Serious concerns have been raised about the impact remote learning is having on Victorian students
The worrying toll of at-home learning on Victorian students has been revealed, with a concerning report highlighting schools face serious difficulties in reintegrating kids back to classrooms.
Education
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One in five principals are concerned about the poor academic progress of students during remote schooling, new data shows.
“Schools face serious difficulties in reintegrating these students into learning and school life,” a report commissioned into remote schooling by the Department of Education shows.
One third of school leaders also believe home-based assessments given to students at home were invalid and can’t be relied on.
The data reveals up to 14 per cent of kids were dropping out during term two and the gap between high and low-performing students has now widened.
One in five Indigenous and kids from out of home care dropped out of remote learning compared to only four per cent of kids from more advantaged backgrounds.
One report by Learning First, released on Friday by Education Minister James Merlino, drew on data from more than 300 schools, 30,000 kids and 12,000 parents. It showed absence rates peaked at 14 per cent in week eight of term two among students in years seven to 10.
It comes as remote learning isn’t due to end for students in years three to ten until the end of October - and only if covid cases are low enough.
The reports were prepared to support discussion at a proposed education summit, which has been postponed due to the current lockdown.
The papers also found that although teachers, students, school leaders and parent “rallied to meet the challenge head on”, remote learning isn’t easy for many, particularly as time wears on.
Some students enjoyed learning from home, especially those who were shy, liked the flexibility and liked setting their own hours.
But it was clear that “many students enjoy being at school and were eager to return,” one report said.
Recurring issues for students included a lack of access to devices and internet connectivity which was most noticeable in low socio-economic and regional areas.
“Some students had a less positive experience, missing learning from, and with, their peers, dealing with feelings of frustration and isolation, finding it harder to maintain focus and to stay motivated,” one report said.
Mr Merlino said the government “always knew the shift to remote learning wasn’t going to be easy, and these reports shine a light on the experiences of staff, students and parents”.
“It has been an experience that has challenged staff, students and families, and where there are improvements we can make to our education system, we will make them. We are currently considering a number of ideas to help students to catch-up in any areas they need,” he said.
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