Written by Robert Davis
Head Teacher SIS Semarang

We All Want To Go Back To Class But We Are Thankful For Technology

Worldwide education has undergone some major changes during the Covid-19 pandemic. The main difference in teaching & learning practices being an increased reliance on technology. Teachers & students were certainly thrust into unchartered territory.

One of the most commonly used terms during the pandemic is “the new normal.” The new normal in education has become the increased use of online learning platforms. The new normal has changed the concept of education, with online learning at the heart of this evolution in educational practices. Online learning is now not just relied upon for subject classroom learning, but it has ultimately extended to extracurricular activities for students, and even learning journeys. Over the past year, the use of Distance Learning platforms has evolved and will continue to evolve in the future. Even after the pandemic, it will remain with us.

As with traditional teaching methods, Distance Learning comes with both positives and negatives. Understanding these positives and negatives is necessary for educational institutions to assist them in creating strategies for the more efficient delivery of lessons; ensuring an effective learning journey for students.

Below I have listed some of the advantages of online learning, or as we at SIS like to call it – “Distance Learning.”

1. Efficiency

Distance Learning is an efficient way for teachers to deliver lessons to students. Distance Learning has an increasing number of tools such as video, podcasts, Virtual Reality, and teachers can incorporate these tools into their lesson plans. These and a plethora of available platforms allow teachers to plan beyond using traditional textbooks and as a result teachers are able to become more efficient and innovative educators.

2. Accessibility of Time and Place

Another advantage of Distance Learning is that it enables students to attend classes from a variety of locations. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead of being restricted by geographical boundaries. We currently have students attending our classes from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Korea as well as from locations across Indonesia. Additionally, live classes can be recorded, archived, and shared with students who are unable to join the live online class.

3. Online Learning Suits a Variety of Learning Styles

Each student has differing levels of ability and learning styles. Some students are visual learners while others prefer to learn through audio. Other students thrive in the classroom, and other students are easily distracted by large groups.

Distance Learning, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized to suit students’ learning needs. It is a great way to create a comfortable learning environment suited to the needs of each student.

So What Are Some of the Disadvantages of an Online Classroom?

1. Inability to Maintain Focus on Screens

For many students, one of the main challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing a computer screen for long periods of time. With learning in front of a computer there is the added temptation for students to be distracted by social media or other sites. With this in mind, it is super important for our teachers to keep their online classes engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the lesson.

2. Technology Issues

Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. Depending on where a student is located, Internet connectivity can become an issue. This was more of a problem last academic year. In most cases where the Internet caused problems for students and teachers, at SIS connectivity problems were overcome by changes in Internet providers, and internet upgrades ensuring continuity in learning for students.

3. Managing Time Spent in Front of the Computer Screen

Many parents are concerned about the health risks of having their children spending too much time staring at computer screens. This increase in screen time is one of the main concerns with online learning. With experience, we have learned to adapt to such challenges with adjustments to our teaching schedules. We allow short breaks and include offline activities for students to spend time away from their computer screens, to refresh their minds and bodies.

In Summary

At the end of the day, with the pandemic thrust upon us, we educators had no choice, we had to adapt, and adapt quickly to ensure we could provide the best quality education for our students as was possible. We have learned so much over the past year, not only about our resilience as human beings, but also in our ability to adapt and reach out of our comfort zones, to inevitably test our 21st century skills. We at SIS remain positive about the future of education, because at SIS our Distance Learning program is “Virtually Outstanding.”