Children from disadvantaged households could have experienced as much as 31% of learning loss just at the start of the pandemic.
Now almost eight months after the start of the pandemic and the numbers of low-income pupils missing school keeps growing
Why has the pandemic affected low income students the most and how are teachers coping with these new challenges?
By Maria Munoz
November 30, 2020 12:00pm
Covid-19 and Digital inequality in the UK
Disadvantaged pupils have suffered the worst learning loss since the beginning of the pandemic CREDIT: Pedro Wroclaw
COVID-19 has left a big impact in education across the globe, »digital transformation» has changed all of the previously »normal» traditional teaching practices. Now learning is no longer based on face-to-face interaction but a matter of digital access and literacy.
Disadvantaged students in Britain suffer the worst education loss during covid
Government’s Funding is misallocated
As a result, the UK has seen a vast decline in levels of engagement
In the UK since the first lockdown was introduced in March 2020 and face-to-face teaching shifted to remote learning we have seen the levels of student attendance and engagement decline substantially.
Teachers report that large percentage of students disconnected from online schooling are from lower income families a report says.
Besides this, teachers indicate that disadvantaged children are more likely to miss remote learning due to have financial and family difficulties which included :
- Struggle to to access the right technology
- Low internet connection.
- Vulnerable pupils
- Young carers
As a response government’s funding has been allocated to a number of initiatives to help disadvantaged students to reduce learning loss during this pandemic. Aiding includes the provision of devices such as laptops and tablets and catch-up tutoring(EXPAND ON THIS POINT)
Teachers’ struggles during Covid-19
»Teachers are struggling to cope with online learning and the government initiatives aren’t enough»
Teachers and educational leaders are raising the concern on the fact these initiatives are not enough to combat the growing disparities in learning progression. This because these systemic inequalities were already in the realities of many students
Over the past years, leaders, researchers and educators in the UK have criticised the lack of government support to effectively integrate the use of ICT and digital literacies to support teaching and learning practices.
A 2018 report by the National Literacy report asked primary and secondary teachers to reflect on their use of technology to support literacy teaching. The findings highlight that accessibility of effective resources such as Wi-Fi or lack of finances were barriers to support literacy in the classroom through technology use.
In addition to this,23.3% of respondents said they had no training in the area of using technology to support literacy learning. And 22.8% they would like to get a technology related qualification the survey indicates.
The UK and E-learning: Next Steps
»Educators wonder what the next steps will be to catch up with learning loss»
This transition to digital learning has unveiled the legacy of political investment or lack of- in the effective integration of new technologies and digital competence in all the facets of education across the UK
Let’s analyse some gaps in the approaches of the British Government for the integration of digital competences and utilisation of ICT in education that have contributed to the existent digital divide and struggle of both educators and students across England during this pandemic.
(FROM HERE NEEDS FINISHING)
TEACHER SUPPORT : THE CURRICULUM
The authors describe this issue not as an attitude problem but an investment problem. Lack of training, Lack of resources and a low integration of digital competences/skills in the curriculum
NEXT STEPS
The Danger of the Downward Spiral: Teachers and Digital
Literacy- EVIDENCE FOR THIS POINT
REFERENCES (not completed)
«Estonia Leads Digital Education and Shares All Tools for Free.» PR Newswire Europe, 9 June 2020, p. NA. Gale OneFile: News, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A626104296/STND?u=bsuc&sid=STND&xid=1431f605. Accessed 14 Nov. 2020.
EDUCATION NOW 