Education providers must consider the potential impact of online learning on the well-being of their students as it becomes more widespread. There is no denying that the transition from traditional classrooms to online learning environments has made learning more convenient and flexible, but it has also given students new challenges. This blog post will explore ways and recommendations for educators to improve students’ well-being, considering the challenges and obstacles in the online learning world.
Students of all ages have become adept at learning through screens, whether they attend primary schools, colleges, or universities. But this shift can be stressful and overpowering, which reduces motivation and raises stress levels. Online learning environments should promote a positive and welcoming atmosphere that supports mental health and overall well-being. Education providers should consider the basic needs of each student to accomplish this goal.
Let’s delve into practical strategies such as promoting engagement, promoting work-life balance, and prioritizing mental health. Education providers may guarantee that their students succeed intellectually and emotionally in the online learning environment by putting these suggestions into practice.
The Importance of Student Wellbeing in Online Learning
In the expanding field of online education, educators should place a high premium on the welfare of their students. Students benefit from face-to-face contact, social ties, and an organized atmosphere in a traditional classroom setting. On the other hand, students could experience isolation and disconnection in an online learning setting. Their general well-being, motivation, and mental health may suffer as a result.
Education providers must acknowledge that student well-being extends beyond academic achievement to address this issue. It includes both their physical and mental well-being. Providers may establish an atmosphere that encourages a sense of support and belonging for students by putting student welfare first, which will ultimately improve engagement and performance.
Challenges Faced by Students in Online Learning
The shift to online education presents several obstacles that students could encounter. The absence of social interaction is one of the biggest challenges. While students can establish relationships and engage with their peers in a conventional classroom, these possibilities may be restricted in an online classroom. Students may experience emotions of isolation and loneliness as a result, which could harm their emotional well-being.
Additionally, technological issues and the need for self-discipline can pose challenges for students in online learning. Technical difficulties can disrupt learning experiences and lead to frustration. Moreover, the lack of direct supervision can make it harder for some students to stay focused and motivated. By understanding these challenges, education providers can develop strategies to support students and enhance their well-being.
Online Safety
A tool kit for secondary schools by the eSafety commissioner is designed to help schools create a safer online environment. This tool kit is adaptable to different school environments, and it is a practical resource for higher education providers.
It comprises four elements:
- Prepare
- Engage
- Educate
- Respond
- Providers should conduct a review of their existing policies, processes, and codes of conduct to ensure that they include online environments. Clear norms for online behavior should be part of this.
- Make sure employees understand their professional boundaries and can set an example of appropriate internet conduct.
- All students should be aware of how and to whom they can report the challenges of online education. In addition, providers should also have clear reporting and response methods in place.
- Educators and forum monitors need to be aware of what to do to prevent a variety of online learning-related incidents, including grooming, improper content, cyberbullying, revenge pornography, and online stalking. The Commissioner of Electronic Safety has developed several tools that elaborate these and other online behaviors.
The e-safety guide may be a valuable resource for learning about the various media to consider when deciding which applications and social media sites to use for correspondence with students and others. Frequently used games, apps, and social networking platforms are introduced in the e-Safety guide, which also explains where to report inappropriate information and how to locate privacy settings.
Tips for Promoting Student Wellbeing in The Online Education World
Students may be facing stress or other forms of abuse, or they may feel nervous and isolated. The curriculum is offered online, which reduces social contact with students and makes it more challenging to figure out when a student needs help.
Dr. Mays Imad is a professor of Pathophysiology and Biomedical Ethics at Pima Community College. She is also a neuroscientist. She presents an informative article, Hope Matters, that outlines ten easy ways that online educators and students can benefit from. This is a quick synopsis of these strategies.
- Use email communication to inform your students that you are still available to them.
- Inform them that changes are inevitable in life and that you are adjusting your timetable to accommodate the new circumstances. Make it informal and fun, and humanize yourself. For example, you may discuss how you finally started your long-overdue spring cleaning in between reading their conversation postings.
- Consider the idea of rigor while you keep pushing and encouraging your students. Teachers frequently strike a balance between rigor and support, and in this case, students may require more assistance than rigor. Remember that requiring them to work more is not the same as establishing continuity.
- Repeat a few of the concepts you delivered during class. This will likely assist in jogging students’ memories of belonging to a community and serve as a reminder that they still are, especially for those who are missing the classroom setting. You may write something like, “Recall when we talked about this and…” in your email.
- Use language that is upbeat and hopeful, like “When you come back this fall…” As a result of this, students will be more excited to return to the class.
- Give them an opportunity to swap phone numbers and, for those who want, assist them in setting up a WhatsApp discussion group. A student may find it challenging to get a classmate’s phone number at times.
- The elephant in the room shouldn’t be ignored. If possible, discuss all your concerns and issues about online education in the post-COVID-19 era. You have the chance to alert your students to be cautious of the abundance of false information. Remind them to think critically about the sources of their news.
- Recall that the lessons and academics are only some of the things that students have left behind. Significant spaces exist for students to congregate and discuss topics unrelated to their studies, such as sports, upcoming performances, newly found shows, and so forth, on both residential and commuter campuses. Considering the stress, anxiety, and stress people are under in these uncertain times, think about setting up a community discussion board where they may post updates on their lives.
- Inform your students that they can contact you for assistance if needed and that you are available to them. Hopefully, you have connections to therapists or other mental health professionals who can assist them in getting in touch with someone in case they need it.
- Above all, determine how you can help every student. The Persian poet Rumi famously remarked, “There is a field out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing. There, I’ll meet you.”
In a similar vein, we may create an area where the ideas and views of our students could clarify the path we are charting for them—and for us—in these unpredictable and uncharted times.
How GSAAA Can Help?
Education providers need to put student welfare first to guarantee a happy and productive learning environment as online learning develops. Providers can provide a student-wellbeing-supportive online learning environment by putting into practice tactics like encouraging connection and engagement, work-life balance, and giving priority to mental health support. Education providers can support students in thriving intellectually and emotionally in the digital environment by addressing the difficulties associated with online learning and actively working with students.
Educational institutions may create an environment that supports students’ performance, resilience, and overall happiness by consistently modifying and refining techniques to support student well-being. While embracing the advantages of remote learning, let’s make sure that our students’ welfare always comes first.
Accreditation bodies, like GSAAA, play a crucial role in maintaining and improving the quality of education and training programs. Accreditation ensures that educational institutions and online programs meet specific criteria and quality standards. Accreditation often requires institutions to provide adequate student support services. This can include counseling, academic advising, and other resources that contribute to the mental and emotional well-being of students. That’s how GSAAA can contribute to student well-being by assuring them that they are receiving a high-quality education that prepares them for future endeavors.
