Abstract:

In the rapidly evolving technological world in which we live, digital devices are all around us and are entering more and more areas of human activity and realization. The crisis related to the pandemic situation and the need to preserve the health of children, teachers, all those working in the education system, and their relatives, necessitated a reorganization of the learning process and the transition from face-to-face learning to distance learning in an electronic environment. Social isolation and the transition to a virtual form of communication have an impact on the personal and professional lives of all people. As in any other sphere of life, so in education, the imposed changes proved to be a serious challenge – in a very short time there was the provision of technical means and training for work in online platforms.

This report aims to examine the specifics of distance learning, what opportunities it provides, as well as the shortcomings identified so far, and the strengths and weaknesses of this new and different space for learning, teaching, communication, and interaction. The data presented in this publication cover students from the City of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. What is important to note is that these results do not have the ambition of national representation. However, there are certainly many points of contact between the problems, challenges, and prospects of synchronous and asynchronous learning in an e-environment. The main normative documents are considered, which outline a clear framework for the organization of distance learning. All legal documents related to the planning and organization of training in an electronic environment emphasize the need for education in a real social environment and direct interaction between the people involved in the educational process. This is the best and irreplaceable alternative for the implementation of a full and quality training process. Minimizing social isolation can guarantee the normal and healthy mental, physical, emotional, and personal development of high school children. Every country, including Bulgaria, strives to implement a classic form of education, as much as possible for children. In the global health crisis we are in, this is a huge challenge that needs to be carefully addressed.

We will make an attempt for a comparative analysis of the learning outcomes of high school students in the traditional face-to-face form of learning and the results achieved in synchronous distance learning in an electronic environment.

Last but not least, we will outline some of the most significant consequences of social isolation, the long hours spent in front of the screens, namely the loss of live contact between students and teachers, and the limited communication with peers.

Keywords:

Social isolation, distance learning, high school students.