COVID-19: A Review of Challenges to Learning Institutions Worldwide - Essay Sample

Introduction

Learning institutions are bound with numerous challenges that affect the learning process, leading to achieving the primary objective of the country's educational system. Based on the current situation, coronavirus pandemic has halted learning activities across the globe as a result of quarantine, curfew, and lockdown as means of containing the virus in most countries across the world, leading to a standstill of learning activities. The primary this paper is a review article based on current issues, dilemmas, trends, and challenges affecting higher education.

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Higher education is the main driving force in modern society globally based on its primary objective of establishing and finding solutions towards problems and challenges affecting the community. It promotes and develops quality living standards by supporting the learning process and knowledge through the formulation and implementation of credible and outstanding strategic measures to solve problems within the social system. Regardless of the tremendous contribution of higher education systems such as Universities, colleges, and technical institutions, they are dealt with dangerous predicament and dilemmas that jeopardize the learning process.

The research article by Allaire in 2018 established five major current issues comprising rising cost, declining completion rates, increased privation of public institutions, ever-evolving methods of teaching, learning, curricula, and the primary role of Universities, campus civility, and free speech. Most of these current issues are interrelated but affects higher education differently.

The rising cost of education is one of the significant constraints jeopardizing learning activities in higher education in the United States. It is not easy to establish stable ground that considers the financial status and capacity of learners and benefits of the learning institutions. In most cases, the value and cost of education are priorities and the most significant factors an individual needs to consider before admission to a given University or college in the United States. The value and cost of education are categorized based on the area of study of which courses such as medicine and engineering are offered at a high cost since the fields are considered as well-paying jobs upon graduation. As a result of these, it subject students to a high amount of loan debt before graduation. According to Allaire (2018), the cost of education rose drastically during the period of recession in 2008 to 2009 compared to today, standing at over 1.5%. Apart from the cost of education rising during the historical period such as great recession years, cost balancing against tax and grant aid benefits is causing the cost of education in higher learning to become more expensive than during recession years(Allaire,2018).

As a result of the ever-increasing cost of education, it leads to subsequent challenges such as the decline of college and University completion. Allaire argues that less 50% of learners in higher education complete their study within the usual or specified academic period. Undergraduate studies on campus take four years, while Diplomas certificates take less than three years. In some cases, some of the students differ studies or transfer to other colleges to finish their degrees as a result of financial constraints. Tertiary education is a primary mark for most well-paying occupations and opportunities in the United States, and globally. Therefore, learners who fail to complete their tertiary learning fail to secure their dream job or well-paying opportunities to sustain themselves. As society strives to stay out of recession, it is expected that the rate of completion in higher learning will rise. Still, it requires the implementation of policy frameworks that compressively address the issue by considering most of the contributing factors.

Changes in Teaching and learning methods alongside curricula bears a significant challenge in higher education. The current educational system is trying to move away from medieval teaching and learning processes through the development of new curricula that align with current technology to offer higher education through self-guided approaches. Every learning institution is developing its assessment and evaluation methods, leading to the different fee structure and cost of education that limit some of the students from acquiring educational services or completing the program within the required period. Most long-established professionals find it challenging to incorporate new teaching methodologies as stipulated in modern curricula. Besides, learners from deprived social backgrounds fail to complete their studies due to a lack of additional learning materials, especially when they have no access to the internet when E-learning is part of the new curricula.

Privatization of public learning institutions is at an alarming rate in the United States are increasing cost of education alongside the increasing rate of a college dropout. Since the start of the 21st century, the number of government-funded institutions has decreased drastically. The University of California experienced a 37% drop from 1990 to 2004(Allaire,2018). The trend of transition from public to private has maintained its pattern, but most of these institutions do not put public interest into consideration but as individual business interests. According to most scholars and administrators, it has become a significant area of concern since private businesses and investments in higher education do not serve the public good(Allaire,2018).

Conclusion

In conclusion, most of the higher learning institutions experience several challenges that jeopardize the accessibility and credibility of higher education services by the general public. Regardless of the challenges and dilemmas being manifested, higher education is crucial and critical in most well-paying job opportunities.

Reference

Allaire, J. (2018). Five issues facing higher education in 2018. https://www.cornerstone.edu/blogs/lifelong-learning-matters/post/five-issues-facing-higher-education-in-2018