At the UCL Institute of Education, I’m a member of the Centre for Education and International Development (CEID). When COVID-19 forced the university to move its work online, CEID responded by starting a new blog entitled “Education in the Time of COVID-19.” It’s a space for academics, students and practitioners to reflect on education broadly defined during the pandemic. What is happening to schools and students in different parts of the world? How can we make sense of the meaning of education or situate our current crisis in a longer history? How should we respond to new educational challenges during the pandemic?

I wrote a blog post for the series arguing we are experiencing a “switch point” where things will inevitably change. Exactly how is uncertain and will be up to us to sort through and manage the aftermath of what for many has felt like whiplash. But these changes, I warn, might not be totally positive. The World Bank might return to Structural Adjustment Policies of yesteryear; digital learning companies might exploit the shift to online education for their own profit. To me, the struggle is summed up between two opposing sides: on one side is a socialist utopia of mutual aid societies and the other is authoritarian capitalism. Which way the world ends up will be determined by our collective actions taken during lockdown.

Blog submissions are open to anyone in and outside of UCL. We are interested in diverse perspectives on education in our current moment. If you are interested in submitting a blog post or have an idea you’d like to share, please get in touch with me.