Cognitive Science Researchers, like Dr. Ileana Berman, are questioning the effectiveness of distance learning. As the COVID-19 pandemic presses on, this approach to education is anticipated to be the norm… at least for now. But is learning on a computer as cognitively effective as learning in a traditional classroom environment?

The Fall 2020 semester is almost here.  But with many school districts still silent on what’s to come, it’s unclear what exactly ‘back to school’ will mean this school year.  Some schools, namely at the collegiate level, have already announced that distance learning, or classes held virtually online, will be the solution to the social distancing situation.  But do students learn as effectively online as they do in a more traditional classroom environment?  According to Cognitive Science Researchers, it depends on the student…

As it has been discussed for generations by now, everyone learns differently.  Some students are visual learners, while others require more one-on-one attention.  Will students retain the same amount of information via distance learning?  Perhaps some students will even learn better in a virtual setting.  Only time will tell, of course.