by Riley Wootten, reporter
Online learning has grown popular since COVID-19 hit the US, forcing kids worldwide to finish their school year online. Today, many students are actively part of online learning, but the question remains if they are getting the best education. This form of teaching through a screen is not the most effective form of learning, as it removes the student from social interaction and makes it harder for them to learn.
Education is most effective when one can make a personal connection between student and teacher. This is because it is easier to ask for help, interact with other students and learn with active participation and guidance.
According to the National Institutes of Health, “The migration to a new learning space has faced several major concerns relating to policy, pedagogy, logistics, socioeconomic factors, technology, and psychosocial factors,” said Jessie S. Barot, psychologist. “With reference to policies, government education agencies and schools scrambled to create fool-proof policies on governance structure, teacher management, and student management.”
Not only has online learning created a different learning environment for students, but it has also affected teachers’ education plans. Many educators have had to change their teaching to equip their lessons with students’ needs.
According to Barot, “teachers, who were used to conventional teaching delivery, were also obliged to embrace technology despite their lack of technological literacy.”
Online education also requires a lot of trust in students since there is not much guidance to monitor cheating or disruptive behaviors. This can affect how a student manages their education as they do not have a set schedule and can easily choose to not attend class or not do their assignments.
It is vital for a student to feel comfortable, important and cared for when enduring the stress that school can place upon them. Online education is not beneficial to a student’s education and social learning. Interactions with teachers and students, active participation and guidance can truly change a student’s future for the better.
