Lessons in learning

BENGALURU: The jury is still out on the efficacy of online classes for school students. While some parents are wary about the screen time the children are exposed to, others feel the classes are a must to prevent a gap in education. The worst affected by the confusion happen to be primary school kids, whose classes have been caught in a yes-no dilemma. 

Deepu Chandran, who has a six-year-old son, has been part of a recent online candle light vigil protesting against restrictions on online education. “These live online classes have helped kids, giving them social interactions and ways to communicate with their peers. The government seems to be attempting to stifle learning for all with its arbitrary guidelines,” says Chandran. The request, which trended as #righttolearn on Twitter, is that the government focuses on ensuring education for all and explore all available technologies, including television, radio, online, as some of the neighbouring states have done. 

The primary and secondary education department has suggested a web schedule – for classes 1- 10 – until an expert panel submits its final decision. Meanwhile, schools seem to be chalking up their own schedules for online classes. Noor Jahan Khan, a freelance content writer and single parent of two under class 5, says online learning comes with challenges. While the initial classes during May lasted for over three hours, they have now been reduced to one hour. “I have to forego my laptop for my child’s classes, which delays my work. Since my son is in class 1, I can give him my smartphone but the effect it has on him has me worried. He’s unable to focus, it hurts his eyes and the communication during these classes seems incomplete,” says Khan, who feels that schools should wait for the pandemic situation to settle down.

Others, like Sweta Sheth, point to the upside of such classes. The mother of a Class 3 student had tried homeschooling her daughter with her husband, before the online classes began. “It was tedious since we both are doctors and aren’t always home. Schooling has to begin in some manner, of course not for the whole year. But at least for people who need help with their children, online schooling is necessary,” says Sheth. Her daughter currently follows a schedule with three sessions of 35 minutes each, with breaks in between. Ashana K, a director at a city-based HR analytics firm and mother of a Class 8 student, feels similarly. Her daughter’s 8 am–1 pm classes are a source of relief.

“Online classes keep kids mentally occupied. There are also breaks after each class. This way, kids at least meet their friends,” says Ashana. She does, however, add that an extended online schedule would be a failure in the long run.  Teachers don’t have it easy either. Rajwinder K, a primary school teacher, says the school he works at hasn’t provided the faculty with a laptop or connectivity. While he owns a computer, other teachers can’t say the same. Rajwinder prepares pre-recorded classes for his younger students but shares that peers doing live classes need to put in twice the effort.  “Students aren’t always on mute and that causes distractions. If online classes were to continue in the long run, it would be difficult given the schedule won’t be the same,” he says, adding that time also goes into preparing worksheets and editing videos for the recorded session.

Dr K G Jagadeesha, Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction 
The Government of India has already issued guidelines with respect to online classes and we have constituted a committee to decide how these guidelines should be adopted in Karnataka. Until the committee arrives at a decision, we have issued an interim circular with the following suggestions: two sessions of 30-45 minutes per day on alternative days for Classes 1 to 5; two sessions a day, each not exceeding 45 minutes, for five days a week for Classes 6 to 8; and four sessions a day, each ranging 30-45 minutes, for five days a week for Classes 9 and 10.

Dr Stella Samuel, retired principal, Bishop Cottons Girls School 
We should not leave the students without any learning, there should be some amount of teaching. For students of classes 1-5, they can hold online sessions for two hours a day, while for the senior students, slightly longer sessions can be held. There shouldn’t be a gap in a child’s learning when this pandemic is over. Some amount of learning must be carried on because eventually they have to write exams.

Dr Girish Chandra, senior consultant, psychiatry, Aster CMI Hospital
We need to figure out a way to keep the learning process going. For higher classes, there are many resources that can be accessed, and they only need support to develop self-learning. But for the little ones, it will be useful to impart life skills and structure their day. The focus can shift to neighbourhood kids for socialising. The average attention span of young kids is 10-20 minutes, so educators should structure attractive online classes. Schools are furiously conducting exhaustive classes and in absence of physical interaction, it is becoming boring and stressful. Schools need to provide creative instructions and ask children to complete tasks to promote self-learning in a fun way.

Dr Sandeep Suresh Patil, ophthalmologist, Sakra Hospital
Adequate breaks need to be given between classes. Adequate lighting and if possible, a bigger screen and a 50-100 cm distance from the screen is key. If current situation extends, schools will have to increase the duration. For recorded classes, parents should limit duration to three hours for younger kids, while the older ones can divide their learning into two halves with a total of four hours per day.