In this blog post we will be talking about the effects of online education for children

Since the pandemic it has gotten very normal to do almost everything online. Not only did we do our shopping online, but almost everybody is working online and children have online school now.

Before the pandemic started, there was already a rise in online education. Such as, apps you can download, or websites that contain free educational material. There are websites or apps you need to pay for. Usually these have better quality materials or even a private online tutor. These sources became very popular for parents to use for their children. Especially when the parents are not able to help their children out or when they cannot afford a tutor. However, during the pandemic and perhaps even still, children got introduced to online school. For every student this has been quite a change. From going to school every day to online school is a big difference and routines have been adjusted. Online school for the younger ones has been more challenging. Young children need to have a certain structure to be able to focus in class. Therefore, they need more engaging material and the teachers need to find a creative way to engage the children in online school so they can focus. However this did not go without trial and error. Of course, every school does it differently, but that is why parents can always help or siblings, if they are there. Another positive change due to online school is that now there is an increase of independent online schools who provide online lessons. They are more focused on the individual itself and provide a detailed lesson plan for this particular student. Thus, it is very detail oriented and the child gets to have a private tutor as well. Of course, these schools sound very expensive, however they do provide scholarships. These types of schools are mostly for parents who have a very inconsistent schedule. Therefore an online school would be the perfect answer for that. 

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However, online school also had its downside. Of course, since it is an online school, the children are at home so the parents are glued to them 24/7. For some parents this can be an opportunity for them to bond with their children. However, for some parents this can become a burden. Studies have shown that for families who come from a background of migrants it is harder for them to help their children during online school. This can be because of multiple reasons. The most common reason is that the parents do not speak the language that well. Another reason is that the parents can also be working the whole time, thus they do not have the time to help their children. If a family could afford it, they would hire a tutor, but in most cases this does not happen. Either the child has to figure it out by themselves or they get help from their siblings. Another downside of online schooling is that it is online. Now in most cases, you would think, everybody has internet access, however, this is not the case. Not everyone has access to the internet, thus, it can be quite difficult to have online classes or they will not attend the class. 

In the end, whether or not your children had online school, it has been quite a challenge for everybody to adjust to a new learning environment. Perhaps in the future it will be the new norm indeed to have online school. However, for now the traditional way works for everybody. 

Sources: 

5 Simple Tips To Help Your Child Focus While Learning Online 

By BümoBrain

Distance education in COVID-19 pandemic: An evaluation of parent’s, child’s, teacher’s competences

By Tuğba Öçal, Medera Halmatov & Samet Ata 

Online learning cannot just be for those who can afford its technology 

By Nature

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever. This is how

By Cathy Li, Farah Lalani