Remote working is becoming standard across the UK. Here at Eduspot 100% of our team is now working remotely. Despite the adjustment period and change of routine, remote working undoubtedly offers relief in multiple aspects which typically aggravate mental health issues. These include work flexibility and commute-related issues; however, people will surely miss out on the daily human interaction within an office environment. Remote teaching, on the other hand, comes with its own set of benefits, issues, and opportunities.
Remote teaching is becoming the norm in higher education, with its popularity decreasing as you look down the academic key stages. COVID-19 has eliminated the possibility for in-person teaching sessions, lectures and meetings. So, professors and students have been forced to experiment with new tools to teach and learn effectively. Will this be the beginning of a new teaching revolution where classrooms become a thing of the past? Or will it prove we’re not yet ready to move away from face-to-face teaching?
To take a look at our 3 favourite tools to use when remote teaching click here.
The nature of the coronavirus has unquestionably flung us into this situation where remote teaching is a necessity. In an ideal world, it’s implementation would be gradual and accurately planned for. Here, students and teachers would collectively decide how the system would work, considering student treatment, lecturer assessment, participation, etc. However, the current outcome will likely be a rushed, offhand version of remote learning. Here, it is most-likely that teachers will have to adapt their previously planned lessons and lectures onto a video streaming version.
One student from the University of Lincoln said “online lectures aren’t the same, the atmosphere and environment of a lecture hall is very important. During remote lectures you can tell most of the class is distracted on their mobile phones. The majority have really lost interest in learning at the moment, to be honest.”
Online-only university courses have been soaring in popularity over the last decade, with courses consisting of online-lectures, interactive quizzes and virtual classrooms being the norm. Universities such as Lincoln differentiate themselves from online-only courses. However, when they’re put a level-playing field of only being able to use remote teaching, it is no wonder they naturally fall behind. Of course, the current climate of the coronavirus pandemic has surely served as a major distraction, not only to students but also to teachers.
Mental health is surely going to be affected as a bi-product of this change of routine. The ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality is common in modern society. This can lead to teachers & students feeling like they aren’t directly involved in the usual elements of a teaching schedule. While the uncertainty of the future is likely to cause feelings of anxiety due to the unforeseen implications of COVID-19.
In primary education, it’s tougher to evaluate the effects of mental health as there has been a wide range of actions taken amongst different schools. Teachers may feel several emotions such as frustration, apathy, and guilt due to the unprecedented nature of this event. It is important to reach out to them and empathise. Many teachers would love to continue to be involved in the teaching and development of the children they usually teach.
Eduspot allows for remote home learning to be set via our BehaviourWatch application. This technology is a good solution to the current predicament and can assist teachers in being more engaging with their pupils. Furthermore, we are currently offering free use of our Teachers2Parents communication software. Click here to find out more.
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