Remote learning could open ‘Pandora’s Box’ for online education
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CUNY Law School students have shifted to remote learning during the COVID-19 shutdown. Eagle file photo by Rachel Vick
By Rachel Vick
As law school hopefuls, lawyers-to-be and students across the state shift to remote learning during COVID-19 closures and cancellations, one test prep expert sees a silver lining for the future of online education.
“Remote education could be the ability to have a webinar, a video conference, but that’s nothing new, we could've done that 10 years ago with skype,” said Mehran Ebadolahi, the founder of law exam prep app TestMax. “We’re seeing everyone just transition the class element to zoom or some similar webinar, but there’s so much more”
School closures have forced students and educators at all levels to reassess education models, but many have yet to lean into the untapped potential of online learning, Ebadolahi said.
Remote learning could foster equity for students, including people juggling full-time jobs, or students with disabilities, he added. The programs could also be tailored to meet specific students’ needs rather than impose a one-size-fits-all structure.
“The personalization that can come from technology, the data,” Ebadolahi said. “We live in a world of data but for some reason we’ve ignored data when it comes to student performance in education.”
“Now, you can have a system that as you progress it tracks you, highlights your strengths, your weakness, and allows you to customize your preference — your study time — to focus on things you're not strong at while ignoring things you are, and that allows you to be so much more efficient.” he added
Though the persistent emphasis on brick-and-mortar learning is antiquated, the benefit of discussion should not be underwritten for less straightforward concepts, said Ebadolahi.
Ebadolahi said eventually, online learning will replace the traditional classroom format.
“I think it’s opening Pandora's box — you will never see a return; it’s like Blockbuster Video,” he said, referring to he video rental chain killed by streaming video services and DVR.
Nevertheless, obstacles to online learning persist for millions of New Yorkers, particularly in parts of Queens.
The digital divide, the term for disparities in internet access based on income-level, is evident in Southeast Queens, where 43 percent of Jamaica, Hollis and St. Albans residents lack internet access.
“It's only heightening the disparity between those who have resources and those who don’t,” said Ebadolahi.
