And if the countless issues and complaints brought up by disabled students weren’t enough to demonstrate the importance of remote learning, Nicholas Gelbar, an Associate Research Professor at the Neag School of Education, conducted a study to consolidate it even further. Gelbar’s study, published in the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, surveyed students regarding the abrupt transition to online education in the spring semester of 2020. After tabulating the data collected from 340 student survey responses on personal experiences with remote learning, Gelbar concluded that “[disabled students] were able to change how they took notes, because they were able to watch an online lecture and then watch it over again.”
The idea of the metaverse is not new, it’s just been waiting for the technology and infrastructure to catch up, said Michael Young, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education with expertise in cognition, instruction and learning technology.
“The concept is probably perfect for making schools more engaging and getting beyond the walls of a classroom,” Young said.
When schools were shut during COVID-19, teachers dealt with a lack of student engagement during online instruction, said Michael Young, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education who has expertise in cognition, instruction and learning technology.
“So, the interventions are usually either small groups or either individualized really focused, targeted instruction for the student to sort of catch them up and get them up to kind of speed an up to the standards for that grade level and for that age range, rather than whole cloth, you know retention. Do the whole grade again,” said Sarah Woulfin, Associate Professor at UConn Neag School of Education.
Public school enrollment in New England is down during the pandemic. But even when kids are enrolled, it can be a struggle to get some to show up. This week on NEXT, how one district is tackling absenteeism and why doctors are increasingly concerned about youth mental health. Plus, Massachusetts school districts try to cope with a teacher shortage. And when a Vermonter’s business plummeted after COVID hit, she donned an inflatable T-Rex costume and started dancing.
Sandra Chafouleas, a professor in the Neag School of Education at UConn, said that families should come up with a plan and schedule, including time away from all devices.
Since the beginning of COVID-19, millions of students nationwide have been forced into online learning. Many of those experiences have been negative because of schools’ lack of preparation, because of some faculty not considering student needs, and because of financial stresses. Online learning is especially affecting students majoring in sciences, education, and the fine arts; international students and students living in different time zones; students from low-income families and students with disabilities.
“Online learning must ensure the quality and equity of student learning,” says Jia Cai, a first-year student in the Neag School of Education’s Higher Education and Students Affairs master’s program. “Classes cannot be taught in a way that fits solely the institution’s convenience and preferences. Do not let the inequity that already exists in our higher-education system continue to haunt students with disadvantages in an online environment.”
When Valentin closed on a new home in mid-March, he never thought schools would be shut down before the end of the week. Valentin, one of five fourth grade teachers at his school, began teaching in-person classes again this fall. He said he is “pleasantly surprised” that in-person learning has remained possible through October.
In-person, hybrid, remote, and/or homeschool – the options for K- through-12 schooling during the pandemic are complicated, each with their own pros and cons. UConn Today asked psychologist Sandra Chafouleas, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Neag Endowed Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and co-director of the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health, about the importance of social and emotional health for children and their caregivers, particularly this year.
