More SLC Secondary School Students are Flunking Classes

 Heather May. "More SLC Secondary School Students are Flunking Classes. Salt Lake Tribune. December 6, 2020. pp. A1; 8,9.

In addition about 50 students now come to the school for their classes.  They log on while working in the school library so they can get help learning how to use the technology and develop habits for online learning, she said. 

 COMMENT

COVID-19 has caused a natural experiment with a sudden, widespread shift to online education.  As I would have predicted, it's a massive flop.  The article describes that even privileged kids with new computers and private spaces at home are failing to turn in assignments and failing classes.  Kids who aren't adept with computers don't even stand a chance.  One major barrier to online learning has always been that you have to learn to use the technology before you can even begin to learn anything.  Instead of spending class time on the subject matter, students are forced to spend time learning to use obscure software that has no uses or applications outside of a school setting.