The pandemic has accelerated the world of online schooling in ways that have never been seen by the educational industry. Before the coronavirus changed the way the entire world worked, it was difficult and expensive to enroll a K-12 grader in an online schooling program. The option to go fully online is becoming more accessible for more students. The pandemic forced districts across the country to move their entire student body completely online and we are seeing that for some students and families online schooling is working for them.

Online schooling is one of the biggest trends for all of 2022 and it looks like there is no stopping online schooling from influencing the rest of the educational industry for the next decade. Multiple studies have shown that when online school is properly adapted to the education needs of each student, there is little to no interruption or drop in the performances of the students and the teachers.

 So what are the advantages of online schooling?

The first advantage that all district superintendents and those working on the board of education should know is that it saves an unbelievable amount of money. Schools no longer have to pay for lights, air conditioning, water, maintenance, new buildings, cleaning services, cafeteria services, or security in and around the buildings. Every student and teacher is at home. All the money required for these mandatory services can go to developing effective methods to teach students online. The money can also go to raise teachers' salaries and provide each teacher with high-speed internet.

A second major advantage to online schooling is the effect it has on the individual student. Since students no longer have to rush off to school every morning, they're able to get more sleep, eat a healthier breakfast, and they'll be less tired throughout the day. Of course, distractions are always an issue during online schooling. But as long as a student can learn in the privacy of their kitchen or bedroom, they’ll be able to handle the education workload without any issues. We know students should not answer texts or make phone calls, watch YouTube videos they're not part of the lesson or shop online during online schooling hours (O'Scanaill & Maggie, 2021) but it happens which can distract students.

What are the disadvantages of online schooling?

According to the American Psychological Association, being in a school environment is critical for fostering academic motivation and social development, and many students rely on schools for mental health care. Among adolescents who received mental health services between 2012 and 2015, 35% received these services exclusively from school settings, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Ali, M. M., et al., Journal of School Health, Vol. 89, No. 5, 2019). Another population that struggles with online learning are low income families. Some low-income families may struggle with siblings at home, poor internet connection, adults working from home, and an unstable environment that can make learning strenuous. Some low-income students or students who come from unstable families would rather leave their house and go to school because they can leave and attend school which offers a new environment. Another disadvantage to online schooling is adaptability. Not everyone can learn through an online schooling program. If the curriculum is not properly adapted, students and teachers can suffer.

Have you moved your course online? Do you need support?

All teachers and students need much more support than they would require if they were in a classroom. Currently, districts are struggling to provide support to teachers in this new online space. And what research has shown us is that when districts that do not provide teachers or students with enough support will have struggling students who did not turn in coursework and tired teachers who lack the resources required to adapt their lessons (Schwartz & Sarah, 2020). It also takes organizational structures that will invest in sustainable systems and professional development. Student situations must also be taken into consideration, what works for one student does not work for all students. In some cases a blended model may be better, being an educator for over 25 years, I’ve noticed that there needs to be a mixture of learning experiences peer to peer, in-person learning, and even community/business to a student. All of these network partnerships are necessary to raise the next generation.

References

Ali, M. M., West, K., Teich, J. L., Lynch, S., Mutter, R., & Dubenitz, J. (2019, March 18). Utilization of mental health services in educational setting by adolescents in the United States. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/josh.12753

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Safeguarding student mental health. Monitor on Psychology. Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/09/safeguarding-mental-health

Nichols, T. (2021, May 24). Should students pay full price for an online education during the pandemic? OnlineU. Retrieved February 10, 2022, from https://www.onlineu.org/resources/online-college-tuition-pandemic#:~:text=According%20to%20internal%20data%20from,costs%20to%20%2414%2C740%20in%202020.

O'Scanaill, Maggie. “7 Classroom Distractions You Should Eliminate from Student Devices.” Dyknow, 27 May 2021, https://www.dyknow.com/blog/7-distractions-on-school-issued-devices-that-are-keeping-students-from-learning/.

Schwartz, Sarah. “Survey: Teachers and Students Are Struggling with Online Learning.” Education Week, Education Week, 1 Dec. 2020, https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/survey-teachers-and-students-are-struggling-with-online-learning/2020/11.