3 Ways in Which COVID-19 Impacts Classroom Learning for Students

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The educational sector is one of many that were severely affected by COVID-19. Most schools in the U.S. were closed throughout 2020, and many institutions shifted to online education. As we enter 2021, schools are expected to open and classroom learning will definitely resume. With this in mind, it is important to understand how students will be affected as they re-adjust to learning in the classroom in 2021.

Returning to Classroom Learning in 2021

As noted by UNESCO, COVID-19 might take a long time to contain, and everyone is learning how to live with it. In this context, schools must be ready to resume in-person learning, in spite of the pandemic.

If you are a student, returning to school in the middle of dealing with the pandemic comes with numerous challenges. Everything will be different. As highlighted by Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez during the ABCs of Back to School, the virus has not yet died. Everyone, including teachers and students, must adjust to the new school routines necessitated by the need to reduce the spread of the pandemic.

Let’s take a look at the different ways that COVID-19 will impact you, if you are a student returning to the classroom, or if you are a parent of a student returning to classroom learning.

Mandatory Mask-Wearing

Wearing a mask to reduce the spread of COVID-19 has become the norm in every area of the society, and the classroom is no exception. As noted by the University of California San Francisco in a recent article, masks significantly block respiratory droplets. As a result, students may be required to always wear a face mask during classroom learning. Wearing a face mask in the classroom presents its own special set of challenges, especially if you are a student.

These challenges include:

  • Wearing masks the right way.
  • Remembering to keep your mask on throughout the day.
  • Finding a comfortable mask that does not affect your ability to concentrate during class.
  • Wearing a mask that doesn’t hinder conversations with other students in the classroom.
  • Adjusting to wearing a mask when the temperature makes the classroom warmer than usual.

Social Distancing

Social distancing presents one of the biggest challenges in the classroom. Remembering to maintain a one-meter distance from your best friend in the classroom, remembering not to whisper about school events, and remembering not to have discussions face to face in close proximity, represent some of the biggest challenges in terms of social distancing.

When you are excited about a discussion or an event, it is hard to remember to social distance. You may find yourself getting too close to other classmates without even realizing it. Try substituting conversation with hand gestures and visual class signals to maintain social distancing.

While adjusting to social distancing requirements in the classroom, group discussions may become a thing of the past. As noted by Understood, peer-to-peer teaching education may also not be possible, and your teachers may not be able to provide the same level of personalized attention that you may have become accustomed to, especially when you’re having trouble understanding a difficult lesson concept. Remember that teachers must practice social distancing in the classroom also, so do your best to adapt to different methods of teaching that your instructor might choose to incorporate into the classroom, to meet the requirements of social distancing.

The New Role of Teachers

Teaching while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines in the classroom presents it’s only set of unique circumstances. As a student trying to adapt to the “new normal,” don’t be surprised to see your teachers take on extra roles and responsibilities, which may extend beyond teaching and handing out assignments.

Teachers may, for example, take on the task of ensuring that all students wear masks and maintain social distancing, while simultaneously trying to keep you and your classmates motivated to learn. Do your best to focus and concentrate during class time, as your teacher adapts to the changing educational landscape in the world of COVID-19.

To increase your concentration span, your teachers may need to introduce physical activities while still maintaining social distance, or they might incorporate additional mental breaks into class time to help you re-energize your mind in order to stay focused on the lesson. You might see your teacher using learning aids and and audiovisual learning devices to help you and your classmates maintain mental clarity throughout the school day.

Learning Will Continue

Despite the issues brought about by the COVID-19, learning will continue, whether it is online or in person. Avidity Medical Design Academy also gives you the opportunity to learn something new, especially if you are learning online. Enroll in the course entitled, “How to Learn in the Healthcare Classroom (and ANY Classroom) (in 10 EASY Steps!)” to learn some strategies to keep learning, stay focused, improve your concentration, and stay on track with completing your assignments during this difficult time. Visit http://avidtiymedicaldesignacademy.com to learn more about our course offerings. Follow the Avidity Medical Design Blog to stay up to date on the latest news in healthcare education.

How to Protect Yourself From COVID-19 if You Share a Desk with a Coworker

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Sharing an office can be challenging under normal circumstances. Your coworker may leave the desk a mess, adjust the chair without putting it back, and constantly walk off with your favorite pens. Working during COVID-19 presents a new problem: how can you safely share a desk when you don’t know if your coworker is taking proper precautions? Here are three tips for protecting yourself in a shared office space, especially if you work a different shift, and you share a desk with another coworker who works an earlier shift.  

1. Keep Your Office Space Sanitized

Get into the habit of wiping down your desk, chair, computer keyboard, and other surfaces with Clorox wipes or disinfecting spray as soon as you arrive at work and before you head home at the end of your shift. These cleaning products will kill the vast majority of potential germs in your office space, which can significantly lower your fear of contracting COVID-19 at work. If you know your building’s custodian or the coworker you share your desk with well and trust them, you might consider working out a cleaning schedule to share responsibilities, but it’s usually a good idea to handle it yourself so that you know it was done right. 

2. Purify Your Air to Reduce the Spread of Germs

Because little is known about how long COVID-19 can live in the air, investing in a small air purifier can provide an extra layer of protection from viruses, especially if your shift begins immediately after your coworker’s. HEPA filtration is capable of blocking nearly all particles that are the size of the COVID-19 virus.  

3. Bring Your Own Office Supplies

Rather than trying to sanitize every pen, marker, and stapler in your desk, now is a good time to avoid sharing office supplies altogether. Consider storing a small bag of inexpensive personal supplies in your briefcase or purse to reduce the number of items you have to touch that may be harder to clean than larger surfaces.   

Sharing a desk doesn’t have to be unsanitary. Follow the Avidity Medical Design blog for more tips for managing COVID-19 risk.

Consider making the most of your free time by enrolling in one of our courses. Visit Avidity Medical Design Academy for more information on the following courses:

  1. “How to Prevent Medical Conditions Caused By TOXIC People in Your Life (and Be Healthier!)”
  2. “How to Make Money in Healthcare (Working from Home) (Full Time!)”
  3. “How to Protect Your Own Medical Identity (in 8 EASY Steps!)”
  4. “How to Learn Basic Medical Terminology (in 5 EASY Steps) (and USE IT in EVERYDAY Living!)”…
  5. “How to Prevent Disease in Your Body (By Eating Fruits and Vegetables!)” and many more. Visit Avidity Medical Design Academy for more information and a complete listing of courses that are currently available.

Health and Your Pets: How to Keep Your Pets Healthy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The case of a cat getting sick from COVID in Belgium and the sick tigers at the Bronx Zoo have made many cat owners worried about the potential threat to their beloved animals. There have also been cases of dogs testing positive for COVID but none, so far, have been sick. In all cases, the animals caught the virus from an infected human; there’s no evidence of cat to human transmission. However, experiments show that cats can transmit COVID to each other.

So, how much should you worry and what should you do?

What is the Risk to Your Pets?

Of the small sample of pets tested so far, none of the dogs had symptoms. Most of the cats also had no symptoms, and those that did experienced only mild illness. So far, there is no indication that there is a risk of a dog or cat dying or becoming seriously ill.

The only animals infected so far were all in close contact (i.e., same household) with a human with COVID-19.

What Should You Do to Protect Your Pets?

First of all, don’t panic. Although it is theoretically possible for a human to be exposed to COVID through a cat, there is no evidence that this has happened.

Second, take the following precautions:

  1. Keep your cat indoors (as you should anyway). Indoor/outdoor cats should be confined for the duration. If your cat is leash trained, take them for a walk but keep them away from other cats, dogs, and people.
  2. Walk your dog at a distance from other dogs or people. Even if dog parks are open, avoid them. Keep your dog home from day care.
  3. Have someone else care for your pet if you have been exposed to COVID-19. If you have COVID-19, or you suspect that you may have COVID-19, have somebody else take care of your pet temporarily, until you are given the all clear. Don’t pet, snuggle, or kiss your cat or dog until you have completely recovered. If you are quarantining in one room, keep your pets out of the room that you have chosen for your quarantine.

Keeping your pets safe during this time is as important as keeping yourself safe. Thankfully, infection of pets is rare and has yet to result in serious illness, so don’t worry, but do keep your pets away from other households at this time, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more informative healthcare articles, follow the Avidity Medical Design Blog.

To take a healthcare course, visit Avidity Medical Design Academy.