Education - Issue #158 - Impact of the Pandemic

As colleges and universities saw enrollments decrease during the pandemic, some of them reached out to former students who had left without completing their degrees, offering incentives such as reduced fees and extra support to encourage them to re-enroll. For those who may have lost jobs or are seeking new jobs as a result of the pandemic, completing a college degree could be especially timely, and the wider availability of virtual learning makes it easier than ever for some students to complete their degrees.

With remote learning now mainstream, investors are hungry for opportunities in edtech, and educators are enthusiastic about its potential to boost learning around the world. But some experts stress that edtech is no magic bullet, and warn that it could risk damaging educational outcomes and entrenching inequality.

As schools have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year, reliance on education technology (EdTech) has increased. For many, it’s been a lifeline - helping with remote teaching and assessment, or connecting children with friends and support - but not all children’s experience of the pandemic and remote learning have been equal.

The 2020 ASU+GSV was one of the first major edtech events to be postponed or cancelled because of the COVID pandemic. Now it is the first to return. In this episode, Co-founder Deborah Quazzo reflects on the incredible struggles of the past 18 months and points to more positive predictions moving forward.