Amidst the switch from conventional schooling to online schooling, there has also been a lot of scepticism. While many parents are becoming increasingly familiar with the benefits of online learning for their children, others are hesitant about making the switch.
Is online schooling as effective as it’s claimed to be? How can children possibly remain engrossed in lessons delivered through a screen? How does performance in online schools compare to performance in conventional schools? Is children’s personal development affected?
As a parent, a couple of these questions may have crossed your mind. It’s also possible that you came across some myths that deterred you from considering online schooling as a viable option for your child.
In this blog, we’ll debunk three myths and highlight three facts about online schooling. At Cambridge Home School, we prioritise transparency, integrity, and objectivity. By painting an accurate picture of the landscape of online schooling in 2021, we’ll help you determine whether it’s right for your child.
3 Myths About Online Schooling
Myth #1: Online Schooling Affects Grades
Owing to the pandemic, the large majority of students had to acclimatise to online learning.
It’s important to note that this transition took place under unpredictable, chaotic, turbulent, and stressful circumstances. As the pandemic reached its height in 2020, students struggled to navigate a completely new academic landscape.
While adjusting to a new system was challenging, students eventually found their footing. However, the initial period of disruption led many parents to believe that online schooling was affecting their children’s grades.
In actuality, the stress and anxiety triggered by the pandemic were the leading causes of grade deterioration in 2020.
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As a system of education, online schooling should be introduced to students systematically. Under normal circumstances, students are eased into online classes and provided with the support, time, guidance, and reassurance they need to adjust to something they’re largely unfamiliar with. Online schooling isn’t forced on students abruptly and unexpectedly.
Unfortunately, the pandemic required an immediate approach. Instead of being introduced to online learning inch by inch, piece by piece, students were thrust into it at full throttle. The rapidity of the switch affected their grades.
In 2021, we’re getting closer to achieving herd immunity. As the effects of the pandemic become less detrimental, students who are attending online classes are gradually getting back on track. Academic performance is regaining the momentum it lost.
This trajectory indicates that online schooling wasn’t the cause behind grade deterioration in 2020. As we take a closer look at the results of online schooling prior to the pandemic, this assertion gains more validity.
At Cambridge Home School, we have been providing a quality online British education to students since 2002. If, as the myth suggests, online schooling affected grades, our students would have performed dismally over the years.
In actuality, our students are recognised for securing top grades. By helping them gradually get up to speed with online schooling, we make the transition as smooth, seamless, and hiccup-free as possible. As a result, our students achieve A*s and As in their IGCSE exams and A Levels exams. They also perform exceptionally well on their exams in Primary Prep School and Lower School.
Ultimately, the belief that academic performance declines in an online schooling system is a myth. Our MA/PhD qualified subject specialist teachers work assiduously to further improve each student’s grades across the board. If you’re worried about your child’s academic growth, you can rest assured that it will stay on track and gradually improve.
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Myth #2: Online Schooling Isn’t Good for Students’ Mental Health
This myth is very similar to the first one; it scapegoats online schooling instead of attributing the mental health decline of 2020 to the pandemic. Many parents believe that online schooling deteriorated their children’s mental health in 2020. In actuality, the turmoil and disturbance triggered by the pandemic affected stress and anxiety levels in students.
As stated earlier, we’re very careful and methodical about helping students transition from conventional schooling to online schooling. Our teachers prioritise each student’s mental health to ensure that the transition isn’t an additional burden for them.
During the first month of classes, the pace is regulated to ensure students can adjust to the new system without feeling overwhelmed by a plethora of rapid changes. Once students acclimatise to online schooling, our focus on mental health doesn’t end there. We frequently check in with students to ensure they’re satisfied with their classes. We also put a lot of emphasis on a healthy school-life balance.
At Cambridge Home School, we’re strong proponents of balance. Instead of exclusively focusing on academic growth, we also double down on personal and social development. Our students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, meet their friends (virtually and/or in-person), explore their interests, engage in new hobbies, go on excursions with their friends and/or family members, and rest.
We strongly believe that students who are pushed to focus on nothing but their academics end up feeling stressed, experiencing burnout, and losing motivation. As a result, their grades go down. Instead of helping them perform better, many teachers and/or parents end up doing more harm than good.
By prioritising both academic performance and a healthy personal and social life, we help students secure top grades without sacrificing their mental health. This balance is a key aspect of online schooling. Esteemed online schools have a strong focus on student mental health. In conventional schooling, this focus largely disappears owing to the large classroom size. With so many students in one class, teachers are unable to equally prioritise their mental health.
There’s only so much a teacher can do. Ultimately, the responsibility of maintaining a low pupil-teacher ratio falls on the administration’s shoulders.
At Cambridge Home School, our classrooms comprise 8 to 10 students each. This approach helps our teachers engage with each student, get a good grasp on their disposition, and prioritise their mental health.
Consequently, they can provide support when students are struggling by picking up on cues. By providing each student the personalised attention they need, our teachers assiduously keep their mental health on track.
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Myth #3: Online Schooling Limits a Student’s Exposure
While not as common as the aforementioned myths, this misconception is still prevalent in 2021. Many parents believe that online schooling prevents their children from having a diverse schooling experience. They posit that students are unable to have varied interactions, learn about new cultures, develop new interests, and broaden their horizons. Parents wonder how their children can possibly have a wholesome and enriching schooling experience through a screen.
These concerns are extremely valid. They also ring true for online schools that don’t have a lot of experience and a good reputation. These institutions don’t have a system in place to help students have an online schooling experience that’s just as diverse and enriching as a conventional schooling experience.
At Cambridge Home School, we have such a system in place. Over the past 19 years, we’ve had a strict focus on helping students learn just as much—and more—than they would in a conventional school. In addition to focusing on their academic journey, we’ve also focused on their exposure to new ideas, people, activities, events, viewpoints, cultures, and languages.
Instead of simply delivering lectures through a screen, our teachers use cutting-edge audio-visual technology to supplement each lesson. In addition, we use state-of-the-art educational software solutions to ensure that our classes don’t just involve mere communication through a screen. Instead, students can benefit from the interactive features of the advanced systems.
We frequently invite guest speakers to our classes to further improve each student’s experience. While they get a chance to gain more knowledge, they’re also exposed to new languages, cultures, and perspectives. We steer clear of redundancy and complacency. There’s always a new approach and a better system in place to ensure students have a wholesome, engaging, and retentive schooling experience.
By using a hands-on learning approach, we help students gain practical knowledge as well. They perform a wide range of activities during regular classes and group projects. This gives them a chance to develop new skills, i.e., teamwork, empathy, leadership, and communication, among others.
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3 Facts About Online Schooling
Fact #1: Online Schooling Increases Student Engagement and Retention
Owing to its small classroom sizes, experienced and accomplished teachers, and independent curriculum, online schooling plays a big role in increasing student engagement and retention.
Our teachers use an individualised strategy to keep students engaged. Since each group comprises 8 to 10 students, teachers can quickly pick up on a student losing focus or zoning out. They promptly help them get back on track.
For younger students, our teachers use stimulating supplementary content to maximise engagement and retention.
Fact #2: Online Schooling Is More Affordable Than Conventional School
One of the biggest benefits of online schooling is its fee structure. Parents can provide their children a quality education without breaking the bank.
At Cambridge Home School, our annual fee is £9,000 GBP for Lower School, Upper School, and Sixth Form, and £4,000 GBP for Primary Prep School. We also provide scholarships and bursaries to parents who require additional financial support.
We don’t believe in gatekeeping education. Exceptional students who are unable to acquire a quality education because of their financial standing should be given an equal opportunity to progress academically. By providing this opportunity, we strive to make the education system more equitable.
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Fact #3: Online Schooling Makes Students More Responsible
As they attend online school, students are required to become more responsible. From completing their homework on time to attentively attending their online classes to making time for extra-curricular activities, students need to be more proactive.
Our teachers make this process easier for both younger and older students by providing the help they need. However, students are also encouraged to shoulder some responsibility themselves. This approach helps them value the importance of following their timetable to a tee, being punctual, and maintaining consistency.
Older students are especially encouraged to add more structure to their daily routine. Our teachers double down on this aspect from the very beginning. As a result, our students become well-rounded, responsible, detail-oriented, and organised individuals. Whether they’re revising for a test or completing a group project, they ensure orderliness and consistency in everything that they do.
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If you’re still sceptical about virtual learning school for children UK, we recommend reading our latest blog on the benefits of online schooling for both students and parents. As you make a decision, make sure you do more research to ensure you choose the best option for your child.
Start by reading our online reviews and understanding how online schooling works. Once you get a good grasp on the basics, you’ll be able to make an informed decision that improves your child’s schooling experience.
At Cambridge Home School, we provide a quality online British international school education to motivated English-speaking students in the UK, Europe (including Western Russia), Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. If your child is between the ages of 8 and 19, start filling out their application form today.
For more information, browse through our term dates and the admissions process. If you require further assistance, our team is always happy to help at any step of the way.
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FAQ
Is Online Schooling Detrimental to Students’ Grades?
No, online schooling is not inherently harmful to academic performance. Initial concerns arose due to the sudden and disruptive shift to online education during the pandemic, which led some to incorrectly attribute grade deterioration to the online schooling system itself. In reality, stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic were the primary culprits.
Does Online Learning Negatively Affect Mental Health?
Contrary to popular belief, online schooling does not necessarily have a negative impact on students’ mental health. Issues in 2020 were largely attributed to the pandemic, not the online educational system. Reputable online schools, like Cambridge Home School, have measures in place to prioritize students’ mental well-being.
Does Online Schooling Limit Social and Cultural Exposure?
No, online schooling does not inherently limit a student’s exposure to diverse experiences. Online schools can provide varied interactions, help students learn about new cultures, and allow students to broaden their horizons through activities, guest lectures, and advanced interactive technologies.
Is Online Schooling More Affordable Than Conventional Schooling?
Yes, online schooling often comes with a more budget-friendly fee structure. For example, Cambridge Home School has an annual fee of £9,000 GBP for Lower, Upper School and Sixth Form, and £4,000 GBP for Primary Prep School. Scholarships and bursaries are also available for those who need financial assistance.
Does Online Schooling Make Students More Responsible?
Yes, online schooling encourages students to be proactive, punctual, and responsible. They need to manage their time effectively for classes, homework, and extra-curricular activities, thereby becoming well-rounded, detail-oriented individuals.