The pandemic has changed a lot of daily routines. Before you had to wake up at least an hour before your day officially starts, get ready, and leave your house. Now, you get up 15 minutes before your first meeting, get some coffee, and sit down in front of your workstation.
Although convenient, online set-ups are actually tricky and it’s definitely not without its faults. In the midst of this pandemic, read on to see how books can actually help us with your online struggles.
The Struggles of Online Set-ups
This work-from-home and technologically dependent set up is felt most especially in the field of education. While online learning does have its pros, the sudden shift brought by the pandemic did not prepare the majority of students and teachers to adapt to an e-learning set up. A year later, a lot of students still struggle to keep up with online classes because of poor internet connectivity and lack of equipment, among other things.
The digital divide aside, online learning is still a struggle for many students even with the proper tools. Research shows that on average, online classes are less effective than face-to-face classes. This could be because of the diminished social interaction in online classes or, for younger students, the need for a more structured set up.
Still, with learning in mind, online classes are better than having nothing at all. So the question now is how can you make e-learning a bit better?
The Benefits of Reading Books
It’s no secret that book-reading is a beneficial activity, but it can actually help students in this online set up.
Reading books helps improve concentration, something that everyone needs in abundance in an online set up. Staying at home may provide us comfort, but it also provides a lot of distractions. One moment you’re in a Zoom Meeting, then a few unengaging minutes later, you find yourself scrolling through your phone for something amusing. For students, it’s vital that you focus during classes (whether it be synchronous or asynchronous). With reading books, this “multitasking” mindset is relaxed and you get to focus more on the teacher or quiz in front of you.
Reading can help you in class discussions as well. Aside from helping you process information faster, reading also gives you more perspective. Even if you’re reading a book that’s not entirely related to your subject matter, you can still find connections and insights that might help you.
Online class discussions can be boring, especially if everyone just parrots one another. This is your chance to inject some life into the discussion. Supplement a person’s argument or point out how this perspective fits into the discussion. Finding ways to engage with each other online makes the set up less isolating and your teacher will definitely appreciate you for it!
Educational Books for Kids
The benefits of book reading aside, there’s also another way to help you get through online learning: it’s through reading educational books!
Educational books are designed to help readers learn about a certain subject matter. They can be text books, like the ones used in school, or they can be written in a less formal and academic tone. Either way, the goal of educational books is to help you learn.
Educational books are a great way to provide structured learning for younger students and toddlers. Since most educational toddler books are fairly straightforward, you don’t have to worry about creating lesson plans and such for your toddlers. Check out ABCs, counting books, basic art books (colors and shapes), beginner reading books for toddlers. For older children, look for reading and writing books, basic science books, and mathematics workbooks.
When buying books for younger children, an important thing to remember is that learning is social for them. Even with the best educational books around, a child’s cognitive and academic development is stimulated better with someone guiding them through the material. It’s also better to be present when they’re reading, so you can answer their questions or gently correct mistakes.
Make reading a bonding activity with your kids and watch them enjoy learning with their books!
Educational Books as a Supplement
For high school and college students, educational books are great supplements to your primary reading materials. Educational books can help you understand your lessons better. One of the biggest drawbacks of online learning is that some topics tend to get glossed over. Take advantage of the “self-paced learning” set up and read through books that can give you a more thorough understanding of the material.
If you’re looking to summarize or understand a rather complex topic, go for educational books that give bite-sized, comprehensible knowledge nuggets. These are usually introductory books or even mini-encyclopedias that provide students with a basic understanding of core topics. A good thing about these books is that the topics are usually ordered based on their relevance. If you’re the type to go through some advanced reading, these kinds of educational books would suit you.
Educational Books as Teachers
Online learning for skills is also hard, for both teachers and students. After all, learning how to play the piano with a music teacher and learning piano via a screen are two different experiences. Although nothing beats face-to-face learning with skills-based education, books can help students go through the basics at least. Good educational books not only go through the basics, but also provide an explanation why the techniques written are some of the best practices.
Finding Good Educational Books
There’s an array of educational books available nowadays, you might wonder how to find the good ones. There are some things you should consider, such as the age of the learner, the topic itself, and the learning method that the learner responds to. Still, a quick search on Google can sometimes tell you what are the best educational books you can find.
