The Future of Education Is Emerging Before Our Eyes

To support all teachers and students whose learning has been disrupted amid the pandemic, OpenClassrooms is making its distance learning product available for free. To allow educators and professional trainers to digitally monitor student progress and mastery of key educational objectives.

If you don’t already have a home office space, start by locating an area in your home where you can get your work done. Maybe it’s the dining room table or the couch. Be mindful to choose a place to sit that is good for your back. And wherever you choose, be sure the Wi-Fi connection is strong, that there is good lighting for your eyes, that your computer can be plugged in and that you have a place to keep a drink nearby.

The number of online collaborative apps is staggering. There is no shortage of choice. Here are some of our favourites: 

• For video conferencing opt for Google hangouts , Zoom or good old-fashioned Skype.
• Google Drive and Microsoft one drive allow documents to be shared and worked on simultaneously.
• For managing contracts, consider DocuSign or Concord . Additionally, be mindful of sharing sensitive information by email. 
• App for keeping everyone on task and clear about progress. Some we’ve used here at Openclassrooms include Basecamp.

• The Attack by Yasmina Khadra
• Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City by Julie Wertz
• The Push: A Climber’s Journey of Endurance, Risk and Going Beyond Limits to Climb the Dawn Wale , Tommy Caldwell
• Neal Cassady Collected Letters, 1944–1967 by Neal Cassady
• The Fall by Albert Camus

The current crisis is a turning point not just for Digital education but for the entire education system. It is not to say that everything will switch Online overnight, it is false and not necessarily desirable. It is the future of education that is emerging before our eyes.

Be sure to plan ahead. Each afternoon, look at tomorrow’s schedule to plan your day. First, designate how many hours you intend to spend working on your own and when you will be working collaboratively on calls.

Divide up working blocks throughout the day using the Pomodoro Method for time management. That is, designate blocks of time to work — say from 30 minutes up to 1.5 hours maximum. And schedule breaks in between. Breaks can be as short as 10-minutes or as long as a full lunch break.