When we consider the current Jamaican learning environment, we can agree that the pre-COVID-19 classroom had many challenges, marred by how we were cultured to learn and how we design learning for those we engage.

In our current learning environments, we are faced with copious learning impediments that require thoughtful consideration and practical solutions. However, if we are serious about the business of educating the populace, it is essential to avoid simplistic and piecemeal approaches that may overlook crucial aspects of the learning paradigm and the possibilities that it holds for nation-building. We must strive to identify and address the root causes that contribute to the challenges we see daily in our classrooms, taking into account the full scope of the problem at hand.

The educational deficits are compounded by the fact that, unlike other developed countries, we do not ensure that we have our most competent teachers in the early years of children’s education so that deep learning comes naturally. Only then can we, like the Finnish Education system, boast that our children can learn anything, anywhere. This is an excellent example, but can only be realised when you have classrooms that mimic the 19-21 class size in Finland.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) stated that, “Students in Finland have the least amount of outside work and homework than any other students in the world,” The constant need for ‘extra lessons’ must be revisited and reimagined to remediate the prolonged stressful demands on children. The idea of having ‘no extra lesson’ will not sit well with some people and some might even become excited because of the cost factor associated with the initiative and what it means for teachers, schools, and parents. If students are not empowered to learn how to learn during the normal times scheduled for learning, is it that the extra lessons, for those who can afford them, are glorified babysitting centres for parents? I digress a little, but learning must be carefully designed so that it can be done within the scheduled time, allowing children to have time to develop and learn skills that will enable them to become nation-builders suited for the global community.

Reimagining the Jamaican classroom requires us to find effective and sustainable solutions that can make a positive impact on teaching and learning. This must become the prerogative of education policymakers, curriculum designers, curriculum implementers — our teachers, business leaders, community partners, parents, and learners. All stakeholders must take ownership and drive the process to make the reimagined classroom a national initiative. One effective solution to be considered is equipping our teachers to operate in a virtual environment and being able to use digital resources to combat some of the challenges we see in the education sector. Having this skill is no longer seen as a trend in education but a necessity.

Can this necessity be applied to all sectors of the education system? I strongly support this posture, with two fundamental adjustments, notwithstanding that many more are needed. Empowering our teachers to empower learners to learn how to learn is evidenced in the National Standards Curriculum (NSC). However, we are all aware that there are many gaps in the implementation of the NSC. Some teachers still struggle with the requirements of the pragmatic construct of the NSC learning environment. The teacher must not only implement the curriculum but also undertake the role of a researcher, designer, and innovator to deliver the content effectively.

Once teachers have the skill to operate in the virtual learning environment, they will have access to the wealth of information available to complement teaching and learning based on the NSC curriculum. The latest report from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reveals a significant increase in global internet connectivity. This means that more people globally have access to and can benefit from the myriad resources and opportunities available on the internet, including our teachers. In 2023, ITU reported that the number of people worldwide without internet access has decreased to approximately 2.6 billion, down from 2.7 billion in 2022. This means that over 5.4 billion people have access to Internet Services, reflecting two-thirds of the world’s population.

With this in mind, the online teacher must take on a new posture and develop a new mindset about online teaching and learning. Teaching and learning online, if packaged well, can simulate the face-to-face experience and even provide significantly more opportunities for self-directed learning. When the online learning environment is designed utilising sound theoretical principles, this environment can provide fulsome educational experiences recognised as significant learning.

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is one model that considers learner success and utilises multiple approaches to ensure that individual learners are successfully engaged with the content and can make meaning of the same in real-world situations. It is widely accepted that the experiences encountered during COVID-19 have exacerbated the complex issues of learning, and the Ministry of Education is mandated and positioned to medicate the challenges that have disenchanted many and thwarted excellence individually and collectively.

Many of our teachers have done scores of professional development training and have acquired the skills to competently operate in the virtual environment. A National Instructional Technology Policy and Plan (NITPP) must be put in place to enable educators to refine their abilities and collaborate on evidence-based good practices. This will facilitate an environment in which effective teaching and learning can be achieved and optimised results can be predicted.

Reimagining the classroom after the COVID-19 pandemic might sound like the logical trajectory for educators, but this notion is sparse in Jamaican classrooms. Reimagining the classroom post-COVID-19 involves embracing innovation, flexibility, and a commitment to meeting the diverse needs of students in a rapidly changing educational landscape. The research suggests that a re-envisioned classroom must be underpinned by systems change in education. Emily Liebtag, chief innovation officer at Education Reimagined, suggests that the “ecosystems are, by design, a systemic way to incorporate and reflect what we know now about meeting individual learners’ holistic goals and needs as well as simultaneously connecting and uplifting the collective good and communities overall”.

This perspective is a necessity for the future of education and was articulated by educational pioneer, Paulo Freire, who understands the dynamics within the school’s ecosystem. Freire’s liberatory theory of education signifies dialogue as a critical component of knowledge exchange that gives meaning to the sounds and smells of the classroom. Freire suggests that the process of growth can be measured by the “dialogue, the teacher-of-the-students and the students-of-the-teacher cease to exist and a new term emerges: teacher-student with students-teachers. The teacher is no longer merely the one who teaches but one who is himself taught in dialogue with the students, who, in turn, while being taught, also teach. They become jointly responsible for a process in which they all grow”.

With this in mind, the reimagined classroom must be aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 which is quality education: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Quality is grounded on equity for all, irrespective of your place in life. Equity is predicated on understanding the embodiment of quality. In essence, equity and quality are entwined, they are one of the same. For this to happen, we must reimagine our learning environment to promote greater learner success and learner independence in our Jamaican classroom.

Dr Venesse Leon is the director of online programmes at The Mico University College.