DAD has been showing its advantages and disadvantages on a large scale.
The term distance learning existed before Covid too and is often used in a generic way to identify a type of training and teaching that is implemented, precisely, at a distance when there is no sharing of a space and a physical interaction between teacher and students, but everything is mediated by the use of technology.
However, the modalities are several: the training can in fact entail the recording of audio or video lessons by the teacher who can then send or upload them on a platform giving the possibility to the trainees or students to use the material at a later time when they want.
In addition to this can be added the sending of material and the advice of books or other printed material. The recordings can be accessible for good or for a limited time too, usually at the discretion of the school or the teacher. Other methods, on the other hand, provide for the actual activation of live lessons online through platforms or means that make it possible to put several people in contact simultaneously connected to each other and that has been preferred for younger kids of course who need the ‘social interaction’ with the classmate and the teacher, even in remote mode.
The latter has been the method of choice by most schools this past year.
Surely it is not like being in the classroom and sharing moments, but always better than the total absence of contacts, growth and development and the advantages are much more visible when you are able to organize it effectively.
The advantages of distance teaching are many. Firstly, it allows teachers and students to dedicate themselves to training from where they want and potentially without the need to move from their home, therefore also saving commuting time, generating great flexibility.
Unfortunately, there are many disadvantages with remote learning too.
First of all, doing lessons through technology cancels the dimension of teacher-student interaction and between the students themselves. Especially if the training is based on recordings, this becomes even harder and the learner is alone in the learning process. Even when the lesson is live, there is a lack of important elements that animate the lesson face-to-face: first of all, human contact and direct communication, made not only of words and listening but of gestures and expressions that make a difference in the learning process, in listening and in understanding the content.
Besides this, also the possibility of interaction and comparison.
Technology is less direct, slower and often leads to the loss of some important and enriching elements. Especially for the little ones, where contact with the teacher is essential for growth and learning, the use of media is very complex and could be not very functional if not well used. Especially if the lesson is recorded, there may be difficulties in concentration and understanding, often due to the tone that is always the same, the absence of a face to associate the voice with and the lack of emotional connection.
Furthermore, it has been very complicated for families to manage the distance learning for their children, especially for families with several children of different age groups, especially if the lessons are at the same time and the technology means available are few. Many parents struggled to help children manage their online education while being at work, having to leave their children with non-tech savvy grandparents for instance. Other families struggled financially to buy tablets and PCs for all their children or to improve their internet connection to make sure their children were able to follow lessons online. After all, up to a few years ago most Italian families did not have an Internet connection at home!
Google Meet is a popular platform for online lessons
Skype is another popular platform for online lessons
