Working title: The application of technology in response to the Covid pandemic in higher education in China and the UK

Outline:

1. Introduction

– Definition and impact of Covid-19

— The implications of covid-19 for higher education institutions and students in China and the UK and responses to problems students encounter with educational technology.

– To what extent have the application of technology in teaching and learning in the Chinese higher education institutions led to better success in comparison to the UK higher education institutions during the pandemic?

-Aims of the study

2. Definition of key terms

-higher education

-educational technology

3) Main body

3.1 Analysis of general pandemic responses strategies in national education

– China

– UK

3.2. Implementation of educational technology in higher education

– China

-UK

3.3 The challenge of post-pandemic educational technology in China and UK

– Evaluating the challenge for educational technology

– The Importance of Educational Technology during the Pandemic

– Comparing the lack of educational technology between the UK and China

4. Analysing and comparing the extent to which Chinese higher education institutions are more successful than UK higher education institutions in applying educational technology to teaching and learning

5. Conclusion

1. Introduction

More than 150 million people have been impacted by the COVID-19 sickness, which has spread to more than 150 countries and affected more than 1.6 billion students worldwide (Bashir et al., 2021). As a result, some countries have turned to remote learning as a solution to the problem. The initial educational strategy pursued by China and the UK during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was to develop remote learning methods that might be used in the case of a disaster (McCauley, 2021). Many groups, despite their best efforts, were unable to reach all of the learners in different areas. The Covid-19 epidemic has posed obstacles and disrupted the Higher Education industry; university campuses have shuttered, and face-to-face instruction and evaluation has migrated to an online model. With the inclusion of remote and open education models, the higher education industry has grown more competitive. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, university students’ attraction and retention rates have become increasingly more critical in sustaining the conventional university model’s long-term viability, and maintaining high student satisfaction ratings is critical for universities to compete. Students’ future demands in learning, teaching, and evaluations will be shaped by the lessons acquired by universities and learner experiences of distant services during the epidemic, emphasizing the necessity for colleges to focus on their unique selling characteristics in a competitive market.

In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, several higher education institutions in the UK and China were forced to close their doors temporarily. In China and the UK, the extensive damages caused by university closures led to new strategies that initiated the process of transitioning away from in-person instruction. According to the conclusions of Adedoyin and Soykan (2020), it is unlikely that we will be able to return to traditional teaching methodologies in the near future, if ever. “Suspending Classes Without Stopping Learning” was an emergency strategy adopted by millions of Chinese university students in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, which forced colleges and universities across the country to close yet continue to provide learning in newer ways (Bao, 2020). In response to the pandemic, China’s higher education institutions were able to quickly and efficiently use adaptive governance to make education policies that were beneficial to the teaching and learning process. Similarly, the UK responded in a similar fashion, albeit a bit slower due to regulations and a more rigid form of governance and policy making (Oliveira et al., 2021). Following the epidemic, higher education institutions in the United Kingdom were obliged to challenge the system of their functioning, both to save assets in the short term and to develop financial stability for the long term. As a result, a policy of resource preservation (money) and deferment of any/all finance or development obligations was implemented as soon as practicable. In addition, the universities undertook swift cost reduction or deferral, as well as challenging policies, in all areas of spending. These measures are all the opposite of what China did in creating a virtual learning environment by increasing investments in educational technology, employing more professionals, and ensuring that learning remained stable.

The COVID-19 epidemic has had a significant influence on institutions of higher learning worldwide. Universities in the United Kingdom and China have acknowledged the substantial financial issues that lie ahead, signalling a probable loss for the entire sector. Further pressure on funding for research from already-strained public, charity, and commercial sources is expected to put additional strain on already-strained university resources, putting the institutions in a difficult financial position, especially in the use of educational technologies to provide continuity in the learning and teaching realm. Preliminary studies so far indicate that universities in China have adopted well to the new demands brought by the pandemic (Mishra, Gupta, & Shree, 2020), while the UK higher institutions scene is lagging behind in the implementation of policies and funding necessary to stabilize the new learning formats (Burki, 2020). Therefore, the aim of this essay is to examine the extent to which Chinese higher education institutions have been more successful than UK higher education institutions in using educational technology in teaching and learning during the pandemic.

2. Definition of key terms

Higher education includes all educational establishments such as colleges and universities that have been designated as higher education institutions by state authorities include all postsecondary education, training, and research supervision (Wagenaar, 2021).  Even short-term, two- to three-year courses (technical colleges, community colleges, and other technical specialty schools) and communications courses that make use of technology and are aimed at a wide range of students are all included in what a country defines as “higher education,” (Deem, 2020) including not only the activities that take place within traditional universities and graduate programs but also shorter-term, two- to three-year courses. In this case, higher education refers to any of the numerous forms of education provided in postsecondary institutions of learning, with the majority of courses leading to a specified degree, or a diploma certification, or certificate awards for advanced studies at the conclusion of a term of study.

Educational technology has been a critical part in the adaptability of higher education learning in both China and the UK. According to Bond et al. (2020), one of the most widely accepted definitions of educational technology is the reference to the technological instruments and media that aid in communication, knowledge development, and information exchange, among other things. Education technology also includes the theory and practice of devising and implementing novel educational strategies to improve student learning and performance via the use of new technologies, which is a critical issue in the field (Lidolf & Pasco, 2020). A broad category of software and hardware for teaching and learning is referred to as educational technology, and it is rapidly being utilized in colleges and university classrooms. Research from Castañeda and Selwyn (2018) identified that the ultimate purpose of educational technology is to provide students with a better learning environment, hence enabling them to achieve higher academic performance. Students’ participation and interest in class have been shown to rise as a result of this strategy. From the findings of Bozkurt (2020), educational technology can be defined generally as a type of technology that is used to assist students in working together in a hands-on learning setting. Educators may utilize educational technology to develop digital, interactive textbooks, gamify courses, track attendance, assign homework, administer quizzes and assessments, and collect real-time results relevant to the subject matter, style, and format of the course being offered. Traditional education and teaching methods are being challenged by educational technology, which enables both instructors and students to learn in an environment that incorporates now-common electronics such as cellphones, laptops, and tablets. Educational technology is transforming the way people learn and teach.3) Main body

3.1 Analysis of general pandemic responses strategies in national education

A number of government responses to the epidemic have been implemented for both China and the UK, including laws and projects aimed at improving public health as well as the economy, among other things. In order to prevent chaos, ‘lockdowns’ have been enacted, during which businesses, schools, and commercial facilities have been closed and people have been advised to stay at home, with the exception of essential services such as food distribution and medical assistance, which have been made available.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, a large-scale endeavor is ongoing in the United Kingdom and China to harness technology to foster remote learning, distance education, and online learning. COVID-19 has, according to Ma et al. (2021), thrown a lot of industries completely off their game. Education is the only industry in the vast majority of countries that has completed the shift to a web-based learning environment completely. Keeping students in school during epidemic was by far the most successful means of preventing them from dropping out (Puljak et al., 2020). Because of the rapid advancements in technology, it has become vital to bring educational curricula into line with current trends. Students continue to encounter a number of obstacles on their route to achieving their goal of being able to learn at any time and from any location. Over the last two decades, some global institutions have switched their emphasis away from traditional classroom instruction and toward online learning.

A single method for incorporating technology into the classroom does not exist because it is dependent on the kind of technology that are being used at any particular time as well as the content of the curriculum being taught. For this reason, adding technology to the classroom and developing educational materials adds new considerations to the already complex process of education (Sandars et al., 2020). Despite this, the idea that technology integration, learning enhancement, and student engagement are all inextricably intertwined has gained widespread acceptance in recent years. The use of technology is typically assumed as given. While it is not always the case, teachers may experience increased workload pressures as a result of the need to differentiate instruction for each learner within and between cohorts, as they strive to adjust to the specific learning and engagement demands of each cohort in a reactive manner, as opposed to the traditional approach.

Because of lockdowns, social distance, and COVID safe hygiene rules, among other considerations, several higher education institutions around the world are unable to conduct traditional face-to-face course delivery. To avoid being forced to close their doors completely, several educational institutions have been compelled to change their focus to online learning. Individual differences between and within cohorts can be highlighted in collaborative learning activities (group work), highlighting the challenge of applying a “one size fits all” approach to collaborative learning tasks (Kamal et al., 2020). It is common for assumptions about collaborative learning activities to be applied to the online environment, where there is typically a higher emphasis on the task/content and less emphasis on the delivery of information. The result is that an application that is supposed to be universal and one size fits all makes the assumption that students are familiar with and capable of working in groups regardless of how the information is delivered. It is possible that the online environment will provide additional issues for the external or isolated learner as a result of the concerns about engagement, access, community, and support that students can have while participating in group activities regardless of the medium used.

3.2. Implementation of educational technology in higher education

When it comes to integrating electronic learning technologies, university administrators in both China and the United Kingdom face a variety of challenges, some of which are similar and others which are distinct. A traditional way of thinking, limited government support, ineffective teaching procedures, and a high level of market demand hamper schools in the United Kingdom (Yen et al., 2021), while a lack of time and money, as well as the use of outmoded technology, stymie educational institutions in China (Zhao, 2020). In terms of putting e-learning into practice, the organizational and technical challenges are the same in both the United Kingdom and China. When it comes to the deployment of cutting-edge e-learning technology, higher education institutions across the United Kingdom and China require a significant amount of assistance. In order to ensure the successful implementation of e-learning technologies in higher education, it is required to make investments in technological competency as well as additional funding for training and human resources. This investment should come from a variety of sources, including both institutional and governmental sources. This means that e-learning technologies require both institutional and governmental investment in order to be successful in their implementation.

Throughout the world, educational philosophy is based on the promotion of higher education and the encouragement of gifted individuals to pursue technical education. The promotion of higher education is particularly important, as is the encouragement of gifted individuals to pursue technical education. In order to stimulate and support the development of higher education in their respective countries, all countries have adopted proactive measures to accomplish this goal. China’s higher education system has evolved into a stumbling barrier to the country’s social and economic prosperity as reform and openness have advanced further. In order to meet the growing demand for professional and technical skills in the country’s economic development sector, China’s vocational higher education has set itself the goal of educating individuals to meet the needs of social and economic development (Ali, 2020). This is in response to the country’s growing demand for professional and technical skills in the economic development sector. It is no coincidence that when it comes to educational practice, talent training is closely related with the social technology employment shortage. The batch of market-oriented training models for qualified personnel has taken the initiative in this direction (Zhao, 2020). It is anticipated that this will reduce the need for new workers in the market and will contribute to ensuring that the Chinese economy continues to grow at a healthy rate in the future. China’s higher education system differs significantly from the “dual system” of British education, which is a system that has two distinct levels of instruction at the same time. In higher education in the United Kingdom, an increasing amount of focus is being placed on ability training, which is a trend that is becoming more prevalent (La Velle, Newman, Montgomery, & Hyatt, 2020). Universities support higher education in a variety of ways, and the university-supported Chinese higher education system will not only provide students with systemic knowledge, but it will also be able quickly adapt its curriculum to meet changing industry needs, thereby increasing its utility to society as a whole. Higher education reform in China should aggressively draw on British experiences in order to develop a system that is distinctively Chinese. This includes enhancing the fundamental construction of the legal system as well as the top-level construction of vocational education; conducting quality certification and encouraging businesses to participate in the practice of the vocational education system; and regulating the connotative implications of words and phrases, among other measures.

Education leaders in China are setting the bar extremely high for themselves when it comes to integrating cutting-edge digital tools into the classroom environment. Higher institutions and learners alike are eager to embrace any new technology that may assist their children in their academic endeavors, and as a result, the market is still in its infancy and quite competitive at this point (Yang, 2020). Increased availability of publicly available data, increased technology capabilities, significant public money, and hands-on support are all necessary to catalyze this expansion. Inhibiting the growth of educational technology are structures such as the importance put on entrance examinations for students or a scarcity of a critical mass of experts in artificial intelligence (AI) and implementation in educational environments (Zhao, 2020). These limits have been recognized by the Chinese government, which is attempting to improve the quality of local educational institutions, with the goal of scaling up such changes across the country if they are deemed successful in the near term. During the period of Covid-19, education technology grew in China as a result of official and commercial initiatives that analysts referred to as “boiling hot.”

Technology is becoming more prevalent in British classrooms, putting the country as a leader in the global transformation of the classroom (Watermeyer et al., 2021). It is possible that educational technology (ed tech) will revolutionize the way pupils perceive and absorb information as it becomes more widely used in today’s classrooms as it becomes more ubiquitous. Incorporating more current technology into the education model is being pioneered by British information technology businesses, which are developing everything from mixed reality courses and coding kits to digital textbooks and the usage of video games as a learning tool (Burki, 2020). In British colleges and technical schools, interactive smart board screens have replaced chalkboards; pupils now utilize tablets to answer quizzes on novels they have recently read, and colorful smartphone apps to solve arithmetic problems at home. For the purpose of keeping parents informed about their children’s progress throughout the day, some teachers employ social media sharing platforms that are specifically intended for this purpose.

From the start of the pandemic, the UK has used scientific and medical evidence to influence teaching and care decisions. The studies found no evidence to support the premise that educational environments could improve large-scale community transmission (Watermeyer et al., 2021). Not only is the number of cases in educational settings comparable to the rate in the surrounding population, but it can be further lowered by implementing effective mitigation and control measures before an outbreak starts (Yen et al., 2021). Educators faced dangers similar to those encountered by workers in many other fields. Accordingly, the UK government prioritized educational and care institutions, stating that they should be considered last when placing limitations and first when removing them. As a result, the government relaxed educational limitations to slow the virus’ spread.

In March, some British universities closed, and administrators and faculty began providing online courses. Unlike past adjustments that took years, this one took only a few weeks (Burki, 2020). Despite the benefits of going online, many schools have discovered that their outmoded systems limit their ability to generate job-ready graduates. Colleges and universities should redefine themselves as places where students can continue learning for the rest of their lives. Pandemics like the Covid-19 epidemic and the UK’s migration to digital campuses have forced many organizations to reassess their processes and social roles (Kim & Asbury, 2020). When the epidemic hit, it threw the sector’s transition plans into turmoil. However, using digital technology in institutions continues to be a struggle. Students and educators this year were unable to use computers, the internet, or even a private study space due to pervasive digital poverty. Despite the government’s efforts, online platforms exposed digital poverty.

Since the start of the pandemic, scientific and medical data has informed education and care decisions in the UK, balancing public health and educational concerns. While SARSCoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19) posed a minor concern, the probability of university students dropping out of college increased as the schooling restrictions lasted (Mishra, Gupta, & Shree, 2020). The studies found no evidence to support the premise that educational environments could improve large-scale community transmission. Not only is the number of cases in educational settings comparable to the rate in the surrounding population, but it can be further lowered by implementing effective mitigation and control measures before an outbreak starts. Educators faced dangers similar to those encountered by workers in many other fields. Accordingly, the UK government prioritized educational and care institutions, stating that they should be considered last when placing limitations and first when removing them (Kim & Asbury, 2020). As a result, the government relaxed educational limitations to slow the virus’ spread.

3.3 The challenge of post-pandemic educational technology in China and UK

Universities and other tertiary institutions in China and the UK have had to react promptly to the situation in order to maintain the smooth and effective operation of the educational process. As a result, there has been a dramatic growth in the number of students enrolled in online courses during the last several years (Chan, 2020). For example, Mok et al. (2021) found that more learners in China enrolled for short courses than any other period in record. Even commercial suppliers of digital learning platforms have jumped at the chance to provide their aid and “solutions,” which are sometimes provided at no cost to participants. As a result of the Covid-19 epidemic, Crawford et al. (2020) found that a booming industry in educational technologies has sprung up as a result of the circumstances. Dhawan (2020) presented a concern that some types of emergency online learning do not adhere to core pedagogical principles and best practices, as well as previous research on the issue, and hence should be avoided. The motives of individuals, organizations, and businesses who have stepped forward to provide assistance in the past have been called into doubt by a number of well-known social media professionals in the past. There is some confusion over whether or not their motivation is driven by market forces or by something altogether different. Dubey and Pandey (2020) expressed concern about the potentially detrimental impacts of implementing educational technology quick fixes without considering the long-term ramifications of their decisions. Furthermore, the widespread use of learning platforms and online learning has raised awareness of concerns about privacy and monitoring in the workplace, which has resulted in increased awareness of these issues.

As a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, several new difficulties and paradigm shifts have evolved, posing new challenges and paradigm shifts to the academic community as well as institutions of higher education around the world. It was important to develop new techniques. Even in tough economic circumstances, schools and institutions should carefully assess their online learning and educational technology options (Goebel and Hoover, 2020). This action has the potential to bring about new forms of student unfairness and inequality, as well as other unanticipated consequences down the road. As a precaution, educational institutions should draw on their previous experience with online learning as a technology that may be used for a number of objectives other than simply communicating information in order to avoid any unintended consequences. When it comes to the most fundamental concerns of our time, digital learning should not be considered a self-evident and all-encompassing solution, particularly in the context of modern mass education and organized teaching and learning.

The pandemic is forcing schools to undergo an unprecedented digital transformation, which is having an impact on the future of education as well as the manner in which it will be delivered in the future. Hebebci et al. (2020) study assert that the use of traditional and technological resources, as well as teaching approaches, will increase over the next decade. Instead of being contained within four walls as it was before COVID, today’s classroom is open to the entire community. However, despite the fact that digital technology for distance learning is becoming increasingly popular, there are still a number of obstacles to overcome in order to ensure that educational continuity is maintained (Kamal et al., 2020). However, as has been the case in the past, technology in education should not be utilized to exacerbate already existing social inequalities or to widen the digital gap, as has been the case. Students from low-income families will have an especially difficult time succeeding in school if their schools are closed because they lack the resilience, learning abilities, and motivation to complete their education on their own time.

4. Analysing and comparing the extent to which Chinese higher education institutions are more successful than UK higher education institutions in applying educational technology to teaching and learning

During the 2020 semesters, teaching and learning in the United Kingdom’s higher education institutions was mostly missing. However, despite their best efforts, many colleges and universities as well as technical institutions were unable to provide the same level of effective education that they would have been able to do under normal circumstances (Kim & Asbury, 2020). In many instances, students were given far less work than they would normally get, and instruction was usually inadequate. Working with worksheets, chores, and viewing instructional videos were all common methods of studying without the assistance of teachers or classmates (Watermeyer et al., 2021). It was less frequent to find online classes that were the most similar to traditional classroom training. Because the vast majority of learning now transitioned to online and distant, having sufficient access to electronic gadgets, the internet, and a quiet study area at home became essential for students, an area where the UK, compared to China, was thoroughly lacking (Oliveira et al., 2021). Despite the fact that the vast majority of university students had some level of access to these resources, there were individuals who were unable to access their learning in this fashion, and instructions were inadequately provided.

Earlier on during the pandemic, the UK government, and by extension its higher education institutions, was critical of the use of electronic learning as a replacement of tried and tested traditional classroom teaching and learning. Some of the main concerns, at a time where asset management and cost reduction was a key element included, issues on accessibility, cost, flexibility, learning pedagogy, lifelong learning, and policy (Burki, 2020). Other factors included the availability of resources and the availability of time to switch back to the older system. In the UK, Oliveira et al. (2021) also note that there were speculations on the containment of the virus and therefore an increased chance to revert back to “normal” learning in the universities.

The success of the Chinese higher education institutions in applying educational technology in teaching and learning during the pandemic goes back to government support in a nation-wide campaign. The Chinese government early on understood the ramifications of the pandemic (Yang, 2020), and took measures to ensure that educational technologies would be applies to help millions of learners across the nation (Bao, 2020). In contrast, the UK government was slow to move (Oliveira et al, 2021). It relied on the higher education institutions themselves to self-regulate and come up with measures to ensure learning continued. The overall effect, from the above discussion, is that the UK’s education system faced increased challenges in comparison to China.

5. Conclusion

The epidemic has forced various forms of operational change in the higher education sector, in addition to curricular adjustments and delivery methods. From the comparison of UK and China, it can be summarized that the lack of access to online learning may be due to poor institutional management and inadequate resources. The study finds that major stakeholders, including students, institutions of higher learning, and the government are all involved in ensuring better learning and teaching outcomes. In the case of China, the government and other stakeholders were better prepared to make a transition into online learning, while the situation in the UK was hampered by reluctance from institutions, leaners, and the government.

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