Filling the Educational Gap

In online education, this hasn't been a big discussion until recently. It has become commonplace for more people of all ages to be unable to communicate effectively, unable to read or write effectively, do simple equations, or anything that is necessary for financial success.

This issue is truly tragic because it prevents so many people from gaining access to helpful resources.

More and more people in this world need all the help that they can get to succeed. We have a failing educational system and more people are working to great levels of success despite having an education that did not support them. There are so many others that have never had access to resources that would help them reach their full potential.

How do we as educators step in and bridge this educational gap? Is that even our responsibility?

I think you can probably guess my answer. Of Course, it is our responsibility!!

If there's a way that we can help someone move beyond their current state of life, then shouldn't we as educators do that? It's hard to take on the additional mantle of not only teaching how to see the world with a new perspective but also to teach simple or more complex topics that your community may not know. But as educators, that is our job.

What kind of education might you expect?
I wish I could tell you there is a one-size-fits-all kind of deal with this. But there's not. More often than not I've found that you have to play things by ear when you're making your courses. Then, as you work through the life course, you'll find out what your students need and where changes need to be made. Here are a few ideas of what you might expect in these types of situations.

Mathematics
For some people, math is their one true love in life. I've met a few who love to talk about it, and let me tell you… I may not understand what they're saying, but I totally love their passion.
But not everyone is at the same mathematical level, you have to remember that you might need to teach a few different concepts. These concepts might have been at the forefront of everyone’s minds at one time, but for many people that was a bit ago.

In young adult and adult education, it is important to remember that your students may need a refresher. This refresher may consist of entire lessons dedicated to basic content. It may be as simple as having them watch a video. But you won't be able to tell what's needed until you get there.

The Sciences and History
Personally, I think science and history are a little more understandable as a topic that needs to be explained. These subjects vary greatly between States and between borders. It's hard to get everybody on the same page when that is the case.

When you work with these subjects, you need to make sure that your content is as accessible as possible. You will probably have to teach many of your students a lot of the content. For some of them, it may be the first time they've ever heard of what you're talking about. For others, it may be a review but you never know what you're going to get.

Reading or writing
This is something that is far more common than we realized. Especially here in the United States, illiteracy has become a much larger issue than it once was. In this situation, we can easily look at the educational system and the issues of standardization rather than customization (that’s a whole other argument).

How do we intervene where our education system has failed people for many years?

We fight back
It may sound kind of crazy, but when we fight back, we start to change what our current education system is perpetuating. As to how we fight back, that one is not too hard. Instead of keeping people in the dark about their education, it is our responsibility to help show them the freedom of knowledge.

You show people the freedom of knowledge by introducing them to concepts of free thought and the modern world. You then help them create connections between all of that information. On top of that, this also means that you're going to have to teach students some things that they don't even realize they need help on.

This could be through additional office hours or it can be through walkthroughs that you put on your site. It could also be through providing your students with content that relates to the core ideas that make up the subject that you're covering.

When you have this information provided, it allows the student to access the information without having to ask. This allows them to take charge of their education, and it removes any potential embarrassment that students may feel.

I know it's a lot to take on, and it's really hard to think about all the responsibilities that we have as educators. Believe me, it overwhelmed me to tears at first too. Don't worry, it gets easier!

The existential dread doesn't necessarily go away, but it does get easier.
Keep holding out and know that we've got your back!