Minimising the Negative Effects of Online Education

Online School is here!

The classroom has inevitably been forced to take on a new dimension - online. For many educators and students alike, this way of engaging, particularly for an entire day of learning, is absolutely new. Learning online comes with a lot of challenges that can impact the health of the learner, as such, educators and parents must find ways to limit these effects. 

There are several solutions that can be employed to ensure the safety, and health of learners. In the case of parents:

Install Comfortable Workstations

1. Parents should as best as possible, install comfortable workstations for their children. Chairs should be comfortable, possibly with armrests, back support cushions, and provide allowance for the learner's foot to be able to touch the ground. 
2. Devices such as laptops, tablets or phones should be placed at eye level to prevent the learner from hanging over their head for prolonged periods of time.
3. Parents should provide wrist pads, to support the learner's hand. Students will spend a good deal of time using the mouse and keyboard. It is important that their hands are properly supported to prevent clinical conditions such as carpal tunnel disease.
4. How about installing plants at the workstation? Plants such as Aloe Vera and snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) are known to improve the quality of oxygen in the environment. Add these to the learner's workstation to boost the supply of oxygen while s(he) works.
5. Encourage the learner to consume water. Sitting in front of a computer or any screen for that matter exposes the user to radiation. Students/learners must therefore increase their daily intake of water.
6. Create green spaces close to the work station. These could be natural green spaces or just painting a wall in the surrounding green. Encourage the learner to look regularly at green spaces/areas.
7. Set up the classroom environment outdoors if you have the capacity to do so.

Educators and parents should work together to keep the learner/student safe. Educators can boost the work of parents by:

1. Encouraging learners to take frequent breaks from the screen.
2. Encouraging students to look at green spaces/areas.
3. Allowing students to stand and stretch at intervals or between sessions. Stretching is a good way of keeping the brain alert and active. It also reduces the risk of developing circulatory problems.
4. Allocating time for hangout. Educators must encourage good social behaviour and interaction. It is therefore important for time to be allotted for students to talk with each other, socially.
5. Encouraging the use of textbooks, and writing.

There is a great deal of emphasis on trying to regain the time lost, post the lockdown of schools, as such administrators have implemented the normal or extended school days so that students can 'catch up.' However, in order to minimise the law of diminishing return, it would be prudent for administrators to lessen screen time for students. The continued education of learners is important, however, their health is of utmost importance.