\u201cWe have started online classes since May. Our classes last three and a half hours everyday. How can I curtail the duration now?\u201d questioned a principal. He added: \u201cWe have invested a lot of money to set up infrastructure and purchase the licences. So we are not in a position to reduce the time of online teaching. We also need to finish the syllabus. Virtual classrooms can\u2019t compensate in-person teaching. Yet, we are trying to offer the best-possible solution.\u201d <\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nPrincipal of the Heritage School, Seema Sapru, however, is planning to introduce asynchronous learning along with the synchronous pattern of teaching. \u201cIn an asynchronous learning, students are allowed to study at their own pace. All the required material will be sent to them on a link that they have to access and prepare,\u201d Sapru added.
Some schools are now banking on the state government to give out a directive on the duration of online classes. \u201cCISCE has always insisted that we follow all instructions given by the state governments. We shall abide by the rules only when the school education department accepts the HRD suggestions,\u201d pointed out another school principal.
Vivekananda Mission School principal Sarmistha Banerjee said the school allowed regular breaks during online teaching. \u201cWe offer online classes for three weeks and then give a break when students prepare the lessons on their own. This does not create any unnecessary pressure on students,\u201d she said.
Aniruddha Maiti, consultant and retina specialist, cautioned against continuous staring at the screen. \u201cThe natural blinking process is hampered, which will lead to dryness of eyes. The thumb rule is: take a 20-second break after every 20 minutes nd look away fromthe screen. Students should keep washing their eyes. The laptop should be kept at the eye level,\u201d he advised.
Spending long hours on the computer could be stressful for youngsters who are yet to get used to this method of learning, felt psychiatrists. Most find it difficult to concentrate for a long time and poor connectivity has made it even more stressful, said psychiatrist J Ram. \u201cIt has been a struggle for students who are having to deal with snapped internet connections. Frequent interruptions don\u2019t let you teach or learn smoothly and online teaching can never be a substitute for real classes. It is better to restrict it two hours,\u201d said Ram.
Psychologist Soumya Mukherjee felt even two hours of online teaching was too much for junior school students. \u201cThey tend to get restless and lose concentration if they are forced to stare at a screen for a long period. Focusing on lessons is much more difficult on a small screen than in a classroom environment. Also, it puts a lot of strain on the eyes,\u201d added Mukherjee. <\/div>\n