Name: Aaliyah Williams

School: St. Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando

Form Class: Form 3C
Contact info: Email – aaliyahfwilliams696@gmail.com
Phone: 782-5811/743-4933

Topic Statement: Virtual Learning has proven to be more beneficial with

Online Instruction rather than with Face to Face Instruction. Do you agree?

For years past, students, young and old, have been participating in the
traditional form of instructional learning in person (face-to-face). Ever since the
start of the Covid-19 pandemic, this group of individuals has been trying to
adapt to this new form of work and communication. Since, contact with other
people, besides the people that they currently live with, has been strained due to
the pandemic, people have resolved to ICT and technology as an alternative as
the new ‘normal’ way of school.
Although, as of recently, there have been many conversations floating around
about whether or not online instruction or in person learning is better. It is a
matter of great contention as some may view online learning as a positive
alternative to face-to-face, however, the negative impacts of online learning
can’t be ignored. In this regard, one can’t overlook the inability to control the
environment in which online learning takes place.
 Distracted by External Stimuli
External stimuli are the changes in the atmosphere that are passed through
one or more out of our five senses. A student’s class environment has a
significant impact on their school performance. Since the Covid-19
pandemic, now they have to deal with the added distractions of their home
environment. These may include the passing by of various vehicles, loud
music, the constant chatter of other people in the home and the sound of
construction (depending where the individual lives). This can cause a lack of
focus and can shorten their attention span, thus affecting the quality of their
work.
 Has A Negative Effect on One’s Health
Staying in their homes all day and staring at a device for 8+ hours can
take a great toll on student’s health. Devices produce light called a blue
light, which is light that contains blue wavelengths. Supposedly, this is
beneficial during the daytime to keep persons awake and to boost their
reaction time and attention span. However, if used during the night, this
can prevent students from getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep. In
addition to altered sleep patterns and strained eyesight, increased digital
use can affect a student’s mental health. The director of psychology and
neuropsychology at the Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Jennifer
Katzenstein, has observed the impact of online learning on children of all
ages. In this study, she explained that specifically college students are
struggling to create an environment free from distractions and to create a
necessary organized schedule to stay on top of their assignments.

 Online Learning Can Cause Social Isolation

For reference, social isolation is the lack of social interaction which can
further lead to feelings of loneliness, which is a distressing feeling in
social relationships that is a response to perceived isolation. Online
schooling has increased the chances of students to experience a lack of
physical communication amongst their peers. Since school is the primary
centre of a student’s social life, less face-to-face interactions, because of
the pandemic, may result in the student worrying about changes in their
relationships. Due to this fact, this can exacerbate mental illnesses such as
depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety.