Editorial Overview

In the past two decades, there have been many thoughtful educators who have recommended the need for a paradigm shift in the design of 21 century educational systems from the teacher-centered and textbook centered approach to the student-centered and digital instructional resources that promote active learning. As suggested in previous issues of JETS, the COVID=19 crisis may have presented a unique opportunity to re-invent our learning environments. A key aspect is to better understand the needs and attitudes of the stake holders: students, teachers, administrators and instructional designers. The lead paper provides insights from a panel experienced stake holders who lived through the pandemic and dealt with the associated challenges first hand. This exploratory study identified four design themes to guide future innovations: