Living and Learning in 2022
As we all adjust to a post-Covid environment in South Africa let us take a moment to consider where we find ourselves. In 2020, most learners and parents were thrust into the virtual learning space with mixed results. The initial change was fraught with complications but there certainly have been leaps forward in terms of what is now available online for students. Many teachers have risen to the occasion and have dedicated countless hours equipping themselves, to maximise student engagement and take advantage of innovative technologies. Nothing can replace face-to-face social interaction between peers and instruction where there is instant feedback between educator and student. However, high-quality interactions in a virtual environment have an important place and bring many advantages.
Perhaps a “best of both” approach would be wise as educators equip themselves and their students to function in the digital world. Part of this functioning includes teaching students to cope with disadvantages of the online environment. The internet provides significant, speedy, and constant access to information in a cost-effective way which benefits learning. Unfortunately, the instant gratification that we have become accustomed to means that pupils may not develop the perseverance they need for serious studies. Attention spans are shorter due to endless distractions, and the temptation to cheat is ever-present.
Although most people benefit from a range of multi-sensory teaching techniques, dominant learning styles differ from person to person and need to be taken into account when considering how to meet the educational needs of your child. Different styles include visual, kinaesthetic or movement-based, auditory, social, solitary, verbal and logical.
Visual learners are drawn to pictures, images, symbols, colours and other visual representations such as mind maps. Kinaesthetic learners, also referred to as tactile learners, need to manipulate or touch material to learn. One can read instructions, but deep learning takes place through the process of doing. Think of a child learning to ride a bicycle, for example. Auditory learners respond well to hearing information and are better at understanding and remembering what they hear. Social learners prefer learning while interacting with others, playing learning games together or quizzing each other. Solitary learners are usually self-motivated and enjoy working independently without distractions using note taking and repetition to process learning materials. Verbal learners reason and solve problems using language – either written or spoken, and they like to use word games and rhymes. Logical learners enjoy being given systems and procedures to help them understand and remember and usually enjoy mathematics.
At E-Classroom we like to be at the forefront of social change and our internet platform aims to offer you technologically savvy support, without sacrificing quality of content. Education is a dynamic process, and we aspire to support every type of student following the CAPS curriculum. Whether a pupil is learning in person, online or in a hybrid fashion, we deliver excellent resources to achieve their primary and secondary education goals. We offer up-to-date worksheets and revision papers that teachers, parents, or students can download and use to supplement their understanding of topics and become proficient at applying their knowledge. For the older students in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase we provide practice papers on selected subjects. We also deliver a range of learning videos for students from Grade 4 to 12 that effectively explain important concepts in a vibrant, multi-sensory way.
Meeting your child’s educational requirements in 2022 may feel like a daunting process. Whatever your needs may be, we are here to support you every step of the way.
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