2024 Volume 46 Issue 1 Pages 25-26
This is the final symposium for the three-year research project “Possibilities for Higher Education in COVID-19: Target, Methods and Contents,” and it consists of two subthemes. It was started in 2021 in response to the coronavirus outbreak, but in May of 2023, we moved into the post-corona era. In response to this, for subtheme #1, we conducted a survey of university faculty among members of our Society regarding their educational activities during and after the coronavirus. We reported the main results at the symposium. For subtheme #2, we summarized our three years of activities, and presented the “Learning Environment Design Book” available for use in the post-corona era.
As a part of the conclusion of the research project, we organized a framework for linking and integrating the two subthemes. The major research results were summarized into four points: the spread and reduction of online education, evaluation of the learning environment, the possibilities of online education, and the advancement of face-to-face and online synchronous education.
The coronavirus pandemic has left a variety of impacts on universities. Students may have suffered inadequate learning due to poorly prepared online education. In Japan, a return to face-to-face education has become mainstream, and the use of online meetings and learning management systems have become widespread. On the other hand, there are cases overseas where the use of online education is being promoted. There are pros and cons to both; and future consideration is required.
