Online learning has been a reality for some time. Just a few months ago, however, many of us had yet to teach or experience an online class. Now, without warning, students and teachers across the globe are being forced to learn new technologies and receive or deliver instruction via virtual platforms.
The Risks of Online Education
The leap to online education and shutdown of traditional schools have parents concerned about their kids, and with good reason. The results of nearly 300 studies on remote learning tell us that students learn less efficiently when taking courses online. On top of that, the instantaneous move to online teaching has been plagued by trial, error, Zoombombing, and technical glitches. Fortunately, research shows that when students have a facilitator or mentor to help with technology and focus their attention on remote learning, performance improves.
The Benefits of Proactive Intervention
If you are worried about your child falling behind due to school closures, now is the time to tap into supplemental resources. When it comes to making academic progress via online learning, support and structure appear to make all the difference. This is especially important for kids who aren’t naturally well suited to online learning. In “What We’re Learning about Online Learning,” the vice president of Michigan Virtual, a state-supported non-profit institute offering online courses, said that “The mantra of online learning is, ‘Your own time, your own pace, your own path.’”
Individual Attention Despite School Closures
We at Eye Level Learning Centers couldn’t agree more. Our individualized academic coaching meets students where they are and then builds mastery of skills and concepts to help students progress through a curriculum of proven learning strategies. The New York Times article concludes that “virtual education will depend for its success on old-school principles: creative, attentive teaching and patient support.” If you perceive your child to be facing a lack of these resources, independent academic coaching could fill in the gaps.
A Combined Approach
To safely meet the growing needs of students amid the coronavirus epidemic, Eye Level New York has launched a new virtual platform that puts hard copies of our proven enrichment materials in the hands of students and supports them with one-on-one, face-to-face remote academic coaching. The Eye Level On Air online coaching system can be accessed from any device with an internet connection and connects young learners directly with Eye Level teachers. Despite the challenges presented by online instruction, this type of face-to-face tutoring in a private or semiprivate setting has proven highly effective.
Improve Your Child’s School Experience
Eye Level On Air is designed to help students retain the knowledge they’ve already learned, to prevent further learning loss over the summer, and to ease the transition back to the classroom. Our fun and exciting approach improves self-directed learning and critical thinking to empower children to make the most of online instruction. It also provides a way for parents to intervene in the learning loss created by the combination of this year’s summer slide with the COVID slide caused by school closures.
If you’re ready to connect your child with individual support through Eye Level On Air, call us at 718-494-1232 or fill out our brief contact form. When it comes to supporting your student in these uncertain times, you are the key.
