As classes move from schools to laptops and smartphones, kids are showing signs of restlessness and aggression. Parents are having a hard time figuring out why, but excessive screen time is surely one of the reasons. Another is the long gaps in social interaction and deprivation from extracurricular activities. Millions of kids have missed out on their precious school days, and uncertain lockdowns have made matters worse.
How do Parents Feel About Online Learning?
Kids are having trouble getting accustomed to this new routine. K-21 students do not just study using their books; they explore and understand through many sensory and social explorations. Hence, deprivation from physical school has clearly shown signs of learning and growth issues in kids.
According to Pew Research Center, a survey of parents took place after the Corona situation. Especially, parents of K-12 students gave their opinions and concerns. Net 56% of parents were concerned about the effectiveness of online education programs k-12 level. The kids of these parents were getting in-person instructions from their schools. 68% of parents were negative about online learning. These kids were not getting in-person instructions from the teachers.
The percentage is not significantly different in the above two scenarios. Nevertheless, the problem is that no matter whether the K-1 students are getting general or personal attention, things are not looking bright for the parents.
Emerging Learning and Behavioral Issues
K-12 students are in a very delicate stage in their lives. These kids are going through the best of their lives when they simultaneously learn many academic, social, and emotional aspects. Not being able to attend school can have grave issues in their learning curve. Hence, parents become their first and only point of contact during the online learning phase; they can see the adversities much more closely.
Some of the most critical issues K-12 students are facing due to online learning are:
- Lack of Motivation to Study
- The feeling of Mission Out
- Lack of Understanding in Subject Matters
- Increase in Social Interaction Anxiety
- Deprivation of Practical Experience
- Irritation Due to Infrastructural and Technical Issues
- Limited Availability of Teachers/ Educators
Role of Online Learning
While the academic world was going through a turbulent time, some things were falling back in place. Of course, most educational institutes struggled to reach out to students to complete the curriculum. However, some went ahead and did what was required in order to make things better. These institutions took help from some of the best online learning platforms ( LMSs) and ensured that the learning was unaffected.
Mainly, online proctoring solutions like ProctorDIY came to the rescue. Online proctoring solutions like ProctorDIY use advanced technology and artificial intelligence to aid educators. ProctorDIY helps teachers to ensure that the invigilation is uninterrupted, efficient, and smooth for the students. ProctorDIY smoothly integrates with major LMS platforms and offers teachers live, AI-backed proctoring support.
Corrective Steps
Education institutes need to take immediate & effective actions to bridge the learning gap for K-12 online learning. Although, these steps are only practical if parents & teachers come together to ensure their implementation. Because places like remote learning preschools, kids will require active parent participation in the learning process.
• Make Learning Material More Interesting
Online & offline learning should have some differences in their approach. As kids are in isolation in their homes during the learning process, the study material should be interesting enough to motivate them to learn. Having the same set of materials will not help them feel motivated & interested. Teachers should design & provide extra study material to K-1 kids to better understand various academic concepts.
• Devote Dedicated Personal Time to Each Kid
Like any other situation, kids lose interest when they do not get personal attention. An essential part of learning is giving personal attention to each kid & understand their requirements. Simply downloading information during an online class will not help them. Teachers will have to schedule one-on-one time for every kid regularly. Such initiative will keep the k-12 learning platform engaging in the learning process & teachers will have a fair idea of their academic progress.
• Make Practise Worksheets & Material Available in Abundance
Educators should provide plenty of practice material available on their online learning platforms K-12 level. The ready availability of such material will help the students to strengthen their concepts and build confidence.
• Use Audio Visual Aids to Create Lively Class Environment
Sometimes it is better to use relevant audio & videos to explain a concept. Simply using text for teaching a subject can lead to boredom. Using such interesting tools can help the teachers to demand students’ attention.
In A Nutshell
The feeling of their kids falling behind in learning K-12 student parents is a genuine concern. Schools, colleges, and universities are using their best brains to devise a solution as online learning for kids has become a reality of our times. Furthermore, these institutions are also designing special online learning programs K-12 student specific. Slowly but surely, online learning concerns are getting solutions and digital aids. K-12 online schools are making a difference and helping K-12 students to overcome their learning difficulties.
