Many educators, parents and children struggled with online teaching when schools were closed and were relieved when classroom instruction resumed.
While the media often seemed to report on the negative aspects of online education, it was not a universal experience.
In my education research with international colleagues on socially innovative interventions to foster and advance the inclusion and agency of young children in society during the pandemic, we worked with teachers as they implemented research insights into teaching practices that support listening to children’s voices.
In our study, we saw that during the pandemic, for some children, the online environment was an extension of how pedagogical practices such as dedicated dialogue circles presented ways to share children’s opinions and thoughts. .
For these children, forced online schooling was overall a positive experience and not a struggle.
In Canada, our research took place for most of the duration of the pandemic in diverse and economically disadvantaged schools in Eastern Canada.
Some students preferred online learning
Classrooms can be intimidating social spaces, and when they suddenly went virtual, some students found the digital space better suited their needs.
Xavier was a newly arrived Canadian who had just entered 4th grade when the lockdown began in the spring of 2020.
We learned that the online classroom offered him catch-up time, in a welcoming space, in which he could develop his English skills.
Developing friendships, relationships, and pursuing educational goals became easier for him when the confusion of a new language was eased and he was able to learn at his own pace.
The adaptability of the digital space was important. The stability, calm, and ability for students to go at their own pace — and some of the benefits of that — have all become more transparent with the move to online classrooms.
A break from language barriers
Online learning has given some children autonomy and a break from the curriculum for children to work on projects independently.
In an online shared home project, Xavier built an entire city out of boxes left over from his recent move to Canada. He was thrilled to share this with his classmates, freed from the language barrier that made his school days difficult.
When asked why it was easier to talk to each other in front of the camera, a new Canadian student, Abdul, who sometimes struggled with English, replied “because no one could interrupt me”.
Some new Canadian parents were able to learn English together in the virtual classroom. A teacher received an email from a parent thanking her for the wonderful picture books and reading time she shared daily.
Families reunited
For the many out-of-province workers who reside in Alberta but reside in Newfoundland and Labrador on other days of the year, online schooling has enabled family reunification.
A student, Roxy, explained how life was less stressful in Alberta with her mother and father: “Mom went to work in Newfoundland online and I went to school,” she said. declared. She was also able to help an aunt with a newly arrived baby while residing in Alberta.
Parents played a bigger role
We found in our study that parents also played a greater role in day-to-day education, both learning from their children and helping them teach.
Children like Liv, whose mother helped her perform a song during her class’ “show and share,” have brought their parents and home lives into virtual learning. Although some children struggled to find quiet spaces, even these scenarios had positive effects when parents (reluctant or not) entered into discussions about their children’s school life.
One mother, Tammy, pointed out that her children’s online classes gave her a unique window into a part of her children’s lives that she knew little before.
She said: “It was amazing to see how the teacher interacted with the children… My daughter was much more lively than she is at home, she shared a lot more… She didn’t didn’t always want to go to school, but she couldn’t wait to log into google class.”
Undisturbed
Some children enjoyed an environment free from the distractions found in classrooms, such as school announcements or challenging behavior from classmates. The children were also exposed to each other’s home environment, which encouraged mutual empathy.
“Everyone’s family life continued around them,” recalls a teacher. “Pets and younger siblings came and went, phones rang, people ate, doorbells rang – we all got used to it.”
Some students were quick to point out the extra time saved by not having to travel to after-school programs and childcare.
In our focus group interviews with teachers, they noted that some children who had behavioral issues in class did much better online. “Maybe it made the learning environment a little less overwhelming,” one teacher explained, “and so the focus was more on the academics.”
More sharing
One of the best things about online learning for the teachers in our study was that all of their students could share on a more private level. Breakout rooms allowed children to connect with teachers and friends without interruption.
Over time, parents and teachers also discovered aspects of the experience that they found positive.
Over the past two decades, integrating digital devices into education has often been a tricky process, often with more effort to limit their use and distractions, than to enjoy their benefits.
As educators, we need to rethink how children and technology can interact in the classroom and the different ways children’s voices can be supported in different spaces.
(This PTI was syndicated via The Conversation)
