According to the [Associated Press], local Covid-19 cases continue to increase, and many people feel that the result of online learning is not good. Tri-Service General Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry director Ye Chi-pin (葉啟斌) pointed out that without face-to-face classes, students can easily be distracted and lose concentration, which leads to poor learning results. He shared “3 methods to increase concentration during distance learning”, to help teachers, parents and students increase the quality of distance learning.

Read More: The Ministry of Labor: 4 Programs to help fresh graduates find employment

Online Teaching. Photo/Provided by Associated Press  

Ye Chi-pin said that there are studies conducted in other countries on the differences between video learning and face-to-face learning. Results of the study showed that the concentration of students in video learning is not enough, because there are many teaching techniques in face-to -face classes that cannot be replaced.

Ye Chi-pin also said that, to have good quality online learning, the students need to have “sustained concentration”, and interest in the lesson. The teacher should also be able to arouse the students’ interest, but during the pandemic, it is difficult to maintain eye-to-eye visual contact during video learning, which lowers the connection between the teacher and the students. In addition, because the teacher and the students are in different locations, it is easy for the students to get distracted and do other things, which lessens their focus.

Read More: COVID-19: MOE 7 Tips to Stay Healthy

Online Teaching. Photo/Provided by Associated Press  

Students are now on summer vacation and many online classes are available for students to continue learning to avoid the “decline in learning ability during vacation”. To increase the quality of distance learning, Ye Chi-pin shares “3 methods to increase concentration during distance learning”:

1. Parent Supervision:

Adult supervision during learning will make their children feel more stable and increase the students’ attention and allow them to learn automatically.

2. Use the video camera:

Visual contact helps maintain attention and using the video camera will allow both the teacher and the student to see each other, which is very important.

3. Divide the lesson into smaller parts to help the students to understand better:

It is difficult to maintain continuous focus during online learning, so the lesson can be divided into smaller organized units of 15 minutes each, for example. This way, the student can absorb more knowledge and not be distracted. 

Read more: COVID-19 Delta Variant Invades Southern Taiwan: CECC's 3 Major Safety Measures

There are small daily techniques that can be used to improve concentration, according to Ye Chi-pin. Like, not using your mobile phones too much, to lessen sensory stimulation and maintain the student’s learning condition. Daily exercise and training will increase endurance and strengthen “sustained concentration”, and help the student not get bored and maintain attention.