Letters | Why online learning must not completely replace attending school in person
- No matter how efficient or refined our teaching technology becomes, the learning that we put our children through as preparation for adult life needs to be immersed in a socially interactive environment
As our conversation progressed, my initial impression that this college was a rare special experiment, out there on the ragged edge of educational research, was shattered when my friend mentioned that his online college is one of 19 similar colleges in his district of the local education system.
The reason for online schools mushrooming in this part of the United States is that parents and pupils would rather not risk the social interaction that their children face as they attend school in person each day.
Clearly the levels of disruptive and antisocial behaviour in that particular region are a challenge for the local education authorities and principals. De-socialising schools, having learning take place out of the social context, clearly provides a safer practical solution. If my children faced such issues at school, I would probably seriously consider the same response.
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Low-income Hong Kong students struggle as coronavirus forces classes online
The fact remains though that life is a social experience. Therefore, by necessity, the learning that we put our children through as preparation for adult life needs to be immersed in a socially interactive environment.