Impact of online learning on mental health

Online learning is a constantly growing trend, and in pandemic times almost every student accesses it. But do all of them loved it? We suspected not everyone were excited by learning at home and do their english homework or other assignments on their own. So we found research that studied that question.

According to research by YouthTruth, the majority of students prefer online learning in the fall compared to the spring. For instance, 61% of the students gave positive feedback about learning in the fall, while the remaining 39% said they would rather have online learning in the spring. Before the covid-19 pandemic hit the globe, the approval rate for online learning was at 59%, which means a 5 point increase in the students desiring to have online learning during the fall. On the other hand, the student attending physical classes had 64% attesting that they benefited. 59% of students from hybrid programs and 61% of students from virtual classes also expressed the same sentiments as the majority from the physical classes.

Everybody desires to feel like they are part of a community. In a school setting, the student wants to fit in and feel like they belong. However, in the spring, less than 30% felt that they belonged to the school community in spring, while in the fall, the number increased to 49% of the students feeling like they belonged with the school community. However, it was 43% before the covid-19 pandemic. The survey had around 64,000 respondents (Students) in the fall and 21,000 respondents in the spring. The pre-covid survey had over 447,000 respondents in 2019.

The most significant benefit of online learning is that you can learn at your convenience with the freedom to take a regular break. It was a sentiment from over 48% of the students. 41% said that they found online classes interesting, while 35% responded that they could only concentrate for up to 4 hours continuously. 

However, online learning has its limitations. For instance, 46% of the students cited anxiety, stress, and depression as some of the major obstacles they faced. Another significant obstacle cited by 44% of the students was family responsibilities and distractions at home. On average, 57% of the female students were affected by stress and depression, while 33% had the same issue. 

For the seniors, most of them had post-secondary aspirations with almost a similar share (52% and 51%)of students both in pre-covid and during the covid period intended to go to college for four years during the fall. On the other hand, those wanting to go to college for two years in 2019 compared to 2020 were 16% to 22%, respectively. And then, we have those that were unsure of what they wanted to do in the future, and they accounted for 13% and 8%, respectively. 

The students must be at the center of attention when discussing public schools. Research like this should highlight the students’ experiences and their opinions on what works for the best. Schools should open up avenues for students to express their opinions and support the students in both their emotional well-being and academic success. The students’ voice is significant to any school’s progress and will inform how to achieve success for both the school and the students.