Do parents and students need the pandemic-era school WhatsApp groups? Premium

WhatsApp class groups connected teachers and students during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and even afterwards, but these group chats impact students and parents in markedly different ways

WhatsApp groups helped connect classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic, but are they still needed? [Representational Image] | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Gita*, 19, was a high school student in Bangalore when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and her classroom went online. She said WhatsApp class groups helped her get to know almost 100 other classmates, and exercise her social skills when lockdowns were in place.

“The entire schooling experience changed me, making me more open-minded and consistently learning and growing, and I believe those class groups also had something to do with it,” Gita said. “However, texting people instead of [meeting] face-to-face was difficult in terms of a lack of emotions portrayed or reactions received.”

Once back in physical classes, it “proved to be difficult to talk to people, even if you had been close with them online,” she said.

Gita is now in college, and part of several college-related WhatsApp groups. She notes that she can even get academic doubts about specific subjects cleared through such groups. While Gita “heavily” depends on the social messaging platform for academics and staying in touch with friends, the constant chat notifications from the app are “overwhelming” at times.

(For top technology news of the day, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today’s Cache)

With over 450 million users in India in 2021 as per Statista’s data, WhatsApp has been used for everything from sending early morning inspiration to late night reminders before exam days. Parents of young children also use the platform to distribute class notes, check homework assignments, keep track of their child’s progress, share doctors’ contacts, and suggest fun afterschool classes for the children.

Aarthi*, 34, a special educator in Chennai, used to dislike WhatsApp groups during the pandemic. In these chats, she witnessed parents bickering with each other over teacher issues and other children’s behaviour during online classes. Post-pandemic, some WhatsApp groups have come in handy, particularly when Aarthi’s son transitioned to middle school.

She is now part of several school-related WhatsApp groups, and her son is in half a dozen WhatsApp school groups to keep in touch with friends and get updates on projects. Aarthi says she regularly monitors her son’s messaging platform usage, and has trained him to be independent in his studies.

The impact of technology

Sangeeta Krishan, a mental health counsellor who worked with school students in West Bengal during the COVID-19 pandemic, asserts that WhatsApp’s contribution to remote learning and keeping virtual classrooms connected was important even though the app cannot replace the in-school experience.

“WhatsApp was still the sole bright spot, serving as a lifeline to maintain connections. It played a pivotal role in facilitating effective communication and fostering a sense of social connection. It allowed students to stay connected with classmates, teachers and peers,” she said.

However, Krishan recalled some situations she witnessed on WhatsApp school groups, like unknown members suddenly joining class groups and students bullying each other or teasing their peers based on WhatsApp display pictures – despite their teachers being in the group.

“A healthy way for parents, teachers and students to virtually stay in touch is by establishing clear communication guidelines and maintaining a balanced approach - a mix of communication medium[s] like emails, video calls, messaging apps and virtual meetings,” she said, pointing out that teachers have to handle not just one WhatsApp class group but many groups across grade levels.

According to her, parent-teacher or teacher-student interactions online must have direct objectives such as addressing concerns or discussing progress, rather than chatting without purpose.

The same technology that sometimes vexes younger students and their worried parents could benefit college students who are able to take full responsibility for their studies.

Bhuvaneshwari Mohanan, who works for the Indian Ministry of Railways and is based in Delhi, was relieved to see her college-going son messaging his teachers on WhatsApp to clarify doubts during the pandemic. He was part of a WhatsApp class group chat and his professors helped answer questions even after class hours.

While WhatsApp was certainly not designed with school-going children in mind, it has become a permanent fixture in their lives. How teachers and parents approach Meta’s messaging app in a post-pandemic world will define students’ performance and, more importantly, their well-being.

(*Some names have been changed to protect privacy)