Evaluating the Successes and Shortfalls of Online Learning
Since March, schools and universities across the United States have closed down in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19. In response, online learning modules have proliferated and the use of web conferencing applications such as Zoom has become widespread as learning shifted to the students’ homes. These dramatic, sudden changes to the educational system as it is have raised questions about the effectiveness of online learning as opposed to traditional, in person teaching. As this year’s summer vacation comes to a close and we approach the fall of a new school year, many schools must adapt to a hybrid approach by balancing in-person and remote learning or continue to operate online entirely as long as COVID-19 remains present. In this context, the implications of these instructional methods in elementary and secondary education have become all the more significant.
The transition to remote, online learning — which allows students to participate in classes in situations when scheduling or distance would present an obstacle in any other case — over the past several months has been compelled by the pandemic. For the schools that have closed down in response to the pandemic, this has meant relying on platforms such as Google Classroom, Canvas, and Microsoft Teams in order to continue to assign work and facilitate learning. This has brought certain changes to the way students can approach their learning at home, such as a newfound flexibility that gives students more control over the management of their own time and learning experience. For some, that has conferred significant benefits. Asynchronous learning allows students to learn at their own pace, and recorded lessons give them the ability to review material as many times as they want. In addition, for students whose in-person schooling environments were disruptive to their learning, the past few months may have facilitated their learning in ways brick and mortar schools could not. For example, a student from New York writes that distance learning has given her more control of her studies and allowed her to collaborate far more effectively than her traditional school ever allowed her to, given the disruptive nature of her classmates’ behavior and the difficulties many of her teachers had in managing the classroom well (Mintz). During the pandemic, the flexible characteristic of online learning has proven critical for allowing them to continue to learn and interact with their teachers and peers even when physical schools have closed their doors, and for some students, it has also met needs that their own schools had not been able to address.
On the other hand, the recent shift to online learning has led to new challenges, and virtual lessons have come with their own price as well. The rapidity with which the pandemic has compelled this shift has strained many traditional schools and districts that likely had limited infrastructure and provisions for online education prior to the onset of the pandemic (Virtual charter schools and online learning during COVID-19). Students and teachers have had to experiment during the final months of the 2019–20 school year in order to adapt to this entirely new scenario as a result, such as by reworking the curriculum in order for it to be taught effectively online and often making sacrifices along the way. It is significantly more difficult to foster active class discussions over a video call, and lessons aimed at stimulating critical thinking and argumentation are challenging to incorporate through online assignments. Issues with technology may also interfere with running virtual classes smoothly. Furthermore, as of now it’s clear that physical teaching presence plays a significant role in student success, regardless of the teaching setting. Research has shown that students tend to learn less efficiently in online courses, but can perform as well as they would in a normal classroom setting or even better in scenarios when they have a “facilitator or mentor on hand” to guide their work (Carey). Similarly, a report from USC Rossier School of Education advises teachers to check in regularly with their students and offer face-to-face opportunities in order to help students stay engaged during distance learning and to establish a stronger sense of community within the online classroom (Supporting Online Learning in a Time of Pandemic).
In addition, the changes to the way students have learned in the past few months have exacerbated issues of inequity that existed before. For students who lack access to reliable Internet connection or a computer, or whose families were impacted in other ways by the pandemic, online learning has presented a significant challenge. For instance, students from low income families, which are more likely to rely on smartphones for Internet access, have had trouble using “more sophisticated learning software that requires a tablet or computer” (Goldstein). In order to combat these issues, some schools have provided students with laptops or other technology to assist in the transition, but understanding how to utilize this equipment properly and participate in classes has also been a barrier, especially for younger children who require adult supervision (Goldstein). As a result, the American Psychological Association recommends that teachers be flexible and supportive in the coming months. This spring, many schools chose to alter their grading practices, such as shifting towards a pass/fail grading system, in order to help ease the transition online and accommodate for the inevitable gaps in teaching and learning that arose. However, the academic policies for the new school year starting this fall have yet to be seen, especially as students will be starting afresh.
The countrywide shift towards online learning is an unprecedented reaction to an unprecedented world, and this novelty has meant addressing unforeseen challenges on the go. However, as online learning will likely remain as a major part of many students’ learning experiences for the foreseeable future, the upcoming school year can serve as an opportunity to learn from the lessons of the spring. And perhaps, when students do return to their physical schools, those lessons might help enrich their education in a completely new way.
Works Cited
Carey, Benedict. “What We’re Learning About Online Learning.” The New York Times, The New York Times. 13 June 2020. www.nytimes.com/2020/06/13/health/school-learning-online-education.html.
Mintz, Veronique. “Why I’m Learning More With Distance Learning Than I Do in School.” The New York Times, The New York Times. 5 May 2020. www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/opinion/coronavirus-pandemic-distance-learning.html.
How to Support Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic.” USC Rossier School of Education. 13 Apr. 2020. rossier.usc.edu/supporting-online-learning-covid-pandemic/.
