Several schools in India have started online classes to continue teaching students during the Covid-19 lockdown. Since no one was really prepared for such a crisis, virtual teaching had quite a few hic-cups in the beginning. But most schools have now settled down and have chosen what works best for them and their students.

Many schools are now reaching out to students through video tutorials, podcasts, homework assignments, quizzes, or by providing access to online resources. The most popular method of teaching adopted by schools is the interactive video conferencing, where teachers can give a live class for their students, share resources and answer queries in real time.

However, there are certain health risks that should be considered while engaging children in online teaching. Focusing on a computer or phone screen for a long time can lead to multiple health concerns for young children. The most common ones among them being:

• Eye strain
• Eye irritation /dry eyes
• Headache
• Neck/shoulder pain

Staying connected and ensuring continuity in education is essential. But it should not come at the cost of health risks.

Health risks can be mitigated by setting down a few rules while designing your online schedules. Here are a few suggestions to ensure a safer screen time for young children:

• Keep online lectures to no more than 20 - 30 minutes.
• Provide a 10-minute break after each class and ask students to stretch, exercise their shoulders and necks, take a walk, or simply look away from the screen.
• Teach students eye exercises like palming, blinking, eye rolling etc. to relax their eyes. You may conduct an eye exercise session of 2 minutes after each class.
• Students learn better if they are active. Hence, short exercises, opportunities for online discussions, quick quizzes, etc. should be integrated within a longer lecture.
• Include an activity class like music, dance, art, crafts, etc. in every day’s schedule to break the monotony of more serious studying.
• Yoga / Zumba / Aerobics, etc. should be scheduled every day for physical fitness and wellbeing during these tough times of lockdown.
• Follow flipped learning approach, so students can read the chapters at home and can use the interactive sessions for discussions or clearing of doubts.

Online teaching facility was never as important as it is right now. It is no longer a differentiator for schools. It has now become a necessary medium for schools and students to stay connected. By adopting a few safe practices, teachers and administrators can reduce associated negative effects of online teaching and ensure greater overall academic success.

Get in touch with our executives at Jupsoft Technologies to learn how eConnect can help you get customized online teaching facilities.

All the best for a successful online teaching season!