{"id":56293,"date":"2021-03-05T00:00:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T08:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=56293"},"modified":"2021-03-04T15:22:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T23:22:36","slug":"online-learning-is-an-opportunity-to-meet-the-needs-of-struggling-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/online-learning-is-an-opportunity-to-meet-the-needs-of-struggling-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Online learning is an opportunity to meet the needs of struggling students"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As many have observed, the\u00a0COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>\u00a0has laid bare many challenges that students face at school and higher education institutions. In South Africa, these relate particularly to\u00a0inequalities<\/a>\u00a0arising from students\u2019 diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. These inequalities account for the learning barriers and inability to learn effectively.<\/p>\n

Contributing to ineffective learning,\u00a0research conducted in South Africa<\/a>\u00a0showed that a total of 97% of educators never or seldom use a flexible curriculum and extra time to accommodate the diverse learning needs of students.<\/p>\n

South Africa\u2019s constitution provides for\u00a0equal access to education<\/a>\u00a0and its\u00a0inclusive education policy<\/a>\u00a0exists to make this a reality. But in practice, in classrooms, students\u2019 diverse needs are not being met. The results of ineffective teaching can be seen in the\u00a0student dropout rate<\/a>\u00a0in South Africa, which increase annually. It\u2019s estimated that 60% of young South Africans effectively drop out of school, without any schooling qualification.<\/p>\n

The reasons for this could be slow schooling progression due to repetition of school years.\u00a0Contextual factors<\/a>\u00a0also play a role. These include poverty, absenteeism of educators, ill-equipped and large classes, lack of teaching and learning resources, students with insufficient reading and writing skills and inadequately trained educators. Additionally, the lack of educators\u2019 skills in adjusting the curriculum to meet the diverse learning needs of a multicultural learner body hampers the academic progress of South African students.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0was conducted among a group of student teachers to see whether a different approach to instruction could help them. This approach is called differentiated instruction \u2013 that is when the instructor tailor-makes support for individual students. Content, assessment and strategies are designed to meet their needs. The results suggested that this could improve students\u2019 performance.<\/p>\n

But COVID-19 has added to students\u2019 challenges. Teaching and learning was largely based on\u00a0technology and forced online teaching<\/a>. The change to online, remote teaching has\u00a0contributed<\/a>\u00a0to students failing or dropping out because they have complex needs which some poorly resourced institutions can\u2019t meet. The need for access to technology added to existing difficulties such as language.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, this switch to more online teaching and learning could be an opportunity to embrace inclusive education and create differentiated online teaching activities. It could be a way to introduce variety which benefits students.<\/p>\n

Differentiated teaching and learning style<\/strong><\/h4>\n

A\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0was conducted that looked at the influence of differentiated assignments on first-year student teachers\u2019 academic progress in a South African university. These students faced a typical set of challenges, including insufficient English language skills, lack of confidence to communicate in class discussions, the inability to question unclear concepts and lack of time management and critical thinking skills. Most were from rural backgrounds. They were trying to adapt to urban learning environments and had financial constraints.<\/p>\n

One group was given three assignments adapted for their learning style. They could choose how they preferred to complete the task by using various visual aids to interpret or summarise data and solve problems. The other group was not given this choice.<\/p>\n

In a test at the end of the semester, the group that had chosen the method that suited them, performed on average 6% better than the other group. But they still had language difficulties and needed help to clarify concepts and new terminology.<\/p>\n

As many have been agitating, this emphasises the importance of decolonising the medium of instruction for\u00a0cognitive justice<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cequal treatment of all forms of knowledge\u201d.<\/p>\n

These results suggest that lecturers must reassess and adjust their pedagogical practices. They must also include the needs of students in a digitally orientated world. Some students require in-person contact with their lecturer to understand abstract concepts.<\/p>\n

Guidelines to create online differentiated activities<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The continuing COVID-19 pandemic is not only challenging lecturers to ensure all students are effectively included in teaching and learning, but could also be an opportunity to embrace inclusive education.<\/p>\n

The lecturer is central in the successful creation of online\u00a0differentiated learning activities<\/a>. Before creating an online assignment, a lecturer should be well acquainted with the learning disabilities and needs of their students, available technology applications, diverse instruction methods, visual illustrations, and other strategies to overcome learning barriers.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve drawn on our experience and\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0to suggest some guidelines for teachers to create differentiated activities. These can start with simpler activities and move to more complex ones to ensure students grasp the new content. Immediate feedback is essential.<\/p>\n

Divide a lesson\u2019s content into three sections, each suited to a different learning preference:<\/p>\n