Due to the ongoing pandemic, we are now living in an alternative world, a world of isolation, self-dependence and uncertainty. There is a constant debate among educationists and management of institutions regarding how to manage the younger population and their growth to avoid any slowdown in learning process.
Various researchers and psychologists have presented their perspective on coronavirus and its resulting lockdown and how this affects education. There are also various suggestions regarding improvements in online learning if this pandemic continues to haunt us. However, there is limited research on what the students feel about this new learning setup and how this has affected their mental health and learning attitude.
This article highlights impact of lockdown on learning process from perspective of high school students’ representatives from Malaysia, UAE and Pakistan in a recent virtual conference held in Pakistan. Some of the interesting findings from their viewpoint shows whether students are taking this pandemic as an opportunity or a major hurdle in their learning process.
Experience of transition to Remote Learning
The diversity of students included in panel presented an interesting insight into what teenage students have been feeling regarding online education after the lockdown.
The first issue highlighted by Aldrin Maqyl, a student of Beacon House School System (BSS) Malaysia campus, is pertaining to ‘distractions’ in online learning. Aldrin emphasized that the ability to focus really fluctuates as being at home allows so many distractions, no matter how little they are. The only way around this is turning off mobiles and other devices that are one step away from students during the classes. It is extremely hard to try and find place in houses where there are less distractions.
Kanza Muzaffar, the Pakistani student, highlighted how internet and connectivity issues in Pakistan have made online learning a major hurdle in learning process for them. Since most students have to share bandwidth with their siblings during online classes, unless routers are updated, speed and connectivity creates major issues. Moreover, a large section of population does not have access to internet or laptops at home which makes learning in lockdown impossible for some.
On positive front, Nurelhuda from BSS UAE, highlighted that learning in lockdown has provided students with opportunity to rely more on themselves as teachers are not available for constant validation. While online learning can be a bit overwhelming at first, it has provided teenage students an opportunity to be more responsible for their own behavior, learning and performance.
How are students coping with new learning methods and access?
Students were of the view that online learning has put an extra pressure on both teachers and students. While teachers are trying everything in their hands to use tools and techniques to make lectures creative, there are many inherent issues in countries like Pakistan that becomes a major hindrance in availing such opportunity.
Because of internet connectivity, delays in streaming, voice quality is often affected and due to privacy issues, both students and teachers avoid video calls. The lack of face to face contact, group activities and interaction is making high school students more of a loner and introvert. This issue was agreed upon by all student panelists at the conference which shows the severity of increasing depression and anxiety among teenage students.
Another issue that students had to cope with is the lack of motivation which teachers normally provide them in classes. The constant glitches and system issues have also become an excuse for demotivated students to blame for their performance in online class. If such issues are not addressed at national level, there is a fear of permanent hindrance in learning process for even older students.
However, there are contrasting responses found for students who do not have the infrastructure issues. Many students availed this space as an opportunity to work on useful activities. Student panelist from Malaysia discussed how many students have opted to work on their hobbies and talents by opening YouTube channels, starting online businesses, learning new skills and courses and working on their personality.
How would students do ‘learning in lockdown’ differently?
The students had some very interesting and well thought-out suggestions to make the lockdown leaning process more effective. Some of the suggestions presented by students included the following:
- Teachers should increase project-based activities like presentations and group assignment submissions to increase active participation rather than passive listening. This will also provide an opportunity for students to remain in contact with each other and regain some contact with their peers. Project-based learning can also create an opportunity for students without constant access to online learning devices to work in flexible settings and continue learning.
- With online learning, students are now relying more on online information through YouTube and Google. Textbooks being the most authentic source of information should be encouraged to be used as sources to avoid specious flow of information among students.
- Isolation has caused mental stress and anxiety among students as body language is missing from online classes. Moreover, for older or graduating students, the fear of unknown has increased with the pandemic. To address this issue, schools and colleges need to have some online forum at school level for psychological help and therapy of students and save them from this trap of depressing period.
