Area superintendents weigh pros, cons with in-person, remote learning
Over the past year, many students across the country transitioned back and forth from brick-and-mortar learning to having their lessons delivered on a laptop.
While the changes can be difficult for students, area district superintendents said they’ve found there are advantages to both – even if it’s in the life lesson of teaching students how to adapt.
“The students are learning what works best for them,” said California Area School District Superintendent Dr. Laura Jacob.
While Jacob said there’s a significant benefit from in-person instruction, as it provides the face-to-face interactions that students need, she has also seen the advantages of remote learning.
For one, students who could be medically compromised by going to school can still participate in class with synchronous learning, which allows them to take part in the class in real time. Districts also offer asynchronous learning, which provides more flexibility for students who can’t necessary participate in the traditional school day.
However, she said, using two models to teach the same lesson also gives teachers a tremendous amount of work.
“That’s a challenge, and it’s hard on the staff,” she said.
Carmichaels School District Superintendent Fred Morecraft said even though the pandemic has created many downsides in education, he chooses to look at the silver lining because of the technology at the student’s fingertips.
“Because of the generous funding from the federal government, we now have the ability to give our children and teachers the most updated technology to enhance the learning process,” Morecraft said.
That includes everything from smart-panel televisions to Chromebooks. Morecraft also mentioned a recent Zoom session between fourth-grade teacher Brittney Bell’s class and a NASA photographer as an example.
“We now have the ability to bring people to our students from all over the world, and all walks of life,” he said.
He added the positives give the students true experiences to develop their passions for learning, whether inside or outside the classroom.
“With our technology, a little district like Carmichaels can allow our students to experience the world and beyond,” Morecraft said. “We will be better because of this.”
Laurel Highlands School District Superintendent Dr. Jesse Wallace said in-person learning helps fulfill the social and emotional well-being of students because they’re together with their peers and a teacher is present to help move the students through the coursework.
“Online, you lose some of that,” Wallace said, adding the home-learning environment also puts a strain on parents who are not trained and not in favor of trying to be a teacher. “It’s a source of contention and frustration with the family and the student.”
While Wallace said some advantages with remote learning include flexibility, as learning can take place during all hours of the day and is preferred by some students and families, the majority of students prefer in-person instruction.