Massification of Online Education: A Holistic Strategy

Abstract

Before 2020, online learning has not been very popular in Slovakia (see Table 1). Online courses were quite exceptional at most universities and factually non-existing at lower levels of schools. When the pandemic locked them down, they faced a shock because they have virtually no experience and had to improvise. This learned them about the importance of online education as a replacement for classroom education. During the short period (March-June 2020), they gained some positive results and experience. Nevertheless, many of their educational practices have not been coordinated and standardized; they still suffer from being far from an optimum. For years, the authors were educators at the sole Slovak university with a long-term strategy of online education. Every course has its online partner and all students can select between its online and on-site format. Such education has been demanding due to its necessity to develop and to perform both “soft” and “hard” teaching methodologies and practices. At the same time, in times of the pandemic they proved their value. Below we outline a strategy, which can be used for reaching a similar goal. We point to a variety of factors: the organization of the work, design and development of courses, staff development, teachers' personality, their knowledge, specific skills and expected experience. It guarantees the sustainability of top-quality teaching and learning. Another our aim is to demonstrate that such a holistic approach can lead to a global change in the Slovak educational system - to Open Education. For years, the authors were educators at the sole Slovak university with a long-term strategy of online education. Every course has its online partner and all students can select between its online and on-site format. Such education has been demanding due to its necessity to develop and to perform both “soft” and “hard” teaching methodologies and practices. At the same time, in times of the pandemic they proved their value. Below we outline a strategy, which can be used for reaching a similar goal. We point to a variety of factors: the organization of the work, design and development of courses, staff development, teachers' personality, their knowledge, specific skills and expected experience. It guarantees the sustainability of top-quality teaching and learning. Another our aim is to demonstrate that such a holistic approach can lead to a global change in the Slovak educational system - to Open Education. Below we outline a strategy, which can be used for reaching a similar goal. We point to a variety of factors: the organization of the work, design and development of courses, staff development, teachers' personality, their knowledge, specific skills and expected experience. It guarantees the sustainability of top-quality teaching and learning. Another our aim is to demonstrate that such a holistic approach can lead to a global change in the Slovak educational system - to Open Education.