How the Pandemic Affected the Brains of Students and Teachers – And How to Recover

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting impact on education, not just academically but also on how students and teachers think, remember, and solve problems. New research helps us understand why students have struggled so much since the pandemic, revealing changes in cognitive abilities that affect learning and teaching alike. 

The Pandemic’s Effect on Thinking and Learning 

A study led by Harvard psychologist Nancy Tsai found that the pandemic negatively affected core cognitive skills like memory, attention, and flexible thinking. These changes have been linked to the academic struggles of students and the burnout experienced by many teachers. The findings suggest that both groups have suffered from weaker thinking skills that are essential for handling everyday tasks in the classroom. 

Cognitive Decline in Students 

The research, which assessed 35,000 students using the Penn Computerized Neurocognitive Battery, showed that children aged 8 to 13 experienced the largest drop in cognitive abilities. Many of these children were at critical stages of development when the pandemic began, making them more vulnerable to memory and flexible thinking challenges. 

Additionally, students from lower-income families were hit harder, especially in areas like verbal reasoning and memory. This has affected their ability to perform well in all subjects, with verbal skills closely linked to overall academic success. 

Teachers Are Also Struggling 

Surprisingly, the study also found that teachers experienced similar cognitive declines. More than 4,000 teachers were tested, and many showed weaker memory, flexible thinking, and verbal reasoning. This could explain the rise in teacher burnout, as newer teachers, in particular, are finding it harder to adjust to the classroom’s changing demands. Even experienced teachers, while better equipped to cope, are facing increased stress. 

What Can Be Done? 

The good news is that there are ways to help both students and teachers recover from these cognitive setbacks. Schools can take action to support their cognitive well-being: 

For Students: 

Practice with Breaks: Students need more opportunities to practice their skills, but with breaks in between tasks to help with memory and focus. 

Chunking Information: Using “scaffolded memorization” techniques, where learning is broken down into smaller pieces, can help students gradually improve their thinking skills. 

For Teachers: 

Understanding Cognitive Struggles: Schools should share cognitive data with teachers to help them understand that their frustrations may be related to these cognitive challenges, making it easier for them to manage stress. 

Support Systems: Providing support and strategies to help teachers deal with cognitive declines can reduce burnout and improve overall well-being. 

A Path to Recovery 

Though the pandemic has taken a toll on both students and teachers, recovery is possible. With the right support, students can regain their memory and thinking skills, and teachers can better manage  classroom stress. Schools have the power to foster recovery by using practical strategies to help both groups regain their cognitive abilities. 

The cognitive decline caused by the pandemic is real, but with a better understanding of the issues, schools can take steps to improve learning outcomes and support teacher well-being. By focusing on cognitive health and offering the right tools, the education system can help students and teachers overcome these challenges and move toward a healthier, more successful future.

How uQualio Can Help 

uQualio supports students and teachers in reinforcing memory skills through its user-friendly, video-based learning platform. It allows teachers to create engaging, tailored content easily. 

By adding quizzes to the videos, uQualio helps students reinforce key concepts and improve their memory and problem-solving skills. This approach benefits both students and teachers, making uQualio a valuable tool for post-pandemic recovery.