Covid-19 was a huge curveball that was thrown at the world. No one was prepared with all the unknowns and uncertainty's. There were several challenges that we had to overcome such as living our day-to-day life which included school and work for several of us. Every industry had their specific challenges and were tackled with a different approach. March of 2020 was when it was first declared by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on a mass shutdown to figure out what needed to be done (CDC, 2023). People's safety was a priority and we needed to know some direction, after a couple weeks you had to understand if your job was essential or non-essential to proceed going back to work with caution. Working in the manufacturing industry we were declared to be essential employees and had to return after two weeks of the shutdown. There were several policies put in place to maintain a 6-foot distance and wear the proper personal protective equipment. If you had a position that could be done via virtual you were able to work from home. For schools, all teachers were given time to create their agenda to begin online courses. With both these instances people were not always prepared, some students did not have access to internet and some employees that could work from home did not have the proper technology set up for certain software's to use.

The first thing companies and schools needed to do was to ensure there was remote accessibility. HRIS technology was able to enable remote access to learning materials, facilitating continuous education for online employees and students. This flexibility allowed individuals to engage in training and development from anywhere. All this technology that needed to be used was also a learning curve. Our company used Microsoft Teams to communicate virtually. Sharing documents, content, and video etiquette was new to many of us. Our IT department was very busy sending computers to employees from the office or other software installments to ensure employees had the correct tools they needed to perform their job.

For students E-Learning platforms were also supported by schools HRIS department to be able to deliver training content. Davenport University already had some courses that were online which made it easier to help convert other classes to make them online as well. Professors did have to take some additional training to adjust but overall, I did notice a smoother transition than my company. We were given video tutorials on how to utilize Blackboard efficiently to connect with other classmates for group projects. These platforms offered a variety of learning resources, including videos, interactive modules, and assessments, enhancing the overall learning experience. Several other Universities applied a similar method to help students adapt to a new learning style. It was more difficult for younger students to adapt to virtual learning such as Elementary, middle, and high schools. 65% of teens preferred to attend school in person after the COVID- 19 outbreak was over, and only 9% preferred a completely online environment (Anderson, 2022). Other factors were working parents. This made it difficult to keep children at home while they were working without supervision. Some parents were forced to change shifts to accommodate and be present while their kids attended virtual classes. If I were still in High school during this pandemic, I would not be equipped with the proper technology to be successful. I personally grew up without having a computer at home and no internet connection, this was another issue people faced.

Other concerns we faced during this era was a lack of engagement and motivation. 76% of undergraduates and 56% of graduate and professional students pointed to low motivation as their biggest obstacle to online learning success. This lack of motivation stems directly from the many other challenges that online students and workers face, including, a lack of interaction with peers, difficulty learning in a virtual format, distracting home environments, and a lack of access to appropriate study space or office (Combatting lack of motivation in online learning, 2023). To help mitigate these issues incorporate interactive elements, discussions, and collaborative projects in online courses can help. Using gamification and social learning strategies to enhance engagement such as polls or Kahoot. Other ways to help support this is by ensuring cameras are on.

Four years after the pandemic we have all adapted very well to the new norm of virtual classes or remote work. Things we continue to work on to improve closing the gaps are in depth training modules, online HRIS and IT support. It is also very important to have continuous feedback. We are all encouraged to fill out a course evaluation survey to provide feedback on what can be done to improve the course. Ensuring that professors make themselves available to help students is also important to keep students engaged. It's crucial to provide feedback on what has been effective as well. While HRIS and technology have significantly facilitated learning in the post-COVID-19 era, addressing technical issues, the digital divide, and engagement challenges is crucial. Evidence-based recommendations focus on personalization, continuous feedback, integration of metrics, and the promotion of a learning culture to close performance gaps effectively.

COVID-19 created a sense of urgency to accelerate online learning and home-based workers throughout the United States and around the world. The results have been mixed.

Based on the below writing, do you agree or disagree? Why do you agree or disagree? Cite professional references to support your accusation.