Mutual Empathy of Vulnerable Students and Teachers and its Impact on Students’ Personal Well-being and Academic Performance through the Online School operated by the Regional Directorate of Education of Attica, Greece during the Covid-19 pandemic
https://doi.org/10.54088/kktuj
Keywords:
Online School, synchronous and asynchronous learning, vulnerable students and teachers, empathy, academic performance, well-beingAbstract
Purpose: The rapid shift to full online synchronous and asynchronous learning in response to the global pandemic has led to experimenting innovative online learning practices at school level. The present research study summarizes the experience gained from the implementation of the Online School of the Regional Directorate of Education of Attica during the academic year 2020-2021. It investigates the impact of mutual empathy on the students’ academic performance and well-being through the Online school operation in Covid-19 period.
Methods: In the present research, fifteen (15) vulnerable teachers and six (6) students participating in the Online School were questioned through open interviews after the implementation of Online School during the Covid-19 pandemic in Greece.
Results: Vulnerable students and teachers shared empathy to a sufficient degree through the Online School operation which provided a safe and convenient learning environment. Empathy was positively correlated to academic performance of students through their participation in the Online School.
Conclusion: It appears that the Online School has provided a solution to the existing risk of isolation and marginalization of vulnerable students while reducing family anxiety for their cognitive and socio-emotional development. Finally, it has provided opportunities for teachers to work on their own pace according to individual needs and be able to cope with students’ needs through implementing alternative teaching practices with the use of digital tools.
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