Literature Review: Challenges and Benefits of Remote Learning

Author: Kenna Zhang Many of us are trapped inside of our homes right now in the coronavirus pandemic. We, at some point, have all switched to remote learning as well. Things are different now and it affects our work ethic and learning habits. The switch from close-up contact to virtual learning has been a tsunami of difference and change. Main topics that will be featured in this review are the challenges and benefits of remote learning. Challenges Switching to remote learning can be challenging. From not having an open device at all times to lack of expertise in a new field: technology. Many low-income families may not have an open device at all times. Siblings may have to take turns using a single phone. “Low income families are more likely to rely on smartphones for internet access, and children in those households may not be able to use more sophisticated learning software that requires a tablet or computer.” The New York Times says in an article about switching to digital learning*. The New York Post reports that $269M in iPad has been paid for in the city Department of Education. “DOE spokeswoman Miranda Barbot called it a ‘cost effective long-term investment in our kids that will be used as an educational tool long after the COVID crisis passes.’” 225,000 students in NYC have requested a device in the pandemic; with more “still coming in”. The lack of expertise from teachers is common. Many exceptional teachers are still learning how to cope with Zoom, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and many more online platforms. New York Times post says*, “‘It’s only Day 2 but it feels like Week 5,’ she said on Tuesday. ‘This is my 16th year teaching, and I feel like I’m a first-year teacher. The amount of work and new things that I’m encountering on a daily basis is astounding.’...She had never heard of Zoom until two weeks ago. But at least she had some familiarity with Google Classroom, unlike many colleagues who used their computers only for email.” Many teachers have none or very little experience in Zoom, Google Classroom, and Google Meet. Many families have young children, and young children need a lot of adult supervision, remote or not. They have to be constantly watched for distractions. Parents need to get their own work done and watch over their children’s shoulders. “Even the tech-savviest adult will find this difficult while working from home at the same time — a more common scenario as the coronavirus spreads. Parents who continue to work outside the home when schools are closed will need to arrange child care, where technical help could be scarce.” Staying on task, clicking the right place, logging into an app, etc. are all common challenges that have to be faced. Remote learning with young children can be hard! Many children don’t just go to school for education. School provides more than academic skills. As a student, I know that a school is not just a learning place but as well as a social platform. Many families with low-incomes have children that have free or reduced price lunch as well. Also, some students get counseling after school. But all those things can’t happen anymore. “‘If you think about it, the school is a city we provide to kids,’ said Mr. Ridgway. When that city shuts down, he said, no online learning platform can replace all the structure and vibrancy that is lost.” Benefits One of the main benefits of remote learning is that it traps the global coronavirus pandemic. When we were told to stay home and schools were closing, there was one obvious reason - to reduce the spreading of the coronavirus. When large groups are together with close contact, there is a large chance that everyone would get infected at some point. In large groups, Covid-19 jumps from person to person very easily. Remember, when you are remotely learning, you are saving lives. Remote learning can be hard. But for students, we get more control over our learning. We have a more comfortable space with an environment that can be created by one. We get to make our own schedule and follow it loosely. Remote learning also enables us to take breaks whenever we want. We have time to digest and analyze material however we like. People that live far from their school or office can save time by not traveling from place to place, while saving gasoline. When we are remotely learning, we can become more responsible. With a free schedule and flexible times, one has to know when to do things and be on time. We have all the freedom and control we can get for a school day now. Which means, working and studying hard. “In fact, studies have found that those in “online learning conditions” performed better than those who were given conventional, face-to-face instruction. This is likely due to remote learning being a more personalised, independent activity – allowing people to study through methods that best suit them, and thus leading to better academic results.” As well as this, statistics show that learning online increases recalling rates 25-60%. Remote learning can also save you time and money. As mentioned before, remote learning helps take out the time of our day when we are traveling from place to place. It saves the amount of money we spend on gasoline and the air is less polluted. Even, some companies won’t have to deal with their employees being away for training sessions. “Research has also indicated that online learning has the potential of trimming overall training time by 40-60% – so your workers will likely be right back at it in no time, upgraded skills and all.” Remote learning may have some cons, but there are also pros. It’s a new experience for all of us and we are all learning and adapting. Sources https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/learning/has-your-school-switched-to-remote-learning-how-is-it-going-so-far.html https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/3-ways-coronavirus-is-reshaping-education-and-what-changes-might-be-here-to-stay/ https://news.gallup.com/poll/305819/parents-worry-covid-affect-child-education.aspx https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/blogs/learning-innovation/teaching-and-learning-after-covid-19 https://www.zdnet.com/article/online-learning-gets-its-moment-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-heres-how-education-will-change/ https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/acs/ACS-39.pdf https://www.ddls.com.au/blog/the-benefits-of-remote-learning/