Most schools around the globe have turned to online education since the beginning of the pandemic. Students from preschool all the way through high school and college have been taking their classes remotely through a screen. For some students, this has been an easy transition, while others have struggled with the new norm. 

One of the cons of learning at home has been finding a space that is designated for learning in order to keep away from all other distractions including phones, pets and younger siblings. Since the beginning of this school year, IKEA has been sold out of every desk that they carry; people have been needing to shift their educational or work space to their homes. 

Some tips that students can use when they are logged into their classes include using a non distracting background and removing the excess technology that is used for class like a cell phone. 

Age plays a key factor in how students have been handling this situation. While high school and middle school students have been around technology for some time and can access their assignments and classes without parental guidance, it has been a different story for kids in elementary school. Some may not know how to use a computer on their own and need their parents to help fix internet issues and log on to class. Structurally, younger students had more hands on activities when school was in session that engaged their attention and kept them busy. Now they have been at home having to learn their basic fundamental skills through a computer screen. There has been speculation by parents that these younger kids beginning their education online will be set further back than the previous generations of students. 

E-learning can also have an impact on one’s physical health. Looking at a computer screen for too long can have negative effects on eyesight. Eye strain can also lead to painful headaches. Something that has not changed so much is sitting in one place for too long. In school students sit at different desks for almost six hours, and in online school that is not much different. The difference comes in at school when students are forced to take a gym class that gets them up and moving throughout the day, but at home there is no one forcing them to stay active. Since nothing like this has ever happened we do not know how students will change through this new way of learning. 

The mental health of students has also been affected by e-learning. Students have been less motivated to complete assignments, and have reported an overwhelming amount of stress due to copious amounts of homework along with the feeling of disorganization. The biggest effect of e-learning on mental health has been students feeling they are not learning anything from online courses. These extra worries on top of the normal school stress is an overload on the students’ still developing brains. Most high school students have never done online school and have been accustomed to sitting in a classroom in order to learn material. 

Overall, there seem to be a growing number of negative effects coming from online learning. This is a learning process not only for students, but teachers, parents and administrators alike.