Tips of Online Learning for Parents During COVID-19 Pandemic

Charles Xiaoxue Wang, Ph.D.

Professor of Educational Technology

Florida Gulf Coast University

&

Katie Wing

Graduate Student of Educational Technology

Florida Gulf Coast University

Multiple challenges have arisen recently for schools, teachers, students and parents, all trying to cope with the new dynamic the coronavirus has caused across the globe, and its impact on education. Schools are now required to utilize online learning, which imposes a huge learning curve for K-12 students. This also greatly impacts parents, who are now the ones at home with their children trying to help them adjust and succeed in their online learning. In addition, not all teachers are well prepared for online instruction and online learning facilitation. Most students, especially in K-12, have not been properly prepared for learning online effectively. Access and equity issues with technology for online learning persists, and parents are not trained on how to coach and support their kids completing their online learning.

Implementing online learning for students effectively will require combined effort of schools, teachers, parents and students, to overcome these challenges. Parents are essential to the success of students online learning and providing the at home support kids need. With these said, here are some practical tips for parents on how to work with their kids and assist them learning online at home.

• Make a daily schedule for the next 6-8 weeks to work with your children. Parents, teachers and students should work together to create a daily schedule. Don’t try to do this on your own, use the support of those around you to make a schedule manageable for yourselves and your kids. Giving kids say in forming their schedule gives them added responsibility and the opportunity to actively participate in their learning. Be sure to add in breaks throughout the day that incorporate some physical activities so that they don’t sit in front of the computer for too long. Keep in mind the time frames of the activities so they fit with the age of your kids. Older kids can have a longer attention span, while younger kids may need shorter activity times and more breaks.

• Create a work environment for children. Make sure it is free from distractions, in a quiet, comfortable space. Parents should also check the technology for their kids on a daily basis to ensure access if the students are not capable on their own.

• Understand teacher expectations. Keep open and regular communications with teachers of different subjects to ensure you understand the expectations from each teacher. Your communication with teachers will enable you better assist the online learning of your children.

• Assist and monitor kids learning online. Make sure students learning online are not playing games, accessing unapproved materials, or just chatting with other students or potentially strangers. Look out for online bullying and report any incident to teachers and schools if it occurs.

• Have a support system. Communicate with other parents and share experiences of working with the kids at home. This is new for a majority of parents, so don’t feel like you’re in this alone. Form an online parent community to share thoughts and ideas to better assist kids online learning. You can also encourage your kids to engage with other students and classmates for support using a secure chat space so they can share each other’s experiences, ask questions and support each other’s learning.

• Incorporate virtual social interactions and milestones for your kids. Create opportunities for kids to engage with their friends virtually to avoid feelings of isolation. This can be incorporated by having learning together with the kids. You can also set-up a milestone to achieve and celebrate it with children on a weekly basis, while reflecting with them on what they have learned.

• Maintain balance. Physical activities, food, and drinks should be placed between online learning breaks to ensure students’ physical well-being. Engage in breathing, meditation and other relaxation activities to help reduce anxiety that might stem as kids and parents adjust to this new dynamic. Understand it’s ok if not everything goes according to plan, adjust as needed to maintain a healthy balance for you and your family.

Parents play a vital role in students adapting to the new reality of online learning at home. They give guidance and support to their kids, as well as other parents, who are all embarking on this new educational journey together. This article provided just a handful of tips for overcoming the several challenges parents, teachers and students face adjusting to online learning. Let us all continue to work together and support one another during this unprecedented time, to ensure the continued educational success of our students and children.

Author information:

Dr. Charles Xiaoxue Wang is a professor of educational technology at Florida Gulf Coast University. His research interests are design and development of online learning environments, Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs), synchronous technology for distance learning and collaboration. Email: xxwang@fgcu.edu

Katie Wing is a graduate student of Educational Technology Program and an Events & Special Projects Coordinator at Florida Gulf Coast University. Email: kwing@fgcu.edu .