Effects of Covid and Learning Loss
Effects Of Covid and Learning Loss
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone, and the educational system is no exception. Built initially around in-person experiences, the immediate shift towards remote learning to comply with social distancing came with significant challenges that students and teachers were unprepared to face. As schools closed and modified their curriculum to fit a virtual format, much time and learning was lost, forcing them to omit essential portions of their curriculum. In addition, many schools did not have the resources to grant students access to an adequate virtual education creating a digital divide. Unsurprisingly, all of these factors resulted in substantial learning losses that, if not addressed promptly, will likely negatively impact students' futures.
An analysis made by McKinsey and Company showcased alarming learning gaps. The analysis consisted of a formative assessment of schools that had returned to in-person by the fall of 2020 after covid hit. Compared to grade-level peers in previous years, students only learned 87% of the reading content and 67% of the mathematics content (Dorn et al., 2020). This means that students, on average, lost approximately one-and-a-half months of the reading and three months of the mathematics curriculum. (Dorn et al., 2020). These learning losses are no surprise as teachers struggled to adapt their lessons, and students attempted to learn in an unfamiliar online enviroment.
Even before the pandemic, students in underserved communities, like Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities, were already facing unequal distribution of academic resources. The pandemic has not only exposed the current disparities but has continued to widen the gap (Simon, 2021). For example, in this same formative assessment analyzed by McKensy, schools that predominantly served students of color learned, on average, only 77% of the reading and 59% of the math curriculum. (Dorn et al., 2020). Considering that schools started closing in March, and the data was taken by the fall, these scores are alarming, attributing only four months since the impact of the pandemic. This information suggests "that some students didn't learn any new material once the pandemic hit and may have even slipped backward" (Dorn et al., 2020, p.4). Moreover, considering these scores only account for students who have returned to schools, there could be even more significant achievement gaps for students still learning remotely.
The effects of COVID-19 are evident in the significant learning loss sustained by students, and if not addressed promptly, they will continue to have adverse ripple effects. According to Mckinsey and Company, "(...) unless steps are taken to address unfinished learning, today's students may earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their lifetime owing to the impact of the pandemic on their schooling" (Dorn et al., 2021). Entheon Institute seeks to counteract these effects on learning loss by providing schools with a cost-effective and productive tool to help alleviate teachers' stress and give students access to additional support.
References
Dorn, E., Hancock, B., Sarakatsannis, J., & Viruleg, E. (2020). COVID-19 and learning loss - disparities grow and students need help. McKinsey & Company, December, 8. Retrieved from: https://wasa-oly.org/WASA/images/WASA/5.0%20Professional%20Development/4.2%20Conference%20Resources/Winter/2021/covid-19-and-learning-loss-disparities-grow-and-students-need-help-v3.pdf
Dorn, E., Hancock, B., Sarakatsannis, J., & Viruleg, E. (2021). COVID-19 and education: The lingering effects of unfinished learning. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/education/our-insights/covid-19-and-education-the-lingering-effects-of-unfinished-learning
Simon, C. (2021). How COVID taught America about inequity in education. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/07/how-covid-taught-america-about-inequity-in-education/