In this post we will be looking at the meaning of online schooling, the struggles in online class, parents role play in online schooling, advantages and disadvantages of online schooling.
INTRODUCTION.
As technology improves and online programs become respected, Online learning has become a common education option. Some kids take all of their classes online. Other kids take some classes online and some at a brick-and-mortar school. There are also “blended learning” programs that provide a mix of online and in-person instruction in the same classroom. Some kids with learning and thinking differences may thrive in online classes. But some kids may not get the support they need to succeed in online schools and blended learning programs. Kids who go to online school full-time are supposed to spend several hours a day in front of a computer. The online lessons or “modules” include video lectures and short quizzes. Kids work independently through these modules, and the quizzes help assess whether they’re ready to move on to the next lesson. Online courses may have some offline activities like filling out worksheets or doing science experiments. There may be some group activities too. For example, online high school students might use a Google doc to work together on a group project. Some courses may also schedule “live lessons” so students can have an online discussion with all of their classmates.
WHAT ARE ONLINE SCHOOLS?
Online schools have virtual classes that students can take from home or a library or anywhere else that has an Internet connection. The teachers work remotely and have a structured curriculum for their online students to follow. Some kids take only one or two fully online classes. Other kids take all of their classes online. Online learning is sometimes called distance learning. You may also hear online schools referred to as virtual schools or cyber schools.
THE STRUGGLES IN ONLINE CLASS.
For students who think and learn differently, education can be a struggle in general. When learning takes place in a virtual environment, students’ learning challenges can be exacerbated. Students who were familiar with talking to a teacher and asking for help in person now need to write an email and wait for a professor’s virtual office hours. Students who excelled in classroom group projects and hands-on activities now need to “do school” entirely on a computer. The following are common struggles that diverse learners might have during online learning:
- You can’t just raise your hand: Online students enjoy the flexibility of working their classwork into their busy schedules. But when it’s midnight and you have a question on an assignment due in the morning, an email or phone call to your instructor is out of the question.
- It can be difficult to stay motivated: Online students need to be self-motivated because you won’t have your peers or instructors leaning over your shoulder holding you accountable.
- Weekends can be busy: Evenings and weekends tend to be busier for online students because so much of the week is taken up by professional responsibilities, while it may put a damper on your social life, the flexibility of online learning will help students develop personal accountability.
- Technology can fail: Online courses are dependent on technology and the reality is that technology isn’t always reliable as in instances when the site was down with network issues.
- There are more distractions at home: The distractions at home are the toughest, not to mention Instagram, Twitter and every other social media site are only a click away. In combatting these distractions is setting up a clearly defined office space and maintaining ‘office hours’ in your home for learning.
- Quality of participation can’t always be measured: Online students can’t really earn brownie points from instructors by sitting in the front row, taking notes and being actively engaged during class, which is not always the case with online students. When logged in to a live lecture, your instructor won’t know if you’re listening intently or playing Candy Crush in a different browser. Though you may not get the recognition for the effort you put forth, you can rest assured knowing you are acquiring the knowledge you’ll need to pursue your ideal career.
- You won’t get the “full college experience”: Online students miss out on all of the stereotypical college experiences like dorm rooms, football games etc., If these things appeal to you, online classes are probably not the best choice.
- You may also be working full time: Many online college students understand what it’s like working full time while earning their degree. Balancing school and work allow you to earn a degree in two years instead of four.
PARENTS ROLE PLAY IN ONLINE SCHOOLING.
Online learning is not the same thing as homeschooling. But parents of online students need to be prepared to take nearly as active a role in their child’s education as homeschooling parents do. Many online schools expect parents to take on the role of in-person “learning coach.” Parental involvement may be especially important for kids with disabilities. Parents roles includes:
- Understanding their child’s specific educational requirements
- Identifying challenges such as online curriculum barriers
- Interacting with school personnel
- Providing interventions
- Helping their child stay engaged in online lessons for four to six hours a day.
online students struggle with deadlines and time management skills more than students in traditional schools. Online classes can place heavy demands on students’ executive functioning skills. It can be hard for some kids to work through the online modules on their own. These are some of the reasons parents may want to ask how much time they’re expected to spend each day helping with schoolwork. Another area parents may want to ask about is social-emotional learning. Getting details on how the school plans to help kids develop key skills like self-advocacy and collaboration.
ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE SCHOOLING.
Efficiency: Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Online learning has a number of tools such as videos, PDFs, podcasts, and teachers can use all these tools as part of their lesson plans. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources, teachers are able to become more efficient educators.
Accessibility Of Time and Place: Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location of their choice. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead of being restricted by geographical boundaries. Additionally, online lectures can be recorded, archived, and shared for future reference. This allows students to access the learning material at a time of their comfort. Thus, online learning offers students the accessibility of time and place in education.
Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs: Online education is far more affordable as compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, all the course or study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment which is more affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment.
Improved Student Attendance: Since online classes can be taken from home or location of choice, there are fewer chances of students missing out on lessons.
Suits A Variety of Learning Styles: Every student has a different learning journey and a different learning style. Some students are visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups. The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized in many ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF ONLINE SCHOOLING.
Inability to Focus on Screens: For many students, one of the biggest challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing on the screen for long periods of time. With online learning, there is also a greater chance for students to be easily distracted by social media or other sites. Therefore, it is imperative for the teachers to keep their online classes crisp, engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the lesson.
Technology Issues: Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. While internet penetration has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, in smaller cities and towns, a consistent connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning for the child. This is detrimental to the education process.
Sense Of Isolation: Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class, there are minimal physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense of isolation for the students. In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages, emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of isolation.
Teacher Training: Online learning requires teachers to have a basic understanding of using digital forms of learning. However, this is not the case always. Very often, teachers have a very basic understanding of technology. Sometimes, they don’t even have the necessary resources and tools to conducts online classes. To combat this, it is important for schools to invest in training teachers with the latest technology updates so that they can conduct their online classes seamlessly.
Manage Screen Time: Many parents are concerned about the health hazards of having their children spend so many hours staring at a screen. This increase in screen time is one of the biggest concerns and disadvantages of online learning. Sometimes students also develop bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of a screen. A good solution to this would be to give the students plenty of breaks from the screen to refresh their mind and their body.
CONCLUTION: As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of positives and negatives. Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help institutes in creating strategies for more efficient delivery of the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for the students.