Background picture: Covid 19 "Lock down".
THE WORLD STOOD STILL - APRIL 2020 T0 SEPTEMBER 2022
When the pandemic broke out in early 2020, it was not a big challenge for me to turn this portfolio into ARCHIVES and expand my website into the present functional online classroom under the GBC banner.
Because everything is changing at an ever accelerating rate, it was only a matter of time, until more people realized the need to plan for change.The 2020 pandemic woke up the whole world to that fact.
During the second half of 2022, the Omicron COVID 19 variant was still affecting many countries, including us, and most of our classes stayed virtual until the end of August, 2022 (end of 2021 schoolyear). However, just like the flu pandemic over a century ago, this one had to pass as well. But through it, more people have learned that more environmental awareness and education is required to properly prepare for the necessary adjustment to many potential paradigms.
The global Lockdown opened new oportunities for some, but induced a productivity and economic standstill for most. The two and a half years of inactivity were challenging, especially for students who have to work to pay for their tuition. We all realized that our lives had been changed "for good" - no pun intended - as we all had to find ways to addapt, even though some of us were better equipped to cope with it than others.
Suffice it to say that I was born during the Second World War and that I’ve had personal experience growing up in and surviving hard times. And likewise, now more so than ever, a huge number of people around the world have experienced various degrees of extreme hardship.
It helped if one realized that life is very much like an extreme workout. Even if it's potentially dangerous, every crisis makes us stronger. So I posted a few motivational links like these:
- This Too Shall Pass, or
- The Man in the Arena (Citizenship in a Republic)
Many might have looked up some morale uplifting links on Internet themselves, very likely on Youtube. My own discovery was “Something Deeply Hidden”, a book about Quantum Mechanics and the theory of Parallel Universes, published during the pandemic. It's written by Sean Carroll, a professor from Caltech (California Technology) University, who has over 150 Youtube videos on this other topics.
But, I'm still cautious with Youtube. - Unless one is careful, selective and focused, it will confuse and distract, more than enlighten. On my Home page and in my Topical Outlines of courses which I teach, I offer suggestions how to effectively master any material of interest by developing the ability to focus by "being in the zone".
Seeing that now many people have their eyes glued to their portable devices for the better part of their waking time, it has obviously become easy for most people to be in the zone. As a result, many have developed the preference for online communication, including work and education. Online courses, formerly offered by presigious American universities for free, are now only accessible to those paying a hefty registration fee.
Even our College is now offering regular two and three year programs online, with a regular registration fee. This doesn't mean that live programs will disappear. Universities and Colleges are building new campuses all over town. The only conclusion one can make is that the registration fees for live programs will increase.
Visit George Brown's new campust at the Waterfront and plan to make the most of the still affordable live programs. Attend as many live classes as possible. It is the most empowering way to learn.
Stay healthy, be safe and strong, stay focused and aim high.