With the recent announcement of MCO 2.0, many parents have realised that some form of hybrid learning (a combination of in person and online) could be the future of learning. Learning through Zoom, Google Classroom, See Saw and tools will increasingly be used by education institutions to deliver teaching and learning to children of different ages.

Through the experiences of the past year, many parents and teachers have learnt new ways of doing things and the most innovative of us have turned challenging moments into inspiring ones.

Nexus International School, Malaysia is a leading international school in the use of technology for learning. During the recent pandemic the school has had its share of challenges and inspiring moments. It is admirable that the school community joined together to inspire continuous learning, despite all the odds.

Studies and current data show that the academic progress of learners who have engaged with excellent 'Continuation of Learning' programmes has been maintained and many of the subsequent external assessments have been as good as previous years. The use of technology and expertise of teachers enabled good learner engagement and content delivery. However, the arguably more important issue has been maintaining learners' (and teachers') emotional wellbeing during this period.

There are always worries, fears and anxiety associated with global catastrophes and this pandemic has been no exception. The stresses of managing learning from home is well documented and there can also be a lack of social interaction during MCOs for learners. Nexus teachers and leaders keep a close eye on relationships and the emotional wellbeing of its learners and boarders, who have remained in the on-site boarding house.
Ways in which learners were reassured was through Covid safety videos and signages around the school. These aim to give enough safety advice to the learners so that they can take control of their own safety through following the SOPs, rather than be afraid of the virus.
Click here to watch the cartoon animation designed by Nexus teachers for Early Years learners.

It is paramount that students be given the opportunity to contribute to their communities. Nexus through its Creativity, Action and Service component provides IB students with various opportunities to reach out and uplift communities around them. One such initiative recently was the Race for Good competition where their IB students developed a business plan to support a community in Nepal. The learners were recognised externally in the IB community for their excellent contribution.

Opportunities such as these are important for students to be part of something bigger than themselves and to help make their learning meaningful. Teaching students how they can be change makers and make an impact in the world is important through even the most challenging of times.

Most of us would agree that screen time should be limited for our children, and indeed ourselves. For older learners, Nexus Pastoral and Boarding teams looked at trying to motivate students to keep a balance of activities that included time away from their screens. Initiatives included Physical Fitness Challenges, Art and Cooking Challenges and even a Digital Detox Challenge where learners documented 30 minutes per day that were spent away from devices; doing household chores, journaling, drawing and much more. Slowly learners were able to see beneficial alternatives away from their digital devices. Indeed, helping learners to establish a better routine made them happier and in turn, they learned better.

Accredited as one of the first Apple Distinguished Schools in Malaysia, Nexus International School has pioneered innovative online learning approaches throughout its establishment of more than 10 years in Malaysia. Find out more about our programmes for pre-school right up to pre-university and learn more about our online learning programme.

Spend your evenings with Nexus this February by participating in their Virtual Open Days on Tuesday, 2nd February at 8pm or Thursday, 4th February at 4pm. Click here to register and enjoy a FREE Virtual Workshop on Stockbroking run by Nexus Economics teacher, David Smith. Fee waivers available. Enquire now.