No positive impact on children's learning abilities during online classes: Experts

Online classes

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Experts have sounded caution that online classes do not have any positive impact on children's learning abilities and some private schools are conducting such classes only to charge fees from parents.

Dr. Jnanendra Nath Sharma, former head of the department of Pediatrics, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital has told The Sentinel that an online class is a mechanical class whereas the classroom is a live class where the teacher and students have eye and mind contact which is a necessary component for acquiring full attention of the students.

"It needs to be emphasized that in a live class the attention span of a child aged 2 – 5 years is only 10 to 15 minutes. After 5 years age this increases to 15 to 20 minutes. With online classes, the attention span will be even less. In a live class, the child's mind can be brought back by the teacher which is not possible in an online class," he said.

Dr Sharma who has authored several books in different languages on physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of children, said online classes will have no benefits for the child but rather be harmful. He said some private schools are conducting online classes only to charge fees from parents on various pretexts.

"It will make the child inactive and stressful resulting in behaviour problems. It will also give them a chance to develop the habit of mobile viewing, which has already become a menace. Children can be allowed to watch TV and mobile, but by adhering to the appropriate screen time for the age of the child. A scientifically fixed screen time for different age has been evolved," the eminent child specialist said.

Dr Sharma while quoting the American Academy of Pediatrics and Canadian Pediatric society, a child below 2 years should not be allowed to watch TV or use mobile phone. From 2-5 years screen time should be less than 1 hour/ day, above 5 years it should not be more than 2 hours /day and it should not exceed more than 20-30 minutes at a time. This should be strictly followed if online video classes are planned for; if not the child will show negative effects, he said.

"Some of the important harmful effects include the following. Sitting and watching for prolonged period will encourage physical inactivity leading to obesity. It will stifle creative thinking and interfere with social skills development. It can give a dry feeling to the eyes and also lead to myopia and even retinal damage," Dr Sharma said, adding that for students of Classes X to XII few essential short online classes may be arranged.

A worried mother whose two children go to a leading private school in the city said parents are in Catch 22 situation. "I have to manage children who put up petulant fights for their usual quota of online games and videos after attending online classes for four to five hours," she said. "I had seen around 50 cases of children with issues of blurring of vision, dry eyes, and headache. After making queries with their parents I have found that these kids are keeping the gadgets close to their eyes. This is bad for their eye muscles and when they put excessive effort, it causes blurring of vision," a paediatric ophthalmologist said.

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