Overcoming the difficulties of e-learning
eLearning is the way of the future. Even kids who will never attend an online college need to know how to thrive in any circumstance. What if their school has a virus outbreak that forces them to go remote for two weeks? What if they stay home six days a school year due to bad weather? Children who weren't ready for eLearning during the pandemic fell behind. At the time, learning delays were the result of an unprecedented situation. Four years later, there are no more excuses. Everyone should know how to learn online well. In this article we look at how help struggling students become better eLearners.
Strategies to help struggling students become better at e-learning
Ensure fair access to resources
It is important to keep in mind that the lack of opportunity is often a significant barrier to eLearning. The most obvious of these is a lack of access to digital technology at home. Children who do not have smart devices or wireless internet at home cannot complete assignments that require these resources. They will also have a hard time completing normal assignments as work from home has become increasingly computer dependent over the past decade.
Many schools provide resources that children who need them can take with them, such as wireless hotspots and school-provided devices. These tools are a great way to ensure accessibility. Other problems are more difficult to solve. For example, what do you do to support children whose parents are not at home during the day? Or perhaps children responsible for caring for a younger sibling or cousin?
Talk to the teachers in your life who were there during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chances are, many of them will remember fifth-grade kids bouncing babies on their laps as they tried to learn math. Of course, not much can be done to optimize a child's home environment for learning. Schools can provide additional support in the form of homework help programs and other opportunities for children to catch up on assignments they have missed due to lack of opportunities.
Note that some schools are already using strategies to address the opportunity gap. Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) boards exist to ensure that all students have a fair opportunity for a high-quality education. Typically made up of community members, a DEI board can analyze school policies and ensure that no student slips through the cracks due to factors beyond their control.
Lean on data
One of the nice things about digital work materials is that many of them naturally produce and process student data that can be used by the layperson, such as a teacher. Teachers have always used analytics, of course, but doing it manually is slow and inaccurate. A well-rounded remote technology gives teachers access to actionable insights they can use to improve their students' outcomes.
This is of course easier said than done. The implementation of data in schools is something that must be prioritized from the top down. That doesn't mean education leaders should spend more time talking about how good data is. It does mean giving teachers the tools (including the time) they need to do it effectively. This will not only highlight the effectiveness of remote learning within the school, but it will also provide a clearer picture of the overall trends within the school.
Provide materials that suit different learning styles
It's easier to accommodate different learning styles online than in real life. Remote work typically requires more independent effort. Students interact privately with their materials, many of which are produced digitally and by software. Teachers may find that they can help struggling students perform better with programs that adapt to their specific learning style. Traditional classroom learning has long favored children who learn best through reading and writing. Online it's easier to give everyone a chance to shine.
Try to respect boundaries
Teachers hate the deliberately darkened screen, or the student who is forever muted. There are certainly situations where both behaviors need to be modified. If the child is hiding behind a black screen to avoid work, he or she may need to be lured back to the group.
However, it's important to keep in mind that you never know what's going on in the background. Maybe their parents are fighting and they don't want anyone to know. Maybe their house is small and they have no choice but to work in the same room where their grandmother clips her toenails on the couch.
Sometimes a black screen means that a child chooses to participate, even though the learning conditions are not optimal at the moment. It is important to respect that as much as possible. Not sure which students need privacy and which are abusing the system? You may find it productive to offer help to struggling students whose screens are always black. You don't have to ask them what's going on. Instead, see if there are any questions or concerns you can address. This way you at least hit the basics.
Check in regularly
It is much easier to neglect a child when he or she is miles away. One of the main reasons why children struggle with eLearning is that they do not receive the same level of attention as they would in the classroom. For the occasional snow day, that's probably fine. If school is remote for an extended period of time, it's a good idea to actively monitor everyone. Asking questions. Read more about the learning barriers they encounter. Chances are, each student's answer will be a little different.
Conclusion
Ultimately, many of the same problems inherent in classroom learning carry over into the remote environment. Children experience hardships – both internal and external – that keep them from achieving their best results. Teachers, overworked and undersupported, lack the ability to fully meet their needs.
The unfortunate fact is that no single strategy can remove every barrier to learning, remote or otherwise. However, by actively addressing the challenges specific to remote learning, teachers can increase the likelihood of good outcomes for their students.