South Sudan: Changing Behaviors and Adapt Online Learning Program in the Time of COVID-19

By Ustaz John Garang Ayii Riak, China

Sunday, April 19, 2020 (PW) — The COVID-19 has brought a lot of destructions and suffering in all dimensions of life such as social, economic, and political aspects and everything became standstill due to the massive lockdowns teaching and learning are included. The COVID-19 has brought everything to cessation both public and private sectors all over the world. The WHO declared that to stay home and avoid large gatherings must be observed in order to curb the wide spread of the disease.

Nowadays, growing numbers of primary schools, colleges and universities in many countries are temporarily closed down their face-to-face classes to deal with the impact of the COVID-19, as well as other facilities and these some of preventive measures to control the Coronavirus Pandemic. This lockdown is unpredictable because no one knows the exactly time when the disease will disappear and when the lockdowns will be lifted out. As a teacher and concerned citizen of South Sudan, I am concerned with this long closure of educational institutions and this may create the gap in the 2020/ 2021 academic year, because students may be prompted to high rate dropout from schools due to prolong closure of schools because a proverb say that, “idle mind is a devil workshop.”

Distance and Online Learning Programs

Therefore, I am kindly appealing to our National Minister of Higher Education and I equally urge the National Minister for General Education and Instructions to issue decree to re-open all the educational institutions online and all the educational learning materials should be delivered through online learning program for time being until we see things are okay. I also appeal to the  teachers and students to change their behaviors toward teaching and learning styles during the time of the COVID-19 because the duration of pandemic is not known how long will it continue to spread, so it is not good to wait until the departure of the disease because “education cannot wait despite horrifying sufferings and threats triggered by the COVID-19.” The online studies should be opened and teachers should also encourage students to acquire electronic devices and adopt to online programs in order to avoid creation of education’s gap, so that we may stumble just a little bit less during the COVID-19, so we can continue with teaching and learning processes and “no child is left behind” in the times of uncertainty. However, waiting for the right time will not help, but time cannot wait us and time lost cannot be regained.

Current Situation of Internationalization and Globalization of Education

In February this year, David Atchoarena, Director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, reviewed the education process during the COVID-19 and he discovered that most of the 193 members of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) are facing numerous challenges because of the COVID-19. He recommended that online learning should be taken as an optional way of lifelong learning in response to the current disaster in the cities and countries affected by the COVID-19 to avoid the wasting of time. For instance, in the UNESCO learning city of Wuhan of Hubei Province in China, the first epicenter of the COVID-19 in the world and Shanghai Province and Zhejiang Cities in China, more than a million primary and secondary students are now participating in online classes since February this year. According to the UNESCO learning City of Oscan in the Republic of Korea and Turin City in Italy has functioned hard to assist its schools with the systematic change from a traditional face-to-face learning method to deliver all the learning activities through online learning choices. The UNESCO learning city of Kashan in Iran had also adopted this system with slogan which says, “Every Home – A Health Base and Every Home – is An Education Center.” These cities have turned all the topics of academic continuity plans into online options as the nation continues to continue fighting against the COVID-19. These online studies were not on the agenda some years ago, but now, educators have changed the way of teaching styles to adapt to the current situation that has been activated by the disease to speed up with the provision of educational services at this time to avoid the gaps that might have been created by the COVID-19.

“But the question is how to reach those with little or no internet access at home? And how to monitor and assess learning outcomes at the time of COVID-19?”

Based on my experience as a student in time of the COVID-19 crisis to answer the above questions the following are the responses are the answers for the aforementioned questions. First; a teacher should email his or her students to remind them that he is still there for them and tell them how he is shifting his schedules from traditional way of face-to-face teaching to online method to deal with the new situation and that change is part of life. Humanize yourself and make it casual and lighthearted. For example, you might talk about how they can learn, read and do assignments on the lesions you decided to teach them and let them acquire electronic devices.

To add on; reflect on the notion of consistency and continue to challenge and support your students, as instructors, we should frequently balance rigor and support, and this situation might be one where students will need more support than rigor and give them precise notes. I say this because I worry that some of us may fixate them with the materials presented. So we must consider the psychological level of our learners at this juncture. To move on; repeat some of the lessons you taught in class, especially for those students who are missing the classroom environment, this will probably help activate their memory of being part of the group and remind them that they are still part of one and in your email say that, remember I told you so and so…”

Furthermore, use hopeful and optimistic language, such as, “When you come back to this class”, calls on a class whether you meet on a computer or phone. This will help students look forward to coming back to the online class or forum. In addition; offer students an opportunity to exchange their emails and phone contacts and, for those who are interested, help them create a WhatsApp, WeChat, and skype, Twitter, or IMO groups. To add on the list, don’t ignore the lion in the room. If possible, talk about the COVID-19 and fear that it is deadly and it’s has no cure. But later on give them courage that many are healed. This is an opportunity for you to remind your students to consider the sources of their news and to beware of the large amount of misinformation. Besides that, remember that students have left behind more than just their classes and academics. On both residential and computer campuses, there are important spaces where students meet and talk about their nonacademic lives, sports, upcoming concerts, recently discovered shows and so on. Consider creating a group discussion board for them to share what is happening in their lives, especially given the stress, fear and strains in these uncertain times.

In spites of the above, let your students know that you are there for them and if they need help to reach out to you. Let them know that you are the hope for counselling or mental health expert that can help them should they need to speak to someone. Lastly, ask each of your students how you can help them? Likewise, in times of uncertainties, we can create a space where our students’ voice and insights can illuminate the path we are carving out for them.” So we need to guide our learners on online studies because we all know that everything has got both advantages and disadvantages and online learning has more advantages than disadvantages.

Advantages of online learning program

First and foremost, online studies save times; you do not drive or take a taxi to class. It helps you to save time, which you invest in online learning and any other task that needs your attention. Secondly, you can learn from anyway on the globallyand this kind of learning allows you to participate from wherever in any part of the world. One can learn from the workplace during your break or at home. To add on, it is convenient because the traditional classroom setting is boring at times. Worse, even, you may not have time to get to class. Online studies let you to study straight on your bed, as long as you know the comfortable. You learn from a place you are comfortable with, whenever you want to do so. To move on; it’s reduce the fact that you learn from wherever you are and your means there cost no fuel or transport fee. This helps you changed on costs especially if you have insufficient budget.

To add on the list, it is less tiring and boring. Getting on the bus every morning and evening is tiring with time. You do not need to go anywhere as long you have internet in your dwelling place. To move on, Learning Materials are readily available because all learning resources are accessible anytime online. With apps such as google ezTalks, you can even record learning sessions for future reference. Besides the above, online learning provides resources in soft copy which are very fast and easy to share. You can always share with friends who need them. It is just to email or use whatever sharing application you find fitting. To further this, online reaches a wider audience and this is for those creating online learning posts such as uploading videos on YouTube. Such learning platforms enable a content creator reach as many people as possible all over the world. This interprets to more cash to promote the learning program. It’s also supports flexible schedules,if you are the busy type yet you want to add value to your resume, online programs will be great for you. They are not set for any specific time, so you can take them whenever you have the time. Last, but not less, its offers a variety of courses on one platform, online studies are found at one place on the internet. It is a matter of searching for the course you want online, applying for it and starting to enrich your knowledge base. Some learning avenues are absolutely free. All you need is an internet connection. Finally; its builds a learner’s character, online learning calls for discipline, dedication, and punctuality. With online learning, your personal character is the key to success.

It helps you be a self-driven person with great time conscious skills and it is the best method.

Disadvantages of Online Learning styles include:

To beginwith,when there is a problem with your internet system, online learning is impossible. There is nothing you can do because slow connections are even worse. Secondly, learning from a website, blog or whichever online platform needs you to understand online technology. It is not matter of knowing how to turn on the computer and getting to the website. You need to know how to circumnavigate the screen. This is simple for students who are often on net on different websites. They will come up on how to move around app, task or text. Without such skills, online learning becomes stressful. To move on;learning in a physical classroom is interesting and more involving as human interaction is present. There are classmates to connect with and an instructor to consult for immediate feedback. This is not possible with online learning.

To add on the list,there are courses that need many practical sessions such as surgery, medicine, and the sciences. You can need a laboratory, which online learnings cannot give. Apart from the above mentioned;if you are the lazy type or have a genetic laziness, never punctual and love postponing tasks, online learning will be a waste of time and money, because there is no tutor to follow you up. Lastly, online learning is a growing and exciting new way to learn about almost anything. If there is an option you have always needed to do or a skill you have always needed to learn, but you have not had the time to attend the traditional class of face-to-face method or there hasn’t been an opportunity near you, then online learning might be your answer. Online learning is often considered to be a normal part of working and personal life. We no longer have a choice: we need a fundamental change in all dimensions and the time is now to make a change.

In conclusion, online learning is advantageous to the learners, instructors and the institution providing these education services. Therefore, I recommend that South Sudanese National Minister for Higher Education should come up with Ministerial Decree to promote online studies in all learning institutions right from ECD to Tertiary Institutions for higher learning levels and research on how to advance and continue with learning process during the COVID19 because this is the system the entire world is using now and we are part of the world that has been affected by the COVID-19 and we should not remain behind the world or wait for the right time, education cannot wait despite horrifying sufferings and threats triggered by the COVID-19.

The author, Ustaz John Garang Ayii Riak, is an Assistant Lecturer at Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and technology, Bor Town, Jonglei State, South Sudan and Former Tutor of Windle Trust International, Former Education Project Officer World Vision and Former Education Project Assistant Plan International and Former Deputy Director for Resolutions and Follow Up, Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, Jonglei State, and A Master’s Degree Student on a Comparative Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. Can be reached at (johngayii2014@gmail.com)

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