8 │ SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING Distance learning in basic and upper secondary schools in the Czech Republic 47 represented in at least one quarter of lessons to ensure that distance learning has the nature of a more balanced education. From a long-term perspective, it is the low proportion of lessons with such objectives that has an effect on the higher incidence of mental health problems in pupils, as reported by psychologists and paediatricians in recent weeks. This can be at least partially compensated by regular class teacher lessons. CHART 24 | Ways of using video conferencing in synchronous learning However, some teachers are aware of the crucial importance of encouraging communication and the development of social skills and implement it in practice. Pupils connect before the lesson, and we talk about everything; also after the lesson we stay in contact for more than 5 minutes, thereby replacing personal contact. Pupils’ communication with teachers has improved. If they don’t know something, they express it, they are able to ask for help, they often go to school for consultation hours. Pupils have managed to lose their shyness in communicating in a virtual classroom, they are reasonably confident about speaking and ask to speak in the virtual classroom, they are not afraid of making mistakes, they are not afraid of saying how they feel. Human approach, establishing social contacts, class teacher lessons once a week (pupils communicate what they did well and what they did not, their experience, etc.). The importance of communication for learning is well illustrated by the following example from education. Online lessons took place in a much more pleasant atmosphere, with teachers communicating with pupils not only about the subject matter, but also showing interest in their lives and opinions. These teachers were able to naturally lead pupils to think about the problem and find their own solution; they used visual aids – things that pupils commonly encounter in real life. They communicated with pupils throughout the lesson, inviting them to express dis/agreement with their own and others’ statements and to justify their own views. They themselves took a back seat to be the “managers” of the educational process. Similarly, the support for nonverbal communication and visual contact is essential. It is therefore a very negative finding that in a large proportion of online classes many pupils had their cameras turned off. Similarly striking is the finding that the camera was not used by the teacher in more than 40% of the lessons in secondary general schools. In addition, it is clear that even secondary general school pupils use the camera in synchronous learning the least often. Visual contact is an essential part of communication for both teachers and pupils, and its absence significantly increases the demands on concentration and reduces the level of mental well-being necessary for effective learning. 88%19% 19%9%86%4%74%36%4%73%30%2%65%35%4%0 %20 % 40 % 60 % 80 % 100 %hlavní nástroj výukya komunikace se žákypils doplněkasynchronní výukypodpora sociálního kontaktud a duševní pohody žáků1. stupeň ZŠS 2. stupeň ZŠobor gymnáziumld maturitní oborynematuritní obory 100% 80%60%40%20%0% 1st stage of B 2nd stage of BS sec. gen. school fieMaturita fields non-Maturita fieldsmain tool for learning and communication with pucomplement to asynchronous learning support for social contact anmental well-being of pupils