With schools closed, your kids are being taught math, science and English from your living room. But what does going from the classroom to the living room do to your child’s learning?
Scientists with the University of California, Irvine used data from the Ohio education system, looking at standardized test scores of kindergarten through 12th grade students. Researchers found the students enrolled in online schools did significantly worse than kids who went to a physical classroom for school.
The study suggests that some students can fall behind during the COVID-19 pandemic where students are expected to do their learning online.
So, what can parents do? We have some effective ways parents can help their children succeed academically while they are at home during this crisis.
Implement strategies to pace your child’s learning, communicate with teachers and other parents for ideas on how to support your child’s learning, and encourage your child to connect with other students virtually for study groups.
Fourteen percent of families with school-aged children lack high-speed internet. So, if internet access is a problem, parents can access teachers through phone calls, request hard copies of materials to supplement video sessions, and even ask internet providers about low-cost or no-cost internet access.
The Ohio study, which was done before COVID-19, also found black and Latino students were less likely to enroll for e-learning classes compared to their white peers. Students with special needs were also less likely to enroll.