The digital landscape the education sector was forced to take up during the Covid-19 lockdown "will absolutely accelerate change for good", says technology expert Frances Valintine.
CEO of technology education provider The Mind Lab, Ms Valintine told TVNZ1's Q+A that the home-based education had "proven there are multiple modalities of education that can benefit many".
"So many students are thriving in this self-paced world in lockdown," she said.
Despite most students being unable to return to school under Alert Level 3, Ms Valintine anticipated the skills learned during lockdown would see more digital tools integrated into the classroom.
She also thought it could alter the way workplaces operate.
"I think the first step will be more flexibility about where they work and also understanding that productivity doesn't necessarily change or drop when they've been given more freedom to work the way they like to."
She said the other was the adoption of technology.
"Some people are using these tools for the first time, more collaborative tools, more video conferenceing, being able to dial people in without the anguish of having to move around the country."
Ms Valintine thought changes in the economy could see people brought "back to the forefront", with emerging industries alongside a higher wage economy.
"The value we're putting on some of the frontline workers, the people who have been overlooked for a long time... recognising scientists, tech workers, teachers, supermarket workers, we're starting to value different things."
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