Online learning is something new not only for children but also for parents and schools. No one was prepared for it, both pedagogically and psychologically.
By
FRANSISCA ROMANA NINIK & MAWAR KUSUMA
·5 minutes read
Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta
Children are taught how to wash their hands properly during a 2020 National Children\'s Day celebration with the theme, Protected Children, Advanced Indonesia. The event was organized and hosted by the Sidoarjo Police in the Pepelegi village hall, Waru district, Sidoarjo, East Java, on Wednesday (22/7/2020). The celebration was held under strict health protocols and featured children singing as well as information about COVID-19 and how to prevent it.
Taking care of children is a major challenge for parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning is something new not only for children but also for parents and schools. No one was prepared for it, both pedagogically and psychologically.
The Morning Consult Survey conducted for The New York Times on June 16-20, for example, showed that 64 percent of respondents, mostly the parents of children under the age of 12, felt distressed by their children\'s learning activities during the pandemic.
Parents are also worried about the long-term impact of isolation and long breaks from academic and extracurricular activities on children.
The anxiety is getting worse because of uncertainties both due to the economy and the pandemic itself. In addition, allowing children to go outside also carries a high risk of them being infected with the disease.
Parents like Dwi Puspita, 40, a resident of Tangerang, Banten, has to go the extra mile in taking care of her children during the pandemic.
Puspita\'s days revolve quickly from one child\'s assignment to another, in addition to having to work from home. On Tuesday morning (21/7/2020), she was ready to work in front of her laptop at her home. Her first child, Azarel, 13, was also getting ready to begin online learning. Her two other children, Orville, 9, and Aileen, 7, wait for Puspita to finish her office work to begin their studies.
"The first child is independent, so I can focus on my work. After finishing my work, I have to accompany the second and third child to learn and do their assignments," Puspita said.
The home study policy set by the government regarding the covid-19 outbreak was used by Al Azhar 15 Pamulang Elementary School, South Tangerang, Banten to hold online teaching and learning activities, on Tuesday (17/3/2020). Students and teachers utilize the googleclassroom application for study rooms and zoom cloud meetings for teleconferences.
That day, Orville was studying art and culture, and crafts and science, while Aileen studied English and Indonesian. Their week-long study assignments are given through a WhatsApp group every weekend by their teachers. The assignments are usually collected between 8 and 9 p.m.
"I teach the children in turn. I ask the children to choose the time themselves so they will be in a good mood to learn, " Puspita said.
Their time was arranged in such a way to prevent Puspita from feeling stressed out — as well as the children.
"Challenges for children, they must be focused and diligent. If they are lazy in doing their assignments, they will be left behind because there are a lot of assignments and learning materials. I see they are getting bored, but they don’t have a choice but to do their routines, " she said.
Parents are also stressed out because they have to remember which assignments have to be done. Then, parents must send photos and video assignments to their children’s teachers.
"Once, when I was so busy, I forgot to send the assignments back to the teacher. So, I sent them at midnight before going to bed, " Puspita said.
Children play with a plastic ball in a field in Pamulang, South Tangerang, Banten, on Monday (20/7/2020). Children are among highly vulnerable groups in the COVID-19 global health crisis, which has prompted major changes in their lives and created a strange new world for them. Many are no longer free to go to school, study face-to-face with their teachers or play and socialize with their friends as they remain at home for their own safety.
Lifelong learning
The involvement of parents has proven to have a good impact on children\'s achievements. A paper written by Nancy Hill and Diana Tyson (2009) titled “Strong Positive Association Between Parental Involvement and Student Academic Achievement” (Harvard) confirms that children can have high achievements if they feel they get more care and are understood.
Many parents equip themselves with various parenting knowledge to help their children the best they can. They also can learn from workshops, such as through webinars. For example, a workshop titled "Five Important Characters that Have to be Developed by Parents at Home" was held online on 16-20 July with psychologist Rosdiana Setyaningrum as the main speaker.
"We are not teachers. However, because children spend most of their time at home, it is a good opportunity to develop their personality," Rosdiana said.
For working parents, self-enrichment can reduce guilt at the same time because parents must keep working while children spend their time in front of the computer. Amid her busy activities at home, , Maria Apditaratri took the time to attend a webinar that was led by Rosdiana for the care of her daughter, Kanne, 7.
During the pandemic, parents can no longer just rely on the knowledge inherited by their parents in educating their own children.
"I need to improve myself because I don\'t know a lot. Do I really know my child? Inevitably, I have to take time to listen to her," Maria said.
An early childhood education (PAUD) class is held for one hour with strict health protocols at community unit (RW) 022 in Kampung Rawa Pasung, West Bekasi district, Bekasi, West Java, on Wednesday (22/7/2020).
Turning point
Webinars provide new horizons for parents. During the pandemic, actress and public figure Donna Agnesia, for example, also actively explored the interests and talents of her three children: Lio, Diego, and Sabrina.
"During childhood, they must at least have two activities, namely art and sports," Donna said.
For Lio and Diego, Donna introduced soccer. They have been part of a soccer club from the age of 6. However, the pandemic also brings challenges to them because they must practice through Zoom.
Her daughter Sabrina, who practices gymnastics and once competed in a championship in Bangkok, faces a similar obstacle. Because training is conducted through Zoom, she gets bored easily.
"I said, we will talk again later. If the gymnastics course is finished, I let her explore her other interests," Donna added.
Education actually prepares children for life.
Psychologist Rosdiana said learning at home was often constrained by many things. However, the pandemic also teaches children to be patient with conditions that cannot be changed.
Usually parents hand over their children\'s education to schools, but now they are required to be involved. Because they are involved, they can see the process of their children’s growth and development, which was previously monitored only by their teachers.
Education observer Itje Chodidjah considers online learning a turning point in understanding the meaning of education. Education is not limited to classrooms and it is not just about memorization.
"Education actually prepares children for life," he said.
Itje emphasized that learning at home did not merely put learning materials onto online platforms; it’s not just about learning the materials to meet the targets of a curriculum.
"The purpose of a curriculum is not just for knowledge, but also for behavior and skills. Everyone in the educational ecosystem should, therefore, work together.”
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