Edtech is a giant industry that is predicted to reach USD 348.41 billion by 2030. This global market includes all the online resources and services that facilitate E-learning, such as online courses and educational apps. The massive increase in E-learning platforms can only mean one thing - it is equally beneficial for teachers and students alike globally. 

In fact, a study by Research Gate has found that students feel more confident and positive with online lessons. And why wouldn’t they? Unlimited access to teachers and academic guidance is open for all grades, anytime and anywhere. Online learning removes geographical barriers and commute expenses. 

If you have decided to go this direction for your child, you’ve arrived at the right place. Ahead, we will share how parents can introduce online learning into their child’s life, adjust to it collectively, and make it successful in no time. 

Student’s Online Learning Needs 

Students of varying ages experience unique difficulties in virtual classrooms. However, parents can surely help them so that they can reach their highest potential.

How do young children function in remote learning? 

Young kids learn and gain skills by communicating with their teachers and peers, which E-learning restricts to a great degree. To counter this hurdle, parents can supplement the student’s online learning with practical activities, such as drawing, book reading, building blocks, playing with clay, and even practicing languages in daily conversations. 

How do teens function in remote learning? 

Teenage students experience the stress of E-learning owing to limited personalized guidance, loneliness, much more screen time, and more workload. Parents can reduce the stress of their teenage kids by simply offering emotional support, listening to their difficulties, and promoting frequent breaks.

8 Ways Parents Should Support Their Children

1. Value Hard Work and Persistence

There is one major downside to E-learning: It removes plenty of accountability standards that students are confided to in a conventional, physical classroom. This means that if you want your child to be academically successful, they will have to build self-directed motivation and effort from the inside.

Just like any other study skill, such inspiration varies from person to person. Nevertheless, being familiar with E-learning tools, pacing themselves, and sorting out the usual, productive struggles on their own is a challenge initially. At this stage, parents can make all the difference just by showing the importance of perseverance and hard work in the real world.

To start, discuss your own goals and work ethics with them. Share the tough projects you completed in your career, the new skills you are trying to develop, and any hurdles you crossed independently. For example, do you have a critical presentation approaching? Tell your kids how you are investing time and energy into it. 

Likewise, do you wish to pick up a new hobby? Share how you tried and failed. Take some time to sit with them daily. You could also work on your work projects while they are doing their coursework. Remember, there is no need to do big talks or present flawless examples. Simply display the hard work and motivation that your child should adopt.

2. Make a Schedule

Conventional schools rely on a proper structure, which is difficult to replicate in an online learning environment. For some students, they switch to the modern setting easily. However, young students find it hard to handle higher autonomy. 

Children usually are notorious for not adhering to daily schedules. Routines are a must for consistency, and they also ensure that students are focused in all their classes. Online students have to create their own routines and remain disciplined to stay on track. This is why parents need to help them come up with a nicely-thought-out schedule. Not only this, but parents should also make sure that the specific timetable is followed daily.

You can start by discussing a student’s responsibilities in the E-learning setting in order to succeed in their online program consistently, the time required for all academic tasks, and other commitments that should not be ignored while doing so, like family plans or extracurricular activities. 

Engage their online teachers in the discussion as well so that they can offer insightful advice on the curriculum, their own demands, and how time should be allocated. After conversing about all factors, help your child write a weekly timetable with dedicated hours for online learning. 

Come up with a routine that works for everyone. It should also have a bedtime and wake-up time. This will ensure that your child is not sleep-deprived or moody. Poor sleep will make them unable to focus and be creative. 

The schedule also needs to include breaks to do other stuff apart from mealtimes and playtime. This should be their "Me Time".

Make sure to hang this schedule in a prominent place, such as a family calendar or refrigerator. This will make sure that your child is held accountable and maintains a productive routine. If you need help in making the schedule, try getting help from the internet, where tons of sample schedules are available.

3. Emotional Support and Care

Often, children become dull due to minimal friends, outdoor activities, and less interaction with peers. As parents, you can inspire your child with a cheerful home environment and a strong family connection. Spend quality time with your child, engage in their favorite hobbies, and provide the utmost attention to them. This can be a tricky situation because parents also need to motivate themselves while maintaining a constructive home atmosphere.

4. Make a Designated Workspace

The right workspace can make or break a student’s abilities. If parents provide a healthy working space, students can concentrate better, and their mindset becomes positive. While engaging in a remote setting, students have to finish the academic tasks at their home. This is why parents should think hard before giving them an ideal workspace. Consider your child’s personality and preferences to come up with a productive environment.

Don’t forget to have an honest and direct conversation with your child. Ask them which place they find the most comfortable to do their online learning. If your child is an introvert, guarantee that they have a study desk and comfortable infrastructure in their bedroom, like chairs. But if they need some interactions and practical accountability, place their table or desk in the kitchen or living room. 

But regardless of what their workspace looks like, make sure that they have quick access to all the resources they need to be productive, such as a pen, noise-blocking headphones, paper, and a wireless mouse if they work on a computer.

5. Regularly Communicate with Their Teachers

Just because students are settled in remote learning doesn’t make them independent. Online teachers are critical, and parents need to maintain frank communication with them on a regular basis. This is the secret ingredient to your child’s academic success. This ongoing dialogue guarantees that students are being helped whenever they need it and are right on track.

The district or school might set some limitations around what communication will be like between the two parties. This may be anything from a weekly update or regular emails. Parents need to know what expectations are placed on their children and proactively reach out to the tutors whenever they have any questions or concerns. 

Don’t forget to share academic successes with their instructors as well! When parents see their child completing deadlines, making productive changes, or reaching goals, share them with their instructors. This way, your child will feel accomplished by getting the positive feedback that they deserve from multiple sources.

6. Be Familiar With the Online Learning Platform

Take time to get to know the online educational platforms your child is active on and be digitally literate. It is a must for parents to be fluent in digital learning if they have opted for this path for their child. This is because children cannot be trusted to navigate it all alone. Learn the resources available on the platform and how your child is using them. Understand all the requirements for virtual lessons. If you become digitally competent, it will be a breeze to monitor your child. This is an underrated way to support your child in online learning. 

Begin by looking at any orientation resources provided by the online learning platform. Guarantee that your child is seeing all the content easily and finishing basic tasks, such as seeing reports and submitting homework. Invest time in communication tools present to your child, too, such as video calls or in-built messaging features.

Plenty of digital edtech platforms also provide parent portals. Parents should see all tools available like this in order to keep an eye on their child’s progress. In case the platform presents any guides or resources particularly made for parents, read them in detail. Just like school, it’s up to the students to learn. However, by knowing the online platform’s usage, parents can provide support.

7. Minimize Distraction

Since virtual classes follow a strict schedule, parents need to make sure that there are no distractions during those times. While it is normal for all homes to have noise and activities throughout the day, wind up the chores or at least pause them before your child’s class starts. Reduced noise levels in a household mean fewer distractions and smoother sessions. This can be done with some planning.

8. Decrease Their Device Usage

Studies have proven that technology usage in classes, like mobile phones or computers, for non-academic purposes is nothing but a huge distraction. When students have to attend to online learning via devices, parents need to keep a strict check on whether those gadgets are not causing distractions. Do not allow them to further the devices once they are done with their educational tasks.

Conclusion

So, do you feel more equipped to support and handle your children through virtual learning? Follow the above-mentioned tips to ensure your child becomes a responsible and successful student.