Online Education Programs for Kids in Elementary: Why It’s a Good Thing
The pandemic of 2020 was, suffice to say, one of the most destructive natural calamities the world has faced in some time. Almost overnight, entire countries were shuttered, millions sheltered at home, and entire industries went bankrupt. The economic impact is devastating, but it doesn’t hold a candle to its harsh impact on people.
And yet, life goes on: as vaccine rollouts across the world start improving, the world is starting to breathe a sigh of relief (albeit with a face mask on!). Yes, some parts of our life are going back to pre-pandemic notions of normal, but there are some aspects of our culture that have been so drastically changed that there is no “going back.”
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During the height of the pandemic, a vast majority of industries, from entertainment and food to tech and, yes, education, moved their operations online. The education sector specifically had to adjust, because while businesses may come and go, education needs to stay constant.
With the worst of the pandemic finally behind us, many schools are sticking to their online structure a little while longer, with some schools around the world offering full time online schooling for kids. But is it really that much better than the “traditional” system?
Online elementary education programs in the Philippines, arguably one of the most advanced in Asia in terms of online capabilities, are a good case study for the efficacy of online schooling.
Here’s what experts have found:
Self-pacing is Beneficial for Most Kids
Self-pacing is an educational concept wherein students are encouraged to learn lessons at their own pace. Yes, homework and deadlines and exams are still part of self-pacing, but students are just given more freedom to learn the lesson in a way that is most effective for them. In online education programs, students are allowed to self-pace because of the nature of their schooling.
In a traditional set-up, wherein students are in school from 8am to around 3pm, students have to follow a rigid schedule of back-to-back classes, with only 2-3 breaks in between. Extra-curriculars also have to be planned out to account for schoolwork and for the commute home.
With online classes, however, student schedules become more fluid, allowing children a lot of freedom to decide what their schedule is going to be like. In essence, online education programs encourage children to learn proper time management, an essential tool they’ll be using throughout their lives.
By teaching proper time management, online education programs also teach children how to be responsible and confident. Time management requires identifying which tasks require immediate attention and prioritizing them above everything else. By allowing elementary children to decide their schedules, online education program also teaches them how to be confident about their decision-making skills.
Online Courses Encourage Kids to Slow Down
As mentioned, traditional school schedules will usually have elementary school children start at 8am, with classes going all the way to around 3pm, with a morning break, a lunch break, and an optional afternoon break before their last class. After classes are done, students are also encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities like sports, hobby clubs, student government, or artistic endeavors.
It’s no surprise, then, that many elementary school children are already feeling undue pressure from their school schedules. In between the pressure to succeed in their academics, children are also pressured to excel in their extra-curriculars. By the end of the day, many elementary school children are so exhausted that they have barely have any time for themselves. In fact, the average elementary school child spends a minimum of seven and a half hours per week to accomplish homework.
Online education programs, however, allows elementary children to slow down, manage their schedules better, and give themselves time to accomplish all of their necessary tasks while giving themselves ample time for self-growth. Because many of these children are staying at home, they’ve had to get creative with their extra-curriculars, further strengthening their curiosity, their time management skills, and building up their confidence.
Easing Expectations but Maintaining Standards
At the end of the day, online education programs work just as well as traditional schooling, if not better in some cases. In fact, because teachers are now more sensitive to the mental health of their students because of pandemic fatigue, elementary school children are now under less pressure because their workloads are distributed more evenly, and because they are taught to be better with their time management skills.
Online education programs, especially for elementary school children, is a positive step towards a safer, more modern educational system that encourages personal growth in our kids.
Ken Boyd
Author: Cost Accounting for Dummies, Accounting All-In-One for Dummies, The CPA Exam for Dummies and 1,001 Accounting Questions for Dummies
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(email) ken@stltest.net
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