Does Virtual Learning Work?

With schools starting back soon, there are a variety of learning options being presented to students and parents. It’s tough to know which options are the best for your student, and many want to opt for virtual learning in order to protect their children from Covid exposure. However, for many, the question still stands: Does remote learning work?

Our team has kept data on all of our students and their improvements over the last few years, and we’ve compared our results from in-person sessions against those from remote sessions. Our results were interesting. Students that tend to struggle with school before entering the virtual learning environment are far more likely to fall further behind with virtual courses. To mitigate, it’s imperative to ensure these students receive additional attention outside of group lessons.

Students that are already performing well in courses tend to continue improving their skills. These students naturally feel more confident in their abilities and are more likely to interact through virtual learning, while struggling students keep quiet and don’t ask the necessary questions to improve. As a result, the gaps in performance between the top performing students and struggling students only grows.

With the current health crisis, it’s not possible to resume in-person instruction entirely. So how should educators bridge the inherent gaps created by the virtual learning environment? We’ve found that the answer lies in providing struggling students with additional resources, that are unique to their individual needs. Condensing the school day, which is what most schools are choosing, is the opposite of an effective approach.

To help students that are already having issues with schooling, our team has identified a few effective methods that consistently bridge gaps created by virtual learning. First of all, we utilize customized homework, which we base off our knowledge of each student’s weaknesses. Practicing these weaknesses after lessons end helps boost confidence for students, and improves their comfort level with asking questions during lessons. Additionally, our team leverages our student portal for uploading a variety of resources for students to use in their free time. Lastly, we determine the optimal learning style for each student and tailor our lessons accordingly. A student who does better with aural learning may not have the same custom homework as a student with solitary or visual learning preferences. Forcing all students, especially during virtual learning, to learn through solely visual and auditory lessons is a recipe for failure.

If you’re interested in how to make sure your child doesn’t fall behind this fall, connect with our team today for a free consultation. We’ll determine your child’s optimal learning style through our diagnostic testing and help you tailor their virtual learning accordingly.

-Mark Wilson, Director of Curriculum Development & Design