Time for Action in Shaping HE 4.0

Life and education in pandemic is going on, after a year now we have gained significant experience, offered numerous researches and analysis, reflected on steps taken. We know what we could have done better, we have ideas on how to do better, how to reset the education for the digital age and now it is time for action. In this new series of EDEN webinar #onlinetogether our aim is to provide insight and advice on how to make those needed changes, to move forward and shape higher education for today and tomorrow. Although  we are all looking forward to return to the time before pandemic, we have to be aware that gained experience and knowhow has showed us that technology is the integral part of the education and that with its appropriate and well planned integration we can provide education of higher quality and better designed for the needs of our students. The aim of these webinars is to support the education community worldwide and provide practice-oriented advice combining methodology and technology, examples and resources, to those faced with the challenges of taking present educational practice on a higher level.

EDEN webinar series: Education in time of a new normal

After the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic this spring, we were faced with a physical lockdown as well as education having to move fully online. When the pandemic first hit, EDEN promptly responded with the #onlinetogether Education in time of a pandemic initiative, gathering the EDEN and global education community together in order to share, to discuss, and to engage with each other, forming a strong alliance in support of educators worldwide in their pivot to online learning. EDEN has moved forward with a follow-on autumn initiative of webinars “Education in time of new normal”. In addition, EDEN has joined UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition #LerningNeverStops to help in facilitating inclusive learning opportunities for children and youth during this challenging period. The #onlinetogether webinar series have already provided six webinars on this current and intriguing topic, including a special edition webinar on the newly adopted Digital Education Action Plan of the European Commission to address the challenges arising from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the longer-term digital transformation.

EDEN webinar series: Education in time of a pandemic #onlinetogether #covid19

For the last three, four months we have all become much more aware of uncertainty and the impossibility to control the events impacting our lives. We are slowly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, from the lockdown, from working, teaching and learning from home. Such situations and changes affect us all, and it is not easy to adapt to new situations. However, what has been the most memorable part of these challenging times has been the support of and collaboration with friends and colleagues, as well as people whom we do not know personally.

To address these questions and many others, EDEN rolled out a series of practical webinars on how to take face-to-face education online. These webinars focused on the day-to-day challenges our teachers and educators face and move on to consider other, broader institutional aspects. These #onlinetogether #covid19 webinars were especially developed for these uncertain times, featuring experts and experienced practitioners within the field of open, distance, and e-learning. These weekly, one-hour webinar sessions were held every Monday, starting on March 30, 2020. Eleven webinars with 35 speakers and moderators – experts and experienced practitioners within the field of open, distance, and e-learning – gathered more than 3500 participants from all over the world. This initiative confirmed the need for collaboration, for sharing and networking within the education community. This is why EDEN plans continuation of this initiative for the autumn, further focusing on the issues confronting education in the time after pandemic.