|
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic students have been forced to attend school virtually as this option for students is a safe way of learning as there is a decreased chance of getting COVID-19. Some schools though have reopened and the efforts have been unsuccessful as many students and classrooms after the first 9 weeks have had to be quarantined. Although schools put many procedures in place there is always the risk of contracting COVID-19 while being near people. With COVID-19 looking to be at its highest point, virtual learning seems to be the safest way to attend school. The real question though is how long can students attend virtual learning? Although schools and teachers try to emulate aspects of face-face learning through using zoom or other platforms it is tough for the students to experience the same things that they do in face-face learning. For example, the social aspect in virtual learning is significantly decreased in virtual learning which can hurt a student’s social skills. Eventually, these social skills will need to be in their jobs in the real world. If their social skills are weak there will be a smaller chance they will get a job or simply communicate with coworkers. Another problem that arises from virtual learning is that it incentivizes cheating as it is very easy to cheat on assignments and tests. This is due to the fact that students have the internet and other resources with them at all times and that there is no one to proctor making sure that the students are not using these resources. Since the students are cheating they will become accustomed to using the internet and other students to find the answers to assignments. With students cheating, they will not be accustomed to studying for tests and quizzes. This can hurt students in the long run as they will lose the skill of studying once face to face school return and depend upon the resources they used on virtual tests. These tactics will not work in face-face school as the teacher will be proctoring the tests and if the students are not able to use their resources combined with the fact that they are not accustomed to studying for tests their academic performance will worsen. The final problem that comes with virtual learning is a problem that arises from the quality of the virtual courses. Typically online courses contain less information and are thus easier to their face-face counterparts. So the virtual students will be learning a lesser quality material which will hinder their performance once they return back to face- face school as they will not know the material of the course as much as they need too. Although these problems arise from virtual learning, teachers and students must come together to solve these problems as virtual learning will continue to occur throughout the 2020-2021 school year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen. Teachers have been attempting to solve the issue of improving social issues of students as teachers have been doing things on the Zoom called breakout rooms where students can be in video chat rooms with a small number of people. In these breakout rooms students can talk to their fellow classmates which helps to improve their social skills as they are interacting with people their age. Developing these social skills are important as they will be used in interviews, in the workplace, and in public. Teachers have also been attempting to solve the issue of cheating as students are forced to take tests on a lockdown browser, the tests are timed, and they make tests stimuli based meaning that the students can not simply use their notes or the internet to find the answer to the questions. Finally teachers are attempting to fix the issue of the quality of the virtual courses as teachers themselves are attempting to teach the class through zoom or other video platforms rather than students trying to learn the course material themselves. Through implementing these solutions to virtual learning, students and teachers can continue to have a safe, virtual learning environment for as long as the COVID-19 pandemic goes on. 
2 Comments
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the conventional ways of education and school for the 2020-2021 school year. Due to social distancing guidelines and COVID-19 spread, the majority of schools will be held virtual for the first part of the school year. The virtual school requires the use of some type of technology, whether it be a laptop, tablet, or phone. A problem arises that in some poverty-stricken communities families can not afford to have the technology required for virtual schools. A solution certain schools are implementing is that they are distributing laptops and other technology to students who live in low-income families that can not afford the technology. But the schools that are distributing technology to students may be located in a poverty-stricken, low-income community causing the school to not have sufficient funds to distribute technology to all the people who need it. Without technology, students will not be able to attend school for the 2020-2021 school year which harms their education and forces them to redo the grade of school that will have missed. Looking at the COVID-19 pandemic as a whole it has hurt the economy of the US greatly and has caused millions of people to lose their jobs. According to “USAFacts.org”, the article states “The national unemployment rate was 14.7% in April 2020, evidence of the economic toll that the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdowns have had on the economy.” With the unemployment rate being at such a high number parents may lose their jobs or be followed so kids of families living in impoverished communities may have to acquire jobs to bring more money in the house to meet ends meet. Students will prioritize family over their education which subsequently will harm their education in the long run. Another situation that could occur is that in some areas where the cases of spread of COVID-19 are minimal schools may be open. For example in Forsyth County where the amount of COVID-19 cases is smaller than surrounding counties, the schools are open for the first semester. To maintain the safety of students, schools will most likely have guidelines that require masks and other protections to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Kids who are in low-income households may be not able to afford adequate Personal protection equipment to safely go to school thus putting themselves and others in danger. Regardless of the situation of kids who live in income households or in poverty-riddled communities certain things will need to be done to ensure that all students get a safe education for the 2020-2021 school year. Certain Donation drives, GofundMes, and fundraisers can be held for students who can not afford adequate technology to participate in school. For example, the non-profit organization HYPE, Helping Youth and Poverty Everywhere, is holding a Technology Donation drive in their community and the technology that they receive from the drive will then be donated to students in impoverished communities. A similar thing is being done for PPE as other organizations such as Tom Bihn have turned their US manufacturing line to Cloth Masks and are donating to hundreds of individuals who are in need of masks. Although certain organizations are trying to combat the various issues that come with the 2020-2021 school year there will have to be more of an effort by the community and nation to ensure that every child gets the proper education for this school year. |
