LIVEMINT: A yearning for learning in the times of coronavirus
date：2020-05-28 10:28author：小编source：LIVEMINTviews：
Who would have thought at the beginning of 2020 that this would indeed be the defining year of our lives? The coronavirus pandemic has affected all of us one way or the other. While the adults started Work from Home (WFH), some students transitioned to the Virtual School experience adjusting in just about a couple of weeks. This was a new, seemingly bizzarre routine of staring and interacting with thumbnail boxes on a screen, interspersed with offline assignments and coscholastic engagements. The CBSE class of 2020 is in limbo, stuck in the midst of their year 12 exams and unsure of their destination for undergraduate studies! At the other end of the spectrum, for the students at the bottom of the pyramid the currency of exchange was staying alive while there was no family income and only some handouts of food!
Digital work has led to physical stress in terms of incorrect postures, insomnia and eye strain. These need to be addressed on a continuing basis for children attending Virtual Schools. As an example there is a simple 20-20-20 rule for eyestrain This essentially means that for every 20 minutes spent on a screen, you should try to look away for 20 seconds at something that is 20 feet away. Battling insomnia includes simple but essential sleep hygiene measures such as not sleeping after seeing a screen, sleeping for 6-8 hours every day, taking a bath at night and listening to soothing music before retiring for the day. Children in a virtual environment still need their own space and should be allowed to interact telephonically or by other means with their buddies. Lack of peer interaction because of physical distancing will have long term impact. A miniscule percentage that found school and peer circles an escape hatch from the physically or emotionally abusive atmosphere at home, were sadly unable to find respite and episodes of self- harm were rising in middle and senior schools. In progressive schools, the pastoral work of counsellors- skyrocketed by leaps and bounds in the virtual domain. More online engagement also made social media infamous with leaked locker room chats reeking of a deeper malaise kn society.
The mentor mentee relationship within a classroom doesn't thrive if there are spectators during the exchange, who viciously judge the mentor.
It pains educators to see whatsapp parent groups judging the quality of instruction/and engagement of the last two months of learning. Hats off to these Covid warriors who were shaping the present and future world assiduously, in spite of challenges on the domestic front.
Online virtual education cannot replace face to face education at all because schools are meant to teach social interaction and collaboration and not social distancing. It is still possible to offer a modality of instruction virtually but that is not the same thing. However safety is paramount and that should guide our decisions for school opening. Although the chances of children being affected are remote, it is known that they are affected in rare cases. Many schools with their cramped conditions will not be able to ensure hygiene and physical distancing. These could end up being the “superspreaders" which could result in transmission to several others. More significantly in a home environment where there are multiple generations including grandparents, there is a risk of severe or fatal outcomes for family members through children.
Protocols such as “Framework for Reopening of Schools" by UNICEF and other international agencies provide guidance on this critical aspect. However till the time the prevalence of cases comes down to a safe level as advised by public health authorities, it would be best to utilize the online mode.
In the transition period to regular school blended learning involving both online learning and onsite learning with reduced school timing could be experimented. Schools could also perhaps work on an alternative day with half the number of students.
Source：https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/a-yearning-for-learning-in-the-times-of-coronavirus-11590463750823.html
Digital work has led to physical stress in terms of incorrect postures, insomnia and eye strain. These need to be addressed on a continuing basis for children attending Virtual Schools. As an example there is a simple 20-20-20 rule for eyestrain This essentially means that for every 20 minutes spent on a screen, you should try to look away for 20 seconds at something that is 20 feet away. Battling insomnia includes simple but essential sleep hygiene measures such as not sleeping after seeing a screen, sleeping for 6-8 hours every day, taking a bath at night and listening to soothing music before retiring for the day. Children in a virtual environment still need their own space and should be allowed to interact telephonically or by other means with their buddies. Lack of peer interaction because of physical distancing will have long term impact. A miniscule percentage that found school and peer circles an escape hatch from the physically or emotionally abusive atmosphere at home, were sadly unable to find respite and episodes of self- harm were rising in middle and senior schools. In progressive schools, the pastoral work of counsellors- skyrocketed by leaps and bounds in the virtual domain. More online engagement also made social media infamous with leaked locker room chats reeking of a deeper malaise kn society.
The mentor mentee relationship within a classroom doesn't thrive if there are spectators during the exchange, who viciously judge the mentor.
It pains educators to see whatsapp parent groups judging the quality of instruction/and engagement of the last two months of learning. Hats off to these Covid warriors who were shaping the present and future world assiduously, in spite of challenges on the domestic front.
Online virtual education cannot replace face to face education at all because schools are meant to teach social interaction and collaboration and not social distancing. It is still possible to offer a modality of instruction virtually but that is not the same thing. However safety is paramount and that should guide our decisions for school opening. Although the chances of children being affected are remote, it is known that they are affected in rare cases. Many schools with their cramped conditions will not be able to ensure hygiene and physical distancing. These could end up being the “superspreaders" which could result in transmission to several others. More significantly in a home environment where there are multiple generations including grandparents, there is a risk of severe or fatal outcomes for family members through children.
Protocols such as “Framework for Reopening of Schools" by UNICEF and other international agencies provide guidance on this critical aspect. However till the time the prevalence of cases comes down to a safe level as advised by public health authorities, it would be best to utilize the online mode.
In the transition period to regular school blended learning involving both online learning and onsite learning with reduced school timing could be experimented. Schools could also perhaps work on an alternative day with half the number of students.
Source：https://www.livemint.com/opinion/online-views/a-yearning-for-learning-in-the-times-of-coronavirus-11590463750823.html
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