A teacher conducts an online class from an elementary school classroom in Yongin, south of Seoul, on Aug. 19, 2020. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent survey has revealed that the vast majority of South Korean teachers feel that online classes do not offer the same educational benefits as those conducted in a traditional setting.
According to an online survey conducted by the Korean Teachers and Educational Worker’s Union of 4,010 elementary, middle and high school teachers across the country, 83 percent of the respondents said that the educational effect of online classes is lower than that of face-to-face classes.
In particular, teachers at special education schools and elementary schools had a more negative view of the effect of online classes than the overall average.
In response to a question asking about the most serious problems of online classes, 61.8 percent pointed to the widening of the learning gap, followed by 53.6 percent who picked the difficulty in giving feedback.
The biggest factor behind the learning gap was the ‘difference in home environment’ (72.3 percent), followed by ‘difference in learning motivation’ (50.6 percent).
As a way to narrow the learning gap, 55.8 percent of the teachers presented the idea of reducing the number of students per classroom, followed by 48.5 percent who stressed the importance of expanding face-to-face classes.
In response to a question about the biggest hurdle for face-to-face classes in the midst of the spread of the coronavirus, 60.9 percent picked ‘fatigue of wearing masks during classes,’ followed by 53.5 percent who pointed out ‘social distancing restrictions in classes.’
In response to a question asking if administrative work was adequately reduced in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, only 32 percent said yes.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
