2021 Education Magazine

The efficacy of remote learning
By Derek Hurley

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[February 23, 2021]  Remote learning became reality for a lot of the students this last year. Even after nearly a year, parents and administrators are asking; just how effective is remote learning?

The quick answer is that remote learning is effective for some types of learners. Students who prefer to work at their own pace, and can handle the responsibilities of directing their own learning can absolutely thrive in this type of educational environment. But for others, the lack of stimulation, as well as the continued remote learning over long periods, can lead to burnout.

Previous research has found that chronic absenteeism, which affects reading levels, grade retention, graduation rates and dropout rates, can become more of a problem for certain students trying to learn remotely. For example, as cited by Kevin Bessler in the Center Square, “Attendance dipped in Chicago’s public schools this fall, especially for Black students and those with special needs.”

A report from the American Psychological Association cited Megan Kuhfeld, PhD, and Beth Tarasawa, PhD, of the Collaborative for Student Growth at the educational nonprofit organization NWEA. They predict that overall, “students in grades three through eight will return to school with roughly 70% of the learning gains in reading and less than 50% of the learning gains in math compared with a typical year.”



However, other research shows that online learning can be as effective as in-person instruction, “if you have a good setup,” said Michele Gregoire Gill, PhD, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Central Florida. The problem is that what most schools feature for remote education is not the same as true online learning. “Teachers didn’t have prepared online content [last spring], so they were trying to convert what they normally do to an online platform. It was emergency triage.”

Proper online learning takes place via platforms designed explicitly for that purpose, often with personalized content and tools for each student.

Dr. Emily King, an adolescent psychologist, said that for some students, being in control of their schedule and task demands of the day seems to be making a big difference. Some parents have expressed delight that their students don’t have to wake up early to be at the bus stop for a long bus ride. They also don’t have to deal with constant class changes and overly crowded halls between periods.

Other students have expressed a benefit of no longer being too exhausted to do anything after school, and are feeling in better physical shape as well as emotional shape. A calmer environment can help those students dealing with noise levels and completely inappropriate behavior of other students interrupting their learning.

“For some students—those with anxiety, autism, and others—the pressure comes off when they are allowed to work from home,” one mom says in King’s report.

Remote learning also teaches us that learning isn’t just about content, but how to organize work and become independent thinkers. “Following the lead of the child enables them to take control of their own learning, have more say over their life. And often, when allowed, many will thrive if their interests are applied to different subjects,” one parent says in King’s report.

“One size does not fit all,” says another parent, “and virtual learning is problematic for plenty of kids. But some kids are blossoming through virtual learning. I hope going forward, districts, especially those that are overcrowded, start to think about different educational delivery methods in order to meet more students where they are.”

However, the lack of social connections during the pandemic is significant. One of the aspects of learning that a lot of people are now realizing is that personal relationships matter at all levels of education, including relationships with other students and with teachers.

In some cases, this means more failing grades are going out on report cards. School districts across the country have reported the number of students failing classes has risen considerably when compared to recent years.

For example, Superintendent Steve Wilder of District 427 in Sycamore, Illinois, said that there is a much higher number of failing grades at the district's high school. Journalist Kevin Bessler cited in the Center Square, “He (Wilder) reported about 850 failing grades – about three times as many as in past years.”

Those in higher education share similar stories that the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted their academic performance. OneClass, an education technology company that provides virtual access to study materials, surveyed more than 14,000 freshmen, sophomore and junior college students about their fall 2020 experience. Students from 232 colleges, both public and private, took part in the study.

“About 85 percent of respondents said the pandemic had a negative effect on their performance. Another nine percent said the pandemic didn't affect their performance, and about five percent said the pandemic had a positive influence on their performance,” writes Madeline St. Amour of Inside Higher Ed.

One reason for this is that digital interactions can be highly taxing, regardless of external factors. Asynchronous class formats, where communication often takes place through email or discussion boards, and remote connectivity to teachers and classmates, along with limited access to labs and facilities, can mean that “even something as simple as asking a question after class could mean back-and-forth email delays without ever gaining confidence in the class material.”

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Student mental health has also been strained from family responsibilities, health concerns, feelings of loneliness, and the overall loss of the typical college experience. Students are often faced with the chronic stress and anxiety of trying to learn under very different conditions from what they are accustomed.

A report by Suzie An of WBEZ Chicago featured student Paige Gagerman, who considered herself “highly motivated” in the fall. But now in second semester, remote learning “has worn her down.”

“I think that all the hope and all the life has been drained out of me and my peers, and really the teachers, too… I’ll stay up for hours during the night, anxious about the homework I couldn’t [be motivated] to do. Or about the fact that I just don’t know what to do with all these thoughts. It keeps me up at night.” She also worries that teachers confuse her anxiety for laziness.

“We probably see more mental health visits than we do sick visits,” said Dr. Valerie Kimball in the same report. Kimball, a pediatrician in Evanston, said the common thread is continuous remote learning. She said while kids are resilient, this level of remote learning is really pushing things.

“It’s not just a matter of ‘They’re just going to have to wait it out, they’re going to have to be resilient, they’re going to have to be patient,’” Kimball said. “Their brains are not equipped to do those kinds of things, and now we’re getting to the point where it’s become unhealthy.”

“Students need to see their teachers and each other because the social isolation is doing so much damage,” said parent Christina Springer via Bessler’s report. “I have four e-learners at my home, three high schoolers and one junior high, and they have headaches and eye strain from so much screen time.”

But students are not the only ones that can struggle with remote learning. Teachers who are used to classroom education can suffer from the same feelings of burnout. For some, their identity as a teacher is affected, and their self-efficacy suffers because of it. What would normally be considered a great opportunity to learn new approaches to teaching and finding new tools to use has become a stressor because of external pressures beyond their control.

WBEZ also cited Peggy Kubert, senior director of education with Erika’s Lighthouse, an organization that specializes in depression education programs. While the push continues to reopen schools, Kubert cautions that in-person learning, or even the end of the pandemic won’t solve all the mental health problems.



“Schools that are smart are going to be preparing for the repercussions that are going to be happening next year and the year after as kids are playing catch up, as life is not immediately going back to the way it was before,” said Kubert.

The conclusion here is that remote learning is effective if the conditions are right, and is offered as a choice. Unfortunately, it’s too risky to offer such a choice to everyone right now. But it should be food for thought for schools going forward.

Sources

Advantages of online learning for some students on the Autism Spectrum

Did College Students Perform Worse During COVID-19?

In-person, remote learning underway for central Illinois school districts

Is Remote Learning Causing A Mental Health Crisis Among Teens And Children?

Remote learning produces more failing grades at some Illinois schools

Survey: Pandemic Negatively Affected Grades This Fall

What did distance learning accomplish?

 

Read all the articles in our new
2021 Education Magazine

Title
CLICK ON TITLES TO GO TO PAGES
Page
Educating in a most challenging year 4
A preschool that is exciting, educational and engaging 5
Local educators creating practical math 6
The efficacy of remote learning 9
Differences in college education during the pandemic 13
Changing the social dynamics of education 19
School resource officer makes positive impact 24
What's a dog doing in school? 26
Academics and meaningful lessons blended 31
The return of school sports 35
Logan County School profiles 38

 

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