With tens of millions of students across the world forced to stay home from school, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the technological tools and services available to ensure that students don’t miss a beat in their learning. This article published by Forbes describes the educational and technological innovations the pandemic has brought to light. The transition to digital-based learning has had different impacts on institutions and communities with varying socioeconomic statuses. For instance, university students have had access to advanced and interactive online resources for at least a decade. Primary and secondary education has lacked these innovative resources, unless you live in a community or state, like Florida, who has incorporated digital learning into classrooms for the past 23 years. Similarly, New Jersey began considering legislation to allow school districts to “to use remote or virtual education in emergency situations such as a coronavirus outbreak that would require facilities to be shuttered for more than three days.” On the international level, Italy has stepped up their march in education innovation, where they have developed and provided digital products for the country, ultimately ensuring that remote learning was possible for all of its students. Artificial intelligence is also demonstrating its power and significant contribution to remote learning settings. Simply put, technology has changed the role the teacher plays, as there are online apps for just about anything in education. Rather than teachers providing direct support and guidance, these innovations put the learner in charge of their own education. Ultimately, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased use of technology and new innovations has allowed students across the globe to continue their educational experiences and created a forum for future learning.
