In Switzerland, as elsewhere, Covid-19 has caused upheaval in companies and in the world of education. We had to adapt quickly to the constraints imposed by the pandemic in order to continue providing quality teaching. This period accelerated the deployment of digital tools and pedagogical innovations.
More unexpectedly, the epidemic and confinements have given rise to a need and desire for professional development among many employees and companies. So many challenges for which we are preparing.
The digitization of programs
The sudden onset of the health crisis and the ensuing containment required rapid adaptation on the part of those involved in continuing training. Unable to maintain traditional teaching methods, distance learning - and therefore the digitization of programs - became the norm.
Our university continuing education center had to offer live videoconferencing courses, using tried-and-tested tools such as Zoom and Teams. Together with the teaching team, we had to adapt quickly and pay particular attention to the quality of transmission and pedagogy of the courses. For example, we had to allow for longer breaks, to avoid the cognitive overload often caused by digital learning.
Sustainable pedagogical innovations
Bringing together participants from a wide range of backgrounds, many of whom are still working, the continuing education program has always encouraged interactivity and collaboration, so as to create a good group dynamic within each class. The pandemic has made it necessary to rethink the methods of exchange between learners, but also for professors.
Multiplying exchanges
Whether face-to-face or distance learning, the human dimension must remain at the heart of teaching, all the more so in times of crisis. This is one of the main lessons of the pandemic: it's essential to maintain links with learners, and even to multiply them.
Teachers have also had to think about how to energize their classes to encourage interaction and maintain a high level of engagement throughout the program.
Introducing interactive tools
To facilitate exchanges between face-to-face and distance learning participants, the adoption of interactive tools quickly proved to be an asset. Not only do they encourage group work and learning, they also have the advantage of breaking the isolation sometimes experienced when working alone in front of a computer at home. At the Executive Education HEC Lausanne, for example, we have opted for the Miro visual platform for certain workshops, or the sub-group functionality in Zoom.
Hybrid teaching: a sustainable development
Une fois la réouverture des salles de cours autorisée (dans le respect des règles de la Confédération), une période d’enseignement hybride s’est ouverte. Un nouveau défi s’est présenté car en ayant des personnes à la fois en présentiel et en distanciel, en classe, en entreprise et à domicile, il a fallu faire preuve d’habilité et de flexibilité.
Dès mai 2021, la Faculté des HEC a notamment choisi de se doter d'une salle immersive baptisée Salle Horizon. Cette salle est équipée d'un écran de six mètres de large qui permet aux enseignant·e·s de dispenser leurs cours en ayant l’impression d'avoir la classe en présentielle. Elle permet de réunir 20 personnes en physique et 49 participant·e·s à distance.
Surtout, elle permettra de pérenniser l’hybridation des enseignements au service de la formation continue, pour former les collaborateurs et les collaboratrices des entreprises où qu’ils ou elles se trouvent.
Once the reopening of the classrooms had been authorized (in compliance with federal regulations), a period of hybrid teaching began. This presented a new challenge, as having people in both face-to-face and distance learning, in the classroom, on the job and at home, required skill and flexibility.
As of May 2021, the HEC Faculty has chosen to equip itself with an immersive room called the Horizon room. This room is equipped with a six-meter-wide screen, enabling professors to deliver their lectures as if they were in a classroom. It can accommodate 20 physical participants and 49 remote participants.
Above all, it will make it possible to perpetuate the hybridization of teaching in the service of continuing education, to train company employees wherever they may be.
New professional challenges
Confinement, telecommuting, reorganization of priorities, job loss... The health crisis has turned the lives of many workers upside down, and led some of them to question themselves. While many are hoping for a return to normal life, many are now aspiring to more or less radical life changes. From simple changes to professional retraining, the pandemic has led to a growing demand for continuing education.
SMEs, for example, believe that continuing programs can help them cope with the consequences of Covid-19, as shown by the study carried out by the Swiss Federation for continuing education (FSEA). Skills upgrading, transition management, agility, widespread use of digital technology... these are just some of the increased demands to which continuing training organizations must respond.
Outlook: towards the continuing education of tomorrow
Whether it's a question of training employees from the same company or from different groups, the health crisis will have precipitated changes in continuing training.
At Executive Education HEC Lausanne, we've made every effort to embrace new teaching tools and methods, without neglecting face-to-face classes, which remain the best way to interact with professors and share convivial moments for networking.
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