There is no denying that the Covid-19 post-pandemic has altered the teaching and learning methodologies across the globe. Once technology was just an option for students. Even the teachers were just getting acquainted with the concept of blended learning and flipped classrooms. But now, technology is a necessity for all. Students and teachers have no option but to shift away from physical classrooms to virtual learning methods.
Learning From Home is the New Normal
Students are generally used to doing homework and assignments at home. They study the lessons in their classrooms that provide the right learning environment for them. But now because of the pandemic, the students have to create a learning environment at their homes and this transition has not been easy. They are facing several challenges in this transition:
- Attending online classes is new and overwhelming for students. They have to learn how to ask questions in between the lesson or sit properly just like they are in a physical classroom (especially for elementary and primary school students).
- Not every household has different laptops or computers for every child. So in case when there are two children in the house and both have to attend an online class, one has to sacrifice.
- Noting down assignment questions and classwork from the blackboard has now turned into online assignments, class notes and noting down the classwork from the computer screen. It is quite new for many!
- Not every household can afford a steady internet connection with high bandwidth which causes problems in attending live online classes.
- Parents have to take active participation in their child’s learning. In many cases, parents have to sit with their children so that they can understand what the teacher is teaching online.
However, despite these challenges, students have started getting acquainted with the online learning system. The latest online education statistics depict the same:
- 61% of K-12 students are interested in using mobile apps for learning.
- Playing digital learning games and watching online videos are the favourite learning methods of at least 45% of elementary school students.
- Online classes are available to at least 48% of K-12 students.
- Only 13% of grade 6-12 students have trouble with doing homework due to lacking out of school Internet access.
How Digitized Education Has Changed Everything
The transition from offline to online learning is not easy. But it has a series of benefits for students as well as teachers and has proved to be quite an effective learning method. While it cannot offer a collaborative learning environment and interaction with peers just like a physical classroom, the idea of studying at home has given us many new opportunities for learning.
#1 The Benefits of Blended Learning
Online learning provides the options of synchronous learning (with live, interactive classes) and asynchronous learning (through video-recorded lectures, self-paced courses). Now students can watch a video lecture any number of times until they understand the whole concept. This is unlike traditional classrooms where students had to keep up with the whole class no matter how much they understood the material.
Blended learning has also made it possible for teachers to communicate with their students easily. For instance, teachers use online tools to communicate with the students, such as sharing their performance feedback, assignments and other classroom updates. Different online learning materials are replacing the textbooks like online notes, presentations, images, videos, mind-maps, flashcards and more.
#2 More Involvement of Parents
When schools closed unexpectedly, parents had to face different challenges while facilitating learning from home. Those who had no idea about online learning understood the technology first and then guided their children. But now, once homeschooling has become the new normal, many schools are providing a clear line of communication between the parents and teachers. The teachers share information about the course, curriculum, learning resources, student’s performance in class etc. to the parents so that they can get more involved in their child’s learning.
#3 Student Feedback Gaining Importance
As the education system has shifted online, there is a sudden need for student feedback so that the teachers could understand whether the students are understanding what is being taught. John, who provides dissertation writing services online says, “many teachers have started asking students to share their experiences so that the teachers can alter their methodologies accordingly. This trend should not be encouraged. Whether it is a physical classroom or a virtual classroom, student feedback is important to understand their learning requirements.”
#4 Micro-learning instead of heavy textbooks
The teachers have started creating bite-sized content for the students so that they can grasp a concept easily. This is also known as micro learning. This kind of learning is suitable because it targets the small attention span of human beings. It helps students concentrate on their studies in a better way. They no more have to depend on reading textbooks to understand a topic. They can watch small videos and gain insights about a topic easily. It is found that micro learning can improve focus and long-term retention by 80%.
This is the time to experiment and evolve the education system. Educational institutions must leverage this opportunity to evolve new ways of face-to-face learning. It is time to explore how digital boards can be beneficial for students and how they can make the most of it by learning from remote locations.
Author Bio
Emily James is an academic writer who provides essay help to high school and college students. She holds university degrees in English studies and Teacher Training. She has designed dissertation writing courses and provides dissertation examples. She writes blogs on education, digital marketing, and learning methodologies
