Impact of remote teaching on the academic skills of first basic cycle students in Calama and Antofagasta: a multidimensional analysis

Abstract

The objective of this study is to show the progress of reading comprehension and scientific skills in students of the first basic cycle who participated in virtual classes during the health crisis. This analysis aims to demonstrate the impacts that remote teaching may have had on the acquisition of fundamental skills for adequate performance in Language, Mathematics and Science. The participants include first- and third-year basic students from three types of educational institutions in Calama and Antofagasta, along with their respective teachers. The results obtained indicate that reading comprehension and mathematical operations skills are the most affected in all groups, reflecting negative results in relation to the expected achievements. Regarding scientific skills, they show sufficient development, although the need for reinforcement is identified due to the lack of practical activities. No significant differences are observed between the different types of educational establishments, but there are variations depending on the geographical location. The speeches of the first and third grade teachers of the communes under study show that the challenges and development of the students occur in various dimensions, including academic skills, classroom behavior, autonomy and concentration.