During the COVID-19 pandemic, most schools were forced to switch to distance education and still use this system. However, the lack of quality virtual learning programs, resources, and children’s isolation have negatively impacted their learning ability. As a mother of a 10-year-old girl, I encountered such a problem, as my daughter’s grades and learning satisfaction significantly decreased. The reasons for this shift are, in most cases, monotonous lectures and explanations from teachers, poor interaction, and lack of involvement of children in the lessons. In addition, lack of interaction with peers, large volumes of homework, and increased screen time make children feel tired from the classes.
For this reason, the problem that I would like to solve for elementary school is the introduction of new creative approaches to teaching that will increase children’s interest in learning and involve their practical skills. Modern technology gives significant learning opportunities that the school can apply. For example, In Los Angeles, schools partnered with local PBS stations to provide the children with educational videos via television (Morgan, 2020). Another learning option is to use the available or create new simple games to practice spelling and math skills with an element of competition and an attractive design.
This approach will be more interesting for children if they receive rewards for training equations, grammar rules, or answering questions after texts. At the same time, applications can be both for individual use and for teamwork to encourage communication between children and their peers. Children’s progress will also be tracked by the system, making it easier for teachers to grade work. Combining such technologies with classical teaching approaches will help to generate children’s interest in learning and train their skills. However, this approach requires the consent and involvement of the school principal and teachers, as well as resources to purchase or develop programs and applications. Nevertheless, since virtual learning will likely become an integral part of school education, these investments will remain relevant for several years and be financially efficient.
Reference
Morgan, H. (2020). Best practices for implementing remote learning during a pandemic. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 93(3), 135-141. Web.