\u201cThe provincial government plans to move forward with online learning for the next calendar year,\u201d stated Chairman Todd Lalonde, during the May 4 meeting of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario. \u201cThe concern for myself, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA), and many other school boards across the province, is that distance learning was brought in to support the continuation of learning during COVID-19, and to provide learning opportunities for students under these special circumstances.\u201d <\/p>\n
The worry for the CDSBEO and other school boards is that online learning may end up replacing in-school learning as the basis of Ontario\u2019s education system instead of being a supplement and an aid during emergency situations like the pandemic.. The OCSTA has raised the issue with the education ministry. <\/p>\n
\u201cOverall, long-term implementation of distance learning will mean that education services will suffer,\u201d stated Lalonde. \u201cOnline learning may create significant disadvantages for various marginalized groups, including rural students without access to broadband networks, those without access to (e-learning) devices, students who require special education services, as well as the complex considerations for small rural schools and remote communities.\u201d <\/p>\n
Lalonde also noted that schools are not just places where students go to learn, they are also places where students learn to socialize, make friends, become involved activities outside of the classroom setting. <\/p>\n
\u201cSocial inequities are a major concern,\u201d stated Lalonde. \u201cThis (e-learning) plan was put in place for COVID, and we have been asked to take a position. We believe that the best education is an education in-person.\u201d <\/p>\n
CDSBEO Vice-Chair Sue Wilson expressed concern that the mental and social health of students will suffer from too great a reliance on an online learning setup. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount of screen time that is being imposed on students is unacceptable,\u201d Wilson stated, \u201cand I am not in support of long-term online learning. I think its implementation would be a great disservice to our children and their future.\u201d <\/p>\n
Trustee Karen McAllister noted that has proven an important aid to help students continue their education during the pandemic. But, she added, it cannot replace a classroom setup with a teacher to provide individual help to a student when needed. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have always felt that students need a choice in some circumstances,\u201d McAllister stated, \u201csuch as secondary course selection. However, they should be monitored and supported closely by qualified teachers, preferably within the school environment.\u201d <\/p>\n
The CDSBEO board voted to send a letter, listing its concerns, to Premier Doug Ford, the education ministry, and all MPPs. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The provincial government wants to keep online learning as a primary part of Ontario\u2019s education system for next year and that has one Eastern Ontario school board worried.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":15042,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education"],"acf":[],"featured_media_global":[],"yoast_head":"\n