STUDY: Kids are getting lower grades because of online learning

Is your child struggling with his online classes? Learn about the disadvantages of online learning here.

What can you read in this article?

• Studies showed that children are learning less online.
• The disadvantages of online learning
• How to help your child thrive this school year

We all want to give our children the best quality education we can afford. But in this day and age, can we really be sure that our children are still getting the best education possible? Are they still learning like before?

Pre-pandemic, my kids enjoyed going to school. My preschooler went to a really good progressive preschool and my grade-schooler attended a private school inside an exclusive village.

We had to pay more for them to go to these schools. But every penny was worth it, as we could see our kids thriving. They learned so much, they are motivated, competitive yet they still had friends they can socialize with.

When the pandemic hit, education was one of the sectors that was most affected. Academic institutions had their systems in place for decades, only to be disrupted because face-to-face classes was not possible.

Everyone had to learn about the “new normal” which is online learning. That includes the students, their teachers, and the parents. It was a huge adjustment and for a lot of students, online learning was just so mentally exhausting.

Studies revealed the negative effects of online learning

Has your child been struggling with his online classes? Well, as it turns out, he is not alone.

Global trend

According to a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), parents of children aged 5 to 12 reported poorer mental and emotional health, reduced physical activity, and less time spent with their peers.

In the Netherlands, another study found lower standardized test scores in math, reading, and spelling following remote learning during the pandemic. On average, the scores were three percentile points lower than the previous year before the pandemic. One important thing to note was that the effect was disproportionately greater in children from less-educated families.

Another major thing to point out was the results of the said study suggest a lack of learning during this time or even a regression—that is, a loss of academic skills.

Local truth

Here in the Philippines, an online survey by the Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education (SEQuRE) revealed that Pinoy students believe they learned less under the remote learning setup that is being implemented in public and private schools in the country.

The survey, which included 1,278 teachers, 1,299 Grades 4 to 12 students, and 3,172 parents who largely came from the National Capital Region found that 66 percent of students under online learning and 74 percent under blended learning (online and modules) said they learned less under the new modes of instruction as compared with the traditional face-to-face setup before the pandemic.

60 percent of the parents confirmed that their child’s poor performance in online learning may be brought about by missing an online class or failure to submit academic requirements on time. Meanwhile, 52 percent of teachers noted that 4 to 6 in every 10 students lagged behind with their classmates, according to the survey.

Disadvantages of online learning

Of course, being at the comforts of our home during this pandemic. For one, our children are safe from the threat of the Covid-19 virus. Face-to-face classes are not a possibility here in the Philippines to prevent the spread of the disease.

Children are known to be super-spreaders, after all and the latest variants of the virus show that children can be very much affected.

But as the mentioned studies show, there are a lot of disadvantages to online or remote learning compared to when children were allowed to learn in a physical school and see their peers and teachers face to face.

According to the website E-student.org, here are some of the disadvantages of online learning to students:

• Online student feedback is limited

Because of lack of time to engage with each student or technical difficulties, the students are unable to sit down and express to the teacher if they understand the lesson or not. Most of the time spent on online learning is the teacher explaining the concepts and giving instructions to the group.

• Online learning can cause social isolation

This is one of the main concerns of parents who send their children to big schools. How will my child be able to make a friend? The school is where we practice our social skills – learning how to interact with other people outside our home.

According to studies, it’s also an important factor in learning. Communicating with others is one way for our children to learn. That part is lessened, if not completely taken away in online classes.

• Students don’t have enough motivation and time management skills

Students from the local study said that they found it hard to balance their classes with household duties and to understand the modules on their own.

In the traditional setting, the teachers guide the students in the lesson and gauge their students’ comprehension by observing them. This part has been missing in online learning.

At the same time, in the face-to-face set up, students are expected to follow a strict schedule in school and most classroom settings are conducive to learning. At home, children can be distracted by their toys, books, and other leisurely activities. Add to this their problems with internet connectivity.

READ MORE: 

5 tips to survive and thrive in homeschooling your little one

5 Things We Learned After A Year Of Online Distance Learning

3 tips for helping your child in online learning: Tips from a long-time homeschooler

Aside from poor grades, respondents of the survey said that remote learning had a negative effect on their physical health, with some of them feeling more sluggish, getting frequent headaches, eye problems, and weight loss or gain.

Their mental health was also affected as some reported experiencing mental and emotional stress, anxiety, depression, and having panic attacks.

How to help your child with online learning

Despite these findings and because of the current situation in our country (Covid cases are still rising and children are being affected, with no approved vaccine for them yet), it seems that remote learning or online learning is still the primary mode of learning that will be implemented in public and private schools this school year and the next.

Because of this, some families choose to go on a different approach and embrace homeschooling. But this is only recommended for households where one parent can act as the child’s teacher and dedicate his or her time and effort to teaching the child and make sure he is getting all of the lessons for his grade level.

For those who don’t have the time and the capacity to homeschool their child, online learning is the best possible option.

Because despite the results of the studies, there are still some children who thrive in online classes. They like the flexibility when it comes to their time and schedule.

So how do you help your child get the most of her online classes? Here are a few reminders for parents:

• Going online.

Before her class starts, check if there will be any connectivity issues and have them fixed right away. Also make sure that her gadget (PC, laptop or tablet) is on eye level, the microphone is working, and adjust her chair to support sitting for long periods of time.

• Reduce distractions.

For your child to be able to focus on her schoolwork, remove all possible distractions around her. This includes noise – people passing by, noise from outside the house, the sound of the TV. As well as visual noise or clutter (toys, books, other activities).

Get your child some noise-canceling headphones if the budget permits, and assign a designated workspace in your home where your child will be comfortable, but not too comfortable that she might doze off.

• Create a schedule.

Students need a schedule to make sure assignments get done and there’s a balance between work and playtime. Despite being at home, explain to your child that there is still a schedule that needs to be followed.

Also allow some time for some physical activity before his class starts, a time to rest and relax after the class, and quick breaks in between.

• Supervise.

It is important to sit near your young child while she is having her online classes so you can help her with certain tasks such as logging in, typing in passwords, or using the Zoom drawing tool.

For older children, you can supervise them from time to time just to make sure they are managing their time properly and are doing their tasks.

Just refrain from lingering around and being too involved with the lesson. Especially if the child is expected to talk in class.

• Allow time for playful learning.

Let your child collaborate with her friends over something online, or encourage him to try having a Zoom playdate with his classmates outside of the regular class schedule. They can also play online games together, with your supervision, of course.

• Ask for help when needed.

If you feel that your child is struggling with schoolwork or having trouble catching up with the lesson, you can arrange a meeting with her teacher so you can discuss how to better help or motivate your child.

Source:

Psychology Today, ABS-CBN News, University of Alberta