RESEARCH.docx - CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the...

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
COVID-19 has rapidly and dramatically affected our lives.
Unfortunately, teenagers and young adults are among those who may be
most affected. The COVID-19 pandemic drove many schools to cancel face to
face classes and now, many schools and colleges continue to rely on virtual
learning to keep students and teachers safe. While the safety of students
and teachers is of the utmost importance, online learning can have an
impact on the mental health of the students. We explain how online learning
impacts students' mental health, along with ways parents can help their
teens cope while learning in the comfort of their houses.
Online classes affect everyone from young children to young adults,
teachers, and professors. For several students, virtual classes may worsen
existing mental state disorders. For others, the impact of online learning can
trigger new changes in their psychological state and mood. With online
classes, students may experience challenges because it relates to increased
screen time.
As education adapts to teaching and learning at a distance, the
workload and the learning load of adopting a new delivery mode is taking a

huge charge on the lives of those in education. This is an immense downside
that is growing rapidly. While there are some students who are thriving
through online classes, the impact of the virus, isolation, increased
workloads and other associated effects are rising among many students. The
radical change in lifestyle can feed loneliness, anxiety and even lead to
depression. Anxiety and stress can lower immunity, subjecting students to
illness (Schroeder, 2020).
Technology does not only impact academics but also the student’s
health (University of Minnesota, 2007). Screen time such as browsing online
has been associated with a more inactive lifestyle (Wang, et.al, 2012). Even
though online websites make it easier for students to access education, it
potentially leads them to an inactive lifestyle and related health issues.
Spending more time on the computer presents a major risk to student’s
mental health, resulting in a trend away from active leisure pursuits and
recreational sports and leading them towards inactive entertainment such as
television, video games, and computers (University of Minnesota, 2007;
Wang et al., 2012).
Students who have better health are more likely to finish their studies,
but it is unclear whether time on the computer has a negative impact on
mental health. We know that inactive behavior is the number two risk factor
for a variety of diseases and general health. Therefore, the effect of online
classes on the student’s mental health needs to be examined. Thus, this

study can help the schools by adopting the framework to address
institutional issues by incorporating coping strategies and improve teaching-
learning related outcomes in virtual learning.