Online classes and primary learners (4to9)
Abstract
During the worldwide pandemic, nations opposed an emergency lockdown. There was a need to shift the education system from traditional to online methods. It was new for the learner to learn through the online medium. Primary level children (4 to 9) faced many problems accessing online platforms.
Keywords: COVID-19, online learning, primary level learners, mental exhaustion.
Introduction
Covid- 19 is a communicable disease. For the safety of the people it was a sudden need of lockdown. All the sectors such as industrial, agricultural, mechanical and educational sectors were dismissed. But the show must be going on. The method working transformed. Companies started work from home for their employees. Hence the education system also shifted their method to online platforms. Primary, upper primary, secondary, senior secondary and higher education learners start their learning through the online medium.
Primary level students are in the 4 to 9 years old age group. The children are really small in age. Their concentration power is really low compared to other level learners. But their minds are developing and they can learn and grab things easily. Online classes became an exhaustion for them. Due to the pandemic they are not allowed to go outside and play. The online classes are really long. The children have to spend 4 to 5 hours on screen. The children start feeling dizzy and uninterested in studies.
Children (4 to 9) enjoy their studies through some fun activities during traditional methods of teaching. They learn many things in groups. The social and playful environment is missing at home. The child does not feel well when they have to study online. They are not aware about the access of the technology.
Some issues children face during online classes
- Environment of home- Environment of home is important during the online classes. Primary children must have a peaceful and joyful environment for learning. At home it is not possible. Children are not able to find the circumstances of learning. That leads to unnecessary chaos in the child ‘s mind.
- Anxiety of using technology- Introduction of technology without any preparation creates an anxiety among the students. They were not used to the technology. They have to learn the use of technology. Using phone, login in meetings, using tools of that particular application, submission of their works creates anxiety among the students. Yet the teachers try to make it simple but the introduction of technology to the students was at the wrong time.
- Low concentration- These age groups have low concentration power. Primary level students can not focus over the thing for long. They start looking for fun and neglect their classes. The children find studies uninterested and watching cartoon or something else on their devices. They lost their interest in class.
- Limited sources of learning -The teacher plans many activities to engage the students in school. But online they have limited sources such as showing ppt and videos. The child explores things by learning and doing. But in online methods, the child is dependent on the internet or webworld.
- Long screen time- The timing of classes mostly 9 to12:30 for the primary level students. It means 3 hours 30 minutes per day. The child has to spend a minimum of that time on screen. They have to stick to the screen. Such a long time can impact their eyes. Children usually feel strain on their eyes and headaches during the classes. Their Physical growth also impacted because of long screen time.
- Less understanding- Topics are not clear to the students during the online class. They hardly understand the concept. They could be physically present on the screen but they start to ignore the thing when they don’t understand them. The teacher can modify their teaching method for the students to make the concept easy and joyful at traditional methods. But due to limited e- resources it is not possible on online methods for these particular age groups.
- Exhausted during online classes – After the long session, the children start feeling tired, lazy and dizzy. Most of the children don’t want to study. They felt fatigue during and after the online classes.
The children not only felt mentally tired, their physical activities were also affected. They become so tired that they don’t want to do anything else or participate in any game or activities. Not only this particular age group, all the age group learners face the same kind of problem and mental illness. There are no proper guidelines for the online classes from the government.
Classes became the source of mental exhaustion rather than providing knowledge.
Conclusion
Online classes are needed for the current time. But there should be proper guidelines for all age groups according to their needs and interests. We have to make classes more interesting for the primary level so the children don’t suffer from any kind of anxiety and stress. Classes should be knowledge providers not mental tiredness.
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