The short answer is “no.”

It might feel like we’ve been frozen in time for the past two years; the reality is, however, that the world is different now than it would have been if the pandemic had never occurred. We’ve had to adapt to previously unimaginable circumstances, leading to innovations that otherwise might never have happened—certainly not this quickly—in all aspects of our lives, including how we teach and learn. The use of online technology will undoubtedly be a regular fixture in the future learning landscape. 

Experts report that the pandemic has accelerated the pace of advancement in virtual learning, propelling us years ahead of where we otherwise might have been. Distance learning has been more than a stopgap; rather, it has also been a catalyst for designing new ways to teach and learn. These new online resources, tools, and learning environments have the potential to democratize access and effectively eliminate the need for proximity between the learner and the learning resource, whether that resource is a person, place, or thing. Virtual learning leads to more connected learning experiences that blur lines between school and the world beyond. Virtual learning certainly will have a more significant impact than simply eliminating school snow days! 

In March 2020 education providers were faced with a decision—put programs on hold and wait for remote learning to end or figure out how to deliver programs differently. Many opted to invest resources to creatively and effectively reimagine how to use online learning environments to engage young people in learning. Initiatives to digitize museum collections to broaden reach have been underway for years. However, the pandemic elevated the priority of such efforts nearly overnight. In this issue of Connected Science Learning you can read about engaging students in collections-based science investigations. You’ll also find examples of adaptations to in-person programs and the lessons learned from bringing these programs online. This issue theme continues next month, so come back in April for even more examples including how online tools provide new opportunities for young people to engage in inquiry and the challenges and opportunities of virtual field trips.

Beth Murphy, PhD (bmurphy@nsta.org), is field editor for Connected Science Learning and an independent STEM education consultant with expertise in fostering collaboration between organizations and schools, providing professional learning experiences for educators, and implementing program evaluation that supports practitioners to do their best work. 

citation: Murphy, B. 2022. Is It Over Yet? Connected Science Learning 4 (2). https://www.nsta.org/connected-science-learning/connected-science-learning-march-april-2022/it-over-yet