f771016b9742.html">Wisconsin</a>, <a href="https://calmatters.org/education/2020/06/california-schools-fall-reopening-plan-k-12/">California</a> or elsewhere, combine <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/education-53014105">in-person and distance schooling</a>.</p>
<p>I’m lucky that my children are old enough to be able to learn relatively independently. One is entering high school and the other will soon be a college freshman. My husband and I also have <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/29/metro/umass-amherst-classes-will-be-mostly-remote-students-can-choose-return-campus/?s_campaign=breakingnews:newsletter">university jobs</a> that allow us to telework at least part of the time. But not all parents have this kind of flexibility. I have colleagues looking into enrolling their children in private schools out of concern about <a href="https://www.gazettenet.com/What-will-school-look-like-in-the-fall-34779750">proposed student schedules</a> in our <a href="https://www.gazettenet.com/What-will-school-look-like-in-the-fall-34779750">western Massachusetts</a> community.</p>
<p>The ability to telework makes it at least feasible to keep an eye on children on weekdays. This is an option for only <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2020/article/ability-to-work-from-home.htm">43% of all workers</a> – with the college-educated more able than others to take advantage of it. Even <a href="https://theconversation.com/without-child-care-work-and-family-are-impossible-137340">full-time teleworking parents</a> find it hard to have their kids at home when they need to be available around the clock for feeding, caring for and helping their children learn.</p>
<h2>Day care</h2>
<p>These issues are more challenging for parents of babies and very young children, who need even more attention, partly because <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/health/preschools-child-care-closing-pandemic-wellness/index.html">spaces in child care centers</a> were already hard to come by. Before the pandemic, U.S. families already struggled with <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-child-care-costs-more-than-college-tuition-and-how-to-make-it-more-affordable-92396">child care costs</a>. Adapting child care for social distancing means that labor and overhead costs for child care providers are rising as parents’ earnings are generally stagnant or falling.</p>
<p>What I haven’t yet seen is any explanation of how working parents might ensure that their children are OK at home, while they also need to hold down a job that requires their presence elsewhere. There’s no easy answer to this question: Are parents more negligent if they leave their children to go to work, or if they lose their job and cannot afford to feed, clothe and shelter their kids?</p>
<p>Even once a vaccine is discovered, I believe the U.S. urgently needs to transform its <a href="https://caseforchildcare.org/2020CaseForChildCare.pdf">child care</a> and educational systems to better recognize the central role they play in an economy that relies so heavily on working parents.</p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141510/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joya Misra has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. </span></em></p>In about two in three US families with two parents, both are working or looking for a job. That makes caring for kids when schools and day care providers are closed hard if not impossible.Joya Misra, Professor of Sociology & Public Policy, UMass AmherstLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.