Our education system has been a prominent concern for decades, however the COVID pandemic brought to light many things that could or should be changed about the way schools function, and the pandemic actually caused us to make drastic changes and to quickly evaluate what is working and what is not. Whether you want to be a future small business owner or work for someone else, these skills will come in handy.
As we now move forward in the third year of the pandemic, school functionality is somewhat back to normal in that in-person classes are the norm, however, NTL days are still quite common and both teachers, students, and parents are seeing the positives of a less than traditional school setting.
In fact, the changes from in-person to at home learning have caused 57% of students to realize they prefer learning from home and only 19% would rather be taught in-person. Families are also seeing the positive effects of at-home learning as they are provided with more flexibility, more family involvement, a safer environment, and a greater ability to protect against bullying.
Studies now show that a professionally developed at-home learning experience helps students to retain 25 - 60% more information, enhances their performance, and takes 40 - 60% less time than traditional learning settings. Stay-at-home students are also 6% less likely to experience bullying, at a rate of 16% rather than 22%.
As the world and workforce move forward with new technologies, preparedness to enter the adult world is requiring different skill sets such as analytical thinking, innovation, active learning and strategizing, creativity, originality and initiative. Online learning better prepares students for all of these skills and helps them to get through their school years with greater focus and greater success.