So often in history, a crisis not only had an immediate impact but also created a paradigm shift.  We redefined the government’s role in society as well as our nation’s place in the world.   The Great Depression and World War II led to more consensus-driven policy and trust in institutions. at every level of government and international affairs.   The 9/11 attacks and the Great Recession ultimately led to the opposite.  The Corona Crisis undoubtedly will have long-term significant impact.  One such area is the role of technology in how we deliver traditional public and private sector services.  Discussions around this shift in the use of technology is not some abstract debate or the realm of niche start-ups.  It will impact one of the most contentious issues in New Jersey politics: education.

One cannot mention online educational delivery during the crisis without commending our teachers and their support staff.  Through hard work and creativity, they re-engineered learning from a classroom setting to a completely online delivery on a moment’s notice.  It is out of this quick reaction that new opportunities can rise.

This experience has shown us that learning can be enhanced by integrating online learning more fully into our school systems.  The system can enhance teacher-parent partnerships, provide more individualized learning, and make education more continuous.  The idea is not to move completely to an online system but rather a hybrid system.

This hybrid system would include the elimination of snow days.  No longer will administrators need to have to make judgments on safety based on the unpredictability of weather forecasts.  Classroom time could be extended to after the normal school day.  This would create time for test preparation or additional learning without the need for physical classrooms.  Retention of knowledge over summer break can become easier. Schools can have periodic review sessions during the summer months.  Learning and extracurriculars can evolve into more localized settings.  Students and parents living in the same neighborhood (or household) can choose to work together in group settings and informal classrooms built around online delivery.

This transition is not without obstacles.  Our teachers will require training concerning online educational delivery so that their successful ad-hoc efforts can be formalized and passed along to future cohorts of teachers.  Students would need access to high-speed internet as well as laptops or notebooks.  The emotional, social, and special needs of students also will need to be considered. For some, access to healthy meals and safety would need to be addressed. Finally, privacy and cyber-security would take on an even greater importance.

The focus must now be on protecting lives during this crisis with a robust response to the pandemic.  However, we soon must think about the lessons learned and how we move forward.  The development and funding of hybrid education is one of these areas.  In this new world, the words of Lincoln never rang truer, “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, we must think anew and act anew.”

Joseph Ingemi is a technology consultant living in Atlantic County.  He serves on multiple regional boards and commissions.