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Technology For A Safe Transition Back To Campus

The pandemic has been the most significant disruption to the education sector in history. In fact, over 1.6 billion students in more than 190 countries have had their education disrupted. Those numbers are hard to ignore. With the fast, unexpected changes that occurred due to the virus, most colleges were not sufficiently prepared to have the proper measures put into effect for students living and learning in a campus setting. Nevertheless, most college students are eager to return to campus for face-to-face social interactions with their peers and professors. Unfortunately, the transition back to campus is going to look a lot different, with fewer opportunities for socialization.

Most students agree that their entire social life revolves around college. In 2020, students were robbed of their college experience by not being able to attend large events or even go to lecture halls. However, colleges may still host smaller events so long as they follow COVID-19 restrictions. To keep students from completely missing out on the social aspect of college, some schools have tried to find a solution to host activities that are “lower-risk.” These activities involve safer methods of socializing, such as outdoor activities. Colleges are taking an approach that promotes safe socialization, rather than suggesting that students avoid socializing altogether. Students locking themselves in their dorm is not a healthy alternative.  

While online learning can provide a temporary alternative for college students to interact with peers and professors, the experience is simply not comparable for college students who would typically go into school for several hours a day, five days a week. Unfortunately, with online learning, there is not the same level of opportunity for interaction between students and professors. As a result, students may lack this type of interaction and develop a sense of isolation, especially if they are alone in their college dorm or in their family’s home. 

Some have even deemed the attempt to replicate social interaction virtually as a failure. An attempt to emulate the same type of in-person experience by way of screen-time is futile—a virtual professor cannot engage or inspire students as easily.  Additionally, many students struggle to retain information presented to them on a screen since it is difficult to focus on a screen for an extended period of time. Without a professor’s supervision, there is a higher chance that their attention will drift or they will become distracted by social media or another website. These factors could result in students not being prepared for graduation or having to complete an extra semester. Although students want to return back to campus, they do not want to stay longer than required.

Digital Health Passport For The Education Industry

In support of students heading back to college, the COVID PreCheck app can be used as a tool for proving to others on campus that you have been tested. After the COVID PreCheck app is installed, your doctor or lab can share your health report, which gets generated into a personal QR code and can be presented as proof. Users can even do a COVID self-assessment test to update their COVID PreCheck status. Once a vaccine is available, you can update your status to prove your immunization. Parents and students can feel safer about their kids going back to school knowing about these protective measures.

Most students always have their phone on them when they head to class. A digital passport means their institution can easily verify their test or vaccination status, leaving more time for students to focus on their studies rather than fearing contracting the virus. Students can be reassured that no one near them on campus has been tested positive. While sitting in a lecture hall, they can choose to share their status with those around them.

Overall, college students are missing out on social interactions they would normally have in class or on campus. Hopefully, colleges will fully reopen soon so students can get back to socializing and to more productive learning. Thankfully, this can be made easier with emerging technologies, like the COVID PreCheck digital health passport. Virtual handshake is a feature that can be turned on for a choice number of hours by the user to let each other see their COVID status in small groups.  Download the COVID PreCheck App for your work today, and learn how this technology can get the students back to campus.