The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of millions of children around the world, forcing them to adapt to new ways of learning and socializing. While some children have thrived in remote learning environments, many others have struggled with academic, emotional, and physical challenges. In this article, we will explore some of the negative effects of remote learning on children’s wellbeing and offer some resources and tips for parents to help their children during this difficult time.
The Academic Impact of Remote Learning
Remote learning has had a significant impact on children’s academic achievement, especially for those who lack access to adequate technology, internet, and support at home. According to a recent study by NWEA, a nonprofit organization that provides educational assessments, average math test scores in grades 3-8 were 0.20-0.27 standard deviations lower in fall 2021 compared to fall 2019, while reading test scores were 0.09-0.18 standard deviations lower¹. This means that many students have fallen behind their grade-level expectations and may need additional support to catch up.
Remote learning can also affect children’s motivation and engagement in schoolwork, as they may face difficulties in staying focused, organized, and interested in online classes. Without the social and emotional support of their teachers and peers, some children may lose their sense of belonging and purpose in school. Remote learning can also reduce the opportunities for hands-on learning, creative expression, and feedback that can enhance children’s learning experiences.
The Mental Health Impact of Remote Learning
Remote learning has also taken a toll on children’s mental health, as they face isolation, stress, anxiety, and uncertainty during the pandemic. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that parents whose children received virtual instruction or a combination of virtual and in-person instruction were more likely to report increased risk on 11 of 17 indicators of child and parental well-being². These indicators included worsened mental or emotional health, behavioral changes, difficulty sleeping or eating, reduced physical activity, less time spent outside or with friends, and increased substance use.
Remote learning can also affect children’s self-esteem and confidence, as they may compare themselves negatively to others or feel inadequate about their academic performance. Some children may also experience cyberbullying or online harassment from their classmates or strangers, which can harm their mental health and safety.
The Physical Health Impact of Remote Learning
Remote learning can also have negative effects on children’s physical health, as they may spend more time sitting in front of screens and less time moving their bodies. This can lead to problems such as eye strain, headaches, neck pain, back pain, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal disorders³. Remote learning can also affect children’s sleep quality and quantity, as they may have irregular sleep schedules or exposure to blue light from screens that can disrupt their circadian rhythms.
Remote learning can also limit children’s access to nutritious food, especially for those who rely on school meals for their daily intake. According to a report by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), nearly 30 million children participated in the National School Lunch Program and nearly 15 million participated in the School Breakfast Program before the pandemic⁴. However,
these numbers dropped significantly during the pandemic due to school closures and reduced participation rates. This may have increased food insecurity and malnutrition among low-income children who depend on school meals for their dietary needs.
How to Support Your Child’s Wellbeing During Remote Learning
Remote learning can be challenging for both children and parents, but there are some ways to make it easier and more effective. Here are some resources and tips for parents to support their children’s wellbeing during remote learning:
- Harvard EdCast: The Negative Effects of Remote Learning on Children’s Wellbeing. This podcast from Harvard Graduate School of Education features Professor Stephanie Jones and Lecturer Emily Hanno discussing how remote learning negatively affected children’s behavior and how a focus on social-emotional learning can better help children in school and at home. They also offer easy strategies for families to check in with their young children’s wellbeing⁵.
- The pandemic has had devastating impacts on learning. What will it take to help students catch up? This article from Brookings Institution summarizes the findings of a new research study by NWEA that tracked changes in math and reading test scores across the first two years of the pandemic using data from 5.4 million U.S. students in grades 3-8. It also provides some recommendations for policymakers, educators, and parents to help students recover from the learning loss and close the achievement gaps.
- Effects of remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdown on children’s visual health. This study from BMJ Open examined the effects of remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdown on children’s visual health in China. It found that increased dependence on digital devices for online classes has either induced or exacerbated visual disturbances, such as rapid progression of myopia, dry eye and visual fatigue symptoms, and vergence and accommodation disturbances, in children who engaged in remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdown. It also suggested some preventive measures to protect children’s visual health, such as limiting screen time, taking breaks, adjusting screen brightness and distance, and wearing glasses if needed.
- Resources for Parents and Families for Remote Learning. This website from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education provides resources for parents and families for developing students’ social-emotional and behavioral skills in the home while they engage in remote learning. It includes recommendations for using positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) at home, fact sheets on teen mental health, strategies for trauma-informed distance learning, and resources to support youth and families during the coronavirus outbreak.
- COVID-19 Parental Resources Kit – Childhood. This website from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides resources for parents and caregivers to ensure children’s social, emotional, and mental well-being during the pandemic. It includes information on how COVID-19 can affect children directly and indirectly, how to recognize signs of stress and anxiety in children, how to talk to children about COVID-19, how to help children cope with changes and challenges, and how to take care of yourself as a parent or caregiver.
- Empowering parents and caregivers to support learning and a safe return to school. This website from UNICEF provides resources and tools for parents and caregivers of the most marginalized children to support their remote learning both during and beyond the pandemic. It includes guidance on how to create a safe and supportive learning environment at home, how to use digital platforms and offline materials for learning, how to monitor children’s progress and well-being, how to communicate with teachers and schools, and how to prepare children for a safe return to school.
- 5 ways early care and education providers can support children’s remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article from Child Trends provides recommendations for early care and education providers on how to work with families remotely to promote children’s learning at home. It includes tips on how to establish regular communication with families, how to share developmentally appropriate activities and materials, how to provide feedback and encouragement, how to collaborate with other providers and community partners, and how to address equity issues in remote learning.
Conclusion
Remote learning has been a necessary but difficult response to the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected many aspects of children’s wellbeing. However, there are also many resources and strategies that parents can use to help their children cope with the challenges and make the most of their learning opportunities. By supporting children’s academic, emotional, and physical health during remote learning, parents can help them overcome the negative effects of the pandemic and prepare them for a brighter future.
References
¹: Kuhfeld M., Soland J., Lewis K., Morton E. (2022). The cumulative impact of COVID-19 disruptions on student achievement: Evidence from 5.4 million students in grades 3–8. NWEA Research Report.
²: Leeb R.T., Price S., Sliwa S., et al. (2020). COVID-19 Trends Among School-Aged Children — United States, March 1–September 19, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1410–1415.
³: Duan Y., Liu B., Li C., et al. (2020). The impact of COVID‐19 lockdown on physical activity level
Source: Conversation with Bing, 6/11/2023
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(3) Effects of remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdown on children’s …. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35922104/.
(4) Effects of remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdown on children’s …. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9352565/.
(5) Effects of remote learning during the COVID-19 lockdown on children’s …. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/8/e062388.
