Time off is good compensation that comes from having completed something. It is important that students feel that they are done for the day," says Martin Karlberg.
Photograph: Matton
Instruction in higher education institutions and at upper-secondary schools is taking place through distance teaching to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Next in line is the closure of preschools and compulsory schools. What is required of schools this occurs? And what support are parents expected to give their children when they are not allowed to attend school?
Department of Education. Photo: Erik Åstrand
"Schools may not transfer the burden on to the parents. It is up to the schools to organise teaching. But if parents can help by creating structure, making sure the children complete their assignments and ensuring they take breaks, that would be great," says Martin Karlberg, senior lecturer at the Department of Education at Uppsala University.
He is clear that the schools are responsible for students managing teaching and making sure it works for students. The assignments students are expected to do through distance education should differ from those they do in the classroom.
"Schools have an important task of giving assignments to students that are so easy that parents do not need to help. Help is to come from the school and, to a certain extent, classmates. You can't ask parents to be able to do upper-secondary school maths. The general rule of thumb is that homework students receive should be on a difficulty scale where 90 per cent will be correct."
