Online Learning: The Only Future Scenario of Global Education in Post-COVID Era?

Abstract

The Chapter discusses the preliminary results of the forced transition to ubiquitous online learning in the higher education system during COVID-19 pandemic. The ideology that determines this trend is considered. The increase in the control of both teachers and students by the developers of online learning platforms and possible consequences of such an increase are analysed. In the post-COVID era, it is highly likely that many universities will be looking for suitable forms of supplementing traditional forms of education with distant learning. At the same time, the general trend is a steady growth of online learning (independently of the epidemiological threat) with significant variations across the countries (USA, Australia, Germany and China are analysed). Temporary and longer-term problems associated with the transition to distance learning are considered. The possible wide substitution of conventional courses by the recorded ones is investigated, especially in the virtual reality format, which would allow one to exercise complete control over a student’s personality. Finally, the control of educational activities is discussed, which makes it possible to record any actions and states of all participants in the process. The Chapter is a reaction to the beginning of the process of widespread introduction of online technologies (April 2020) with unfolding COVID-19.

This Chapter is a substantially revised version of my article published in the journal Higher Education in Russia, no. 10 (2020), in Russian.