Individual essay phamminhgiabao AEn T321WSB 6 21000588

FINAL INDIVIDUAL ESSAYS–AEnT321WSB6
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SCHOOL OF WESTERN SYDNEY
ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET
STUDENT DETAILS
Student name:

Student ID
number:

PHAM MINH GIA BAO

21000588

UNIT AND TUTORIAL DETAILS
Unit name:

AEn-T321WSB-6

Unit number:

Tutorial group:
Lecturer or Tutor name:

Tutorial day and time:

6
Mon, Tue, Thu
(8:00-11:15)

Gabriel C. Ryan

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS
Title:

FINAL INDIVIDUAL ESSAYS

Length:

1200-1500

Due date:

02/01/2022

Date submitted:

02/01/2022

Home campus (where you are enrolled):
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I hold a copy of this assignment if the original is lost or damaged.
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I hereby certify that no part of this assignment or product has been submitted by me in
another (previous or current) assessment, except where appropriately referenced, and
with prior permission from the Lecturer / Tutor / Unit Coordinator for this unit.
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Pham Minh Gia Bao

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FINAL INDIVIDUAL ESSAYS–AEnT321WSB6
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Note: An examiner or lecturer / tutor has the right to not mark this assignment if the above
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Will Online Courses Replace Traditional Learning for Primary Education?
Pham Minh Gia Bao – 21000588
AEn-T321WSB-6
Gabriel C. Ryan
January 02, 2022

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How the world operates has changed since technologies are developing drastically. In
addition to education, online learning has been exploited effectively, and especially it has
become an alternative way of pursuing knowledge during the Covid-19 pandemic. However,
a controversy has been raised regarding children typically from 6 to 11 years old that whether
traditional schooling is replaced by distance learning for primary education. With regards to
primary schooling, traditional education is posited that it cannot be supplanted because it is
requisite for children’s development. Studying at school helps students enhance their social
and interaction skills, also includes physical education. On the other hand, the combination of
online and traditional learning is what should be applied in the teaching method.

Social skills are what students are taught when learning at school. These abilities play
an important role in children’s development and future jobs. For instance, interacting with
others is a fundamental skill in humans’ daily lives, chiefly in the workplace. According to
LinkedIn (2019), it is reported that most aptitude experts and recruiters, which accounted for
20 percent admit applicants who are capable of using their soft skills are becoming more
vital. Furthermore, there is an acknowledgment that both workers and students need to
sharpen their social skills in order to keep up with the world’s development (Hansen, as cited
in Bauer-Wolf, 2019). Therefore, it is apparent that going to school is what children need
because they are able to develop their social skills by interacting with their teachers and

friends. In particular, they subconsciously study social skills such as problem-solving and
listening-reading-writing skills, while students are learning at school. Not just through
teachers’ lessons, these skills can be achieved when children are playing with their
classmates. Ladd (as cited in EurekAlert, 2006) states how important friend’s interaction is.
To be more specific, he argues that assertiveness, dispute resolution, earning respect, and
controlling violence are just a few of the qualities children develop via peer interactions.
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Moreover, not only does playing with peers give youngsters valuable opportunities to speak
up about their feelings, broaden their mental processes and knowledge, but it also helps them
practice language and social activities. As a result, when children face the lockdown due to
Covid-19, which is a lack of peers’ interaction, their social-emotional state will be adversely
affected. Take Covid-19 lockdown as an example, even adults experience despondency, so do
children; in fact, the shortage of interaction exacerbates children’s social skills. On the other
hand, others argue that online learning can provide an environment for students to
communicate with each other. In fact, the advantages which distance learning brings are
undeniable; however, this type of learning still faces many limitations. It can not replace faceto-face schooling because of mixed cultures and ambiguity of body language or facial
expression which leads to misunderstanding. Furthermore, communicating through phone
does not like communicating in person. Kurdgelia (as cited in Unicef, 2020) says that she felt
alienated, and panic during the lockdown of Covid-19 despite the help of the internet. In
conclusion, social skills and interaction have a substantial role in children’s development, and
by going to school, students can reinforce their social skills through interacting with
classmates.

Secondly, the importance of traditional learning is that its curriculums are
programmed with the aim of helping children balance their mental and physical health
through physical education. First of all, physical activities are one of the keys to success since

they affect remarkably on students’ academic performance. Students’ brain and their bodies
are not two separate parts, they are mutually impactful as a healthy body is a prerequisite for
brain development related to students’ academic performances. For instance, research on 29
primary schools with 757 students shows a better grade in NAPLAN tests resulted in
healthier children (Hyndman, 2018). Furthermore, it is reported that doing workouts and
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physical activities can be a remedy preventing depression for youngsters (Parker & Pascoe,
2018). As a result, physical education should not be underrated; in fact, it is better to consider
physical education as one of the most significant subjects for children. Therefore, traditional
schooling is substantially essential due to the chances of letting children study physical
education. While going to school, children can benefit not just from physical education but
also during their playtime, or their sports club, or even the time they go to school on foot, by
bike. Since studying in person is one of the keys to children’s development, there will be
serious consequences if traditional schooling is totally substituted by online courses. It is
recorded that during lockdowns throughout the world, P.E teachers found it difficult to bolster
sufficient assistance for students (Broerse et al., 2021). Many nations, including the Czech
Republic, Portugal, and Spain, documented identical adverse situations on juvenile
development and wellbeing, although it is argued that learning online can also provide
student P.E classes. A 11 years old girl, Melikadze (as cited in Unicef, 2020) enjoyed studying
at home, however, she admitted that sitting and learning through a computer all day is far
more exhausting. In conclusion, physical activities can not be arranged appropriately for
primary students through distance learning, so traditional schooling is the academic-teaching
method which is irreplaceable.

Finally, the essential of learning face-to-face is irrefutable, yet combining both
traditional and online learning appears to be the ultimate educational method in the future.

With the boom in advanced technologies, studying at home has been accessible. There is a
plethora of cutting-edge technologies that are made to serve education. As education is the
combination of practice and theory, there is a tumult of children’s ambiguity about how
things work: such as the interaction of chemicals, or the cycle of animals; however, nowadays
it is clearly be seen on the internet. Furthermore, had it not been for the advancement of high
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technologies, searching academic materials would have been more difficult (English, 2019).
Another important thing is that teachers are assisted in testing students’ learning process and
entertaining them during the class with sophisticated technologies. However, the idea which
distance courses supplant traditional education is still a theory that hardly becomes a reality.
Underprivileged students are one of the most vulnerable types when facing the pandemic, as
there is a shortage of necessary equipment for studying for families with low income
(Rasmitadila et al., 2020). It is estimated that children from 5 to 7 years old (accounted for
13.5 million) do not have the ability to approach technologies (Public Policy Associates &
Incorporated, 2020). Moreover, a 10 years old boy, Samadashvili (as cited in Unicef, 2020)
said that he got headaches because of the 4-hour continuous session. On the other hand, what
seems to be functioning effectively for the time being when Covid-19 is spreading worldwide
is the combination of both face-to-face and distance learning. Therefore, the drawbacks of
online courses are reduced, and the benefits of traditional learning can be maximized by
applying both teaching methods.

In summary, traditional learning is remarkably significant that can not be replaced by
online courses, as going to schools, meeting teachers and friends have become the essence
during children’s evolution. Schools, where students can have interaction between teachers
and friends, give children the opportunities to contact more about the world since it also
supports them in developing social skills and physical health. Additionally, face-to-face and

distance learning can be combined with the aim of helping children continue their learning
process when inevitable disasters occur, and drawing a picture of the new way of learning.

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REFERENCES
Bauer-Wolf, J. (2019, January 17). Survey: Employers Want “Soft Skills” From Graduates |
Inside Higher Ed. Insidehighered.com.
/>Children’s peer relationships have enormous influence. (n.d.). EurekAlert! Retrieved January
2, 2022, from />English, T. (2019, March 11). How new technologies are helping students learn. Interesting
Engineering. />Hyndman, B. (2018, July 23). Move it, move it: How physical activity at school helps the
mind (as well as the body). The Conversation. />LinkedIn Releases 2019 Global Talent Trends Report. (2019, January 28). Linkedin.
/>Parker, A., & Pascoe, M. (2018, December 11). How physical activity in Australian schools
can help prevent depression in young people. The Conversation.
/>Prepared for the National Education Association Digital Equity for Students and Educators.
(2020). Public Policy Associates, Incorporated.
/>%20Equity%20for%20Students%20and%20Educators_0.pdf

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Rasmitadila, R., Aliyyah, R. R., Rachmadtullah, R., Samsudin, A., Syaodih, E., Nurtanto, M.,
& Tambunan, A. R. S. (2020). The perceptions of primary school teachers of online
learning during the Covid-19 pandemic period: A case study in indonesia. Journal of

Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 7(2), 90–109. />Smee, C. V. der, Maple, J.-L., & Broerse, J. (2021, October 27). Missing out on PE during
lockdowns means students will be playing catch-up. The Conversation.
/>Studying at home due to Covid-19? This is how young people in Georgia are coping with the
situation. (2020, March 24). Unicef. />
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