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<h1>The Struggles of Distance Education during COVID-19</h1>
<h3>Web essay written and designed by Jason Antwi-Appah</h3>
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<h2>Online education has been growing in popularity for years, as it generally allows for flexible schedules and has allowed more people to access a high-quality and affordable education, using sites including <a href="https://khanacademy.org">Khan Academy</a> and <a href="https://edx.org">edX</a>, and live streaming platforms including <a href="https://zoom.us">Zoom</a> and <a href="https://meet.google.com">Google Meet</a>. edX and Khan Academy have a combined reach of <a href="#source-1" class="h">over 124 million people (1)</a>, providing accurate and easy-to-access curricula over an extensive variety of subjects, including language arts, math, science, and more. However, online schooling has swept the nation in recent months due to school closures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic currently ravaging the US and the world. According to a study conducted at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, when adequately prepared, students who predominantly learn in traditional settings can be just as successful and perform even better academically in a virtual setting. Unfortunately, many schools have poorly executed distance education programs, which has led to a reduced efficacy in learning and a negative experience for students, parents, and educators alike. Many students have expressed their desire to return to in-person learning. In this essay, we will be discussing factors that differentiate distance learning from in-person learning, and why certain individuals prefer in-person learning.</h2>
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<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>First, let's talk about in person learning. In an in-person setting, students are generally seated in a classroom, being taught by a teacher who will generally use visual aids such as slideshows to help students to better understand content. The main benefit of this is hands-on instruction and social interaction. Being in a classroom allows for organic communication between students and educators. Since students are generally less than a few feet away from each other, there is relatively no friction to getting the attention of a peer, asking questions, or just getting to know a fellow classmate. Additionally, classrooms and labs are often equipped with tools and equipment that allow students to learn through hands-on interactions and experiments, which benefit students who learn best by doing. However, while synchronous instruction works great for some people, it just doesn't work for others for one reason or another. For one reason or another, it isn't always possible for people to come to a specific location at a given time, whether it be scheduling conflicts or limited transportation.</h2>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>This is where modern distance learning comes in. Through technology, educators are able to deliver content from one location and allow students to learn at almost any time and place. Before we continue, let's talk about the 2 main categories of virtual instruction - asynchronous and synchronous.</h2>
<div class="emphasis-block"><h2>As defined by Oxford Dictionaries, asynchronous means '(of two or more objects or events) not existing or happening at the same time', whereas synchronous means 'existing or occurring at the same time'. </h2></div>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>Synchronous instruction is closer to how in-person instruction is traditionally conducted, where students and educators are all in a class session at the same time. This is often done using video conferencing software which allows educators and students to enter virtual 'meeting rooms' where they are able to listen to their instructor and ask questions. Many of these platforms include additional features such as chatting, screen sharing, and reactions, which further enhance the virtual classroom experience. One disadvantage of synchronous instruction is that it is more difficult to ask questions to educators - partially due to the nature of the platforms used to conduct these classes. These platforms often have very noticeable delays in audio transmission, making it difficult for students to interject with a question at a natural pause in speaking. One solution to this would be the use of the chat box. However, this can often get cluttered with other messages and inevitably ignored, meaning students need to go out of their way to contact teachers and find the answers they need to be successful.</h2>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>Asynchronous instruction is very different from traditional education. Asynchronous instruction generally consists of recorded lectures and/or reading passages, as well as independent assignments, posted weekly. What makes this different from synchronous instruction is that while assignments may be assigned at any given time, they generally aren't due until the end of the week, giving students the flexibility to work whenever is convenient for them. This is often complimented by optional 'office hours', where students can ask educators questions when they need assistance. This type of instruction has become popular in recent years, especially with people working full-time or part-time jobs who are unable to attend a live class, but both asynchronous and synchronous virtual instruction have skyrocketed in popularity in recent months, as campuses across the country closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. </h2>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>However, distance learning isn't perfect. Since students are at home, there are exponentially more distractions, like TVs, phones, games, books, and me. This is compounded by educators generally being unable to keep tabs on every student and redirect them to pay attention. In order to be successful as an online student, you need to be able to have the self-control in order to stay on top of your tasks, especially if you are in an asynchronous course. Additionally, it simply isn't feasible for educators to plan or conduct hands-on activities. Students are often in many unique living situations, and it is difficult for educators to know what students may have on hand to complete a certain task. Furthermore, the logistics of distributing supplies to students mean that it is often inconvenient and expensive to do so. All of these factors make it unfeasible to conduct hands-on tasks, to the detriment of students who learn best by doing. Finally, students aren't able to interact with peers as easily. With synchronous instruction, there is often no time or space for students to talk among their peers without the prying eyes and ears of a teacher or guardian. This is even worse in asynchronous instruction, where you likely won't even see the other people who are in your class. Although this is a negative for many, it can be seen as a benefit for some - those who are socially awkward or generally prefer to work independently can take advantage of the unique opportunity not to interact with other people.</h2>
<div class="quote-block"><h2>However, while distance learning provides a unique set of opportunities to help students learn better, due to the rushed implementation of distance learning in schools across the country, many of these programs are not functioning as optimally as they should be.</h2></div>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>Many students have expressed concerns about distance education - for some, it isn’t exactly the democratizer that education needed. Many students do not have access to the technology needed to effectively access distance learning services, disproportionately affecting lower-income and rural students who may not have access to reliable internet connectivity or technology such as computers, tablets and webcams. According to data from Pew Research Center, even after initiatives by the FCC to spread high-speed internet connectivity across the United States, only 63% of rural Americans say they <a href="#source-2" class="h">have access to broadband internet (2)</a>, and 10 million students didn’t have <a href="#source-3" class="h">an adequate device at home (3)</a>, as reported by Common Sense Media in 2018. In addition, many of these device manufacturers have seen a significant increase in demand from education and enterprise administrators looking to purchase devices for their students and employees. There has been a 46% increase in demand for Chromebooks and other low cost <a href="#source-4" class="h">computing devices compared to 2019. (4)</a> Some devices are even back-ordered, with devices currently available generally being tailored to highly-specialized and/or high-demand workflows, making them significantly more expensive than the general-purpose computer and increasing the difficulty of obtaining a device. This can likely be attributed to lockdowns in China, where many parts and <a href="#source-5" class="h">machines are sourced and assembled. (5)</a> Now that those lockdowns are being lifted, production is beginning to ramp up, but it’s unfortunately too late for most districts to obtain devices for the beginning of the school year.</h2>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>Secondly, many schools rushed to implement distance learning and did not adequately prepare teachers for the unique pedagogical and technological challenges that distance learning presents, resulting in a lower quality of education for all students. According to a survey of educators published by the Phi Delta Kappan, an academic journal oriented toward K-12 teachers, only 49% of teachers felt at least somewhat <a href="#source-6" class="h">prepared to deliver instruction remotely. (6)</a> In the same survey, many educators felt they couldn’t keep students accountable due to changes in grading policies and that they didn’t have enough time or resources to teach remotely. This has caused the general population to look negatively upon virtual learning and to believe that face-to-face instruction is better, which is not entirely the case. When done correctly, virtual learning allows for flexibility for both students and educators, 1:1 feedback and assistance when needed, and makes it even easier for educators to differentiate instruction, which means educators are able to tailor instruction to meet individual needs. A lot of these techniques involve using digital tools that would simply be impractical to employ in a physical classroom. </h2>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>I can personally confirm the positive effects that a good online classroom can have on students. When I was in 6th and 7th grade, I attended a charter school which employed a number of digital tools, including IXL, goFormative, and Google Classroom. These tools had features that made it easy to communicate with instructors, adapted work difficulty based on past work and progress, and made learning genuinely enjoyable, while allowing teachers to focus on the students and provide support. While this was not a fully virtual experience, it does show the impact that these technologies and techniques can have when used adeptly.</h2>
<h2><span style="padding-left: 4vw;"></span>However, because of the circumstances under which this transition took place, teachers have been unable to take advantage of the unique opportunities that online schooling presents. Charles Hodges, Professor of Instructional Technology at Georgia Southern University, argues that we should be referring to virtual learning, as it is now known, by the name <a href="#source-7" class="h">‘emergency remote teaching’, (7)</a> or ERT for short, in an effort to maintain online learning’s positive reputation while also accurately describing the position that educators find themselves in.</h2>
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<h2>When implemented correctly, distance learning can have a huge positive impact on students, allowing students to learn and excel in an environment that might be more familiar to them, especially those who wouldn’t be able to access traditional education for one reason or another. But in its current state, distance learning is not optimal for students, parents, or educators.</h2>
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<h2>Sources:</h2>
<h4 id="source-1">(1) <a href="https://skoll.org/organization/khan-academy/">https://skoll.org/organization/khan-academy/</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdX">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdX</a></h4>
<h4 id="source-2">(2) <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/31/digital-gap-between-rural-and-nonrural-america-persists/">Digital gap between rural and nonrural America persists, Pew Research Center</a></h4>
<h4 id="source-3">(3) <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/pdfs/common_sense_media_report_final_7_1_3pm_web.pdf">CLOSING THE K–12 DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THE AGE OF DISTANCE LEARNING, Common Sense Media</a></h4>
<h4 id="source-4">(4) <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/12/technology/laptops-schools-digital-divide.html">The Digital Divide Starts With a Laptop Shortage, The New York Times</a></h4>
<h4 id="source-5">(5) <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/4/21279633/laptop-pc-shortages-supply-chain-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic">The pandemic has made it harder to buy a new laptop, The Verge</a></h4>
<h4 id="source-6">(6) <a href="http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=f6h&AN=146696364&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=austin">How teachers experienced the COVID-19 transition to remote instruction, Phi Delta Kappan</a></h4>
<h4 id="source-7">(7) <a href="https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning">The Difference Between Emergency Remote Teaching and Online Learning, Educause Review</a></h4>
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<p>Writing and web design by <a style="text-decoration: none;" href="https://jasonaa.me">Jason Antwi-Appah</a>, 2020. CSS reset provided by <a target="_blank" href="https://meyerweb.com/eric/tools/css/reset/">meyerweb.com</a>, in public domain. Header photo by <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/@punttim?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Tim Gouw</a> on <a target="_blank" href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/distance-learning?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash.</a>
<a target="_blank" href="https://jasonaa.me/g/engl-1301-essay-iii">View this site's source code.</a></p>
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