AUDIO: Four years later, WMU professor says high school age students might have been affected most by pandemic

KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – This week marks the marks four-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. Among other things, it began a cascade of school and business shutdowns that changed the world as we knew it.

Western Michigan University Professor of teaching, learning and educational studies Dr. Regena Fails Nelson says initially they thought the learning slide experienced in Michigan and nationwide would have the biggest impact on elementary age students, especially kindergarten level, who lost in-person time in class learning the building blocks of reading and literacy.

But she, it actually might be older students who were affected most.

Dr. Nelson says colleges are also learning how to teach teachers differently because of the increase in classroom and online technology.